KnightFiyah

Lookin' to replace my exhaust system for better sound, MPG, and peformance.

Everything is stock right now. Planning on a replacement muffler, piping, and exhaust tip. I'm also considering the cat too but keep in mind I'm limited to California Emission Standards.

I saw some good things from Flowmaster that sounded really nice and browsed JC whitney for hours.
I won't be doing the replacement myself.


Thoughts? Any personal experience?

kfarrar

I bough a JBA cat back system for my 3rd gen. It sounds awesome and it is all stainless steel. Not sure if they make one for the 2nd gen. It cost me about $300 and has held up really well so far.

Hilux4Life

I would say dont order a cat back kit and just go to a custom muffler shop. I got 2 1/4 cat back mandrel bent custom exhaust with a Flowmaster 40 series muffler for less than 200.

Make sure to stay away from Pacesetter. Their TPX exhaust is complete crap. It does not sound that great and it doesnt fit worth a damn at all. That my .02

KnightFiyah

From their website it doesn't look like my car is supported for a JBA.

Hmm, interesting, I was really leaning towards the 40 series before I even posted...how has the muffler and cat-back exhaust been treating you?

daved5150

iTrader: (1)

If you are dead set on Flowmaster, check out the Thrush welded mufflers at Advance Auto. They are about 40 - 45 dollars. I was told that Flowmaster lost the patent for a few years and that Thrush started making mufflers modeled after them.

I have my 94 4Runner with the 2.4 and no cat. With that muffler on there, it was pretty damn loud. I think having no cat probably made it sound louder. But it was too loud for me because I have a baby on the way and didn't want to seem 20 years younger than I am. It's deeper than a "Fast n Furious" car but comes off sounding like one...I also ordered the 2 1/4" tailpipe made for our gen Runners from Summit Racing. The welded muffler also has a loud drone in OD from 58 to 70 mph that sounds like a crotch rocket.

I now have a Thrush Turbo muffler on there that is more mellow but still has a non-stock deeper tone.

KnightFiyah

Haha I'm not really going for the "loud" aspect in terms of sound.

What I'm looking for is to dampen the echoing idle sound where it seems like the entire neighborhood can hear me drive, but still maintain an american muscle v6 engine sound when I want to rev it. The stock exhaust system just isn't cutting it for me.

Thank you for the feedback though everyone, I do appreciate it.

I think I'll be stopping by my local exhaust shop like Hilux suggested and just seeing what their inventory is like. Good advice there.

daved5150

iTrader: (1)

I also heard that Magnaflow's have a good sound also...

bomhour

I put a catback Superturbo on mine a few months ago and it sound really great with stock manifolds. Not too loud. Shop told me it was a bit quieter then the Magnaflow but you will have to ask someone else about that as I dont have anything to compare it to. I just installed headers too...now it getting kinda loud again.

KnightFiyah

I've heard this as well. I looked up a bunch of videos with 4runners with various mufflers and exhausts and I believe Flowmaster and Magnaflow were the top two.

Haha I was thinking about headers but I might swap my engine at any time, so I didn't think it was worth it at the moment.

Yeah I'll have to see what the shop has to say if I give them a little bit of specifications. Hopefully they can run with that.

spideynut

I have a Magnaflow with 2.5in no cat. Its much quiter than Flowmaster but gets pretty beefy sounding when floored! The sound is more importy than Flowmaster though.
I wasnt sure I liked it the first few days but when I hear how annoying Flowmaster
(when not conneted to a V8) can sound Im glad I went Magnaflow.

daved5150

iTrader: (1)

"but when I hear how annoying Flowmaster
(when not conneted to a V8) can sound Im glad I went Magnaflow."

Yea that's it in a nutshell....that welded Thrush (which is essentially a Flowmaster) got real annoying real quick. The Thrush turbo I have now has a decent sound at idle, a little of a rumble under acceleration but is no way as loud and annoying as that welded muffler....you can tell that it is not stock but it's reasonable....

To the original poster, check out the tailpipe from Summit. It's 2" O.D.and only $27.95. I've used it on my 88 and my 94... Here it is: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-44591/

Then you can use the muffler of your choice....

donomite49

i bought a downey 2.5" complete system about ten years ago,not sure what kind of muffler,but it sounds just right to me,throaty but quiet on the highway.
does anyone know what muffler downey sold?

KnightFiyah

How annoying is it? Is it just a loud idle?

Wrote the name down, thanks!

Wrote this one down too.

KnightFiyah

A local muffler shop quoted me for ~$295 for a full cat, muffler, exhaust replacement.

Am I getting ripped off or is this average?

bomhour

I paid $225 installed for a catback super turbo system without any extras.

rworegon

A rip off price in one area may be a bargain in another. Call a second shop in you area for a comparison.

Kalihi,HI

My cat was glowing red after driving only 30min. I'm debating whether to gut the cat and run straight pipe with no cat or to just replace the cat? I am only concerned about performance, not sound. How will gutting the cat hurt or help the performance? Any advice? Thank you for any help!

spideynut

Your cat is clogged. You can cut it out. The cat is for emmission only so yes it hurts performance. If you dont care about sound I would go cheap turbo muffler. Around 20.00 from Orielys. Or for double that you can get a name brand of your choice.