Exhaust for the 5.4L

[O'Rattlecan]

So I don't intend on doing many modifications for the new truck. I'll save most of the fun for the old truck. I am, however, having a hard time knowing what's going on with the new truck because I can't hear the darned thing rev!

The muffler is too quiet. I'm not looking for a massive exhaust kit either. I just want some opinions on what mufflers sound good with the 5.4L. My friends who own the exhaust shop will weld something up for me and I can choose whatever tips I want.

So any suggestions? I'd like a single-in dual-out muffler, but if that's not possible he can just split a y-pipe out past the muffler.

What I'm looking for isn't something obnoxious or cackling. It doesn't seem characteristic of the truck. I'm thinking a smooth-deep tone.

Ryan

 

[6L PWR]

http://www.kennebell.net/superchargers/ford/46-54expedition-navigator/46-54expedition-navigator.htm

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

 

[O'Rattlecan]

My exhaust buddy said the flowmaster 44 super was pretty popular. There was some Borla exhaust that I thought sounded decent on youtube as well.

Ryan

 

[lil_dq]

Borla are really good exhausts, I have a flow pro on mine but mine is LOUD! I would go borla for a nice quiet sound.

 

[6L PWR]

My exhaust buddy said the flowmaster 44 super was pretty popular. There was some Borla exhaust that I thought sounded decent on youtube as well.

Ryan

When I had my old '96 F250 with the 351, I just let a buddy in an exhaust shop make it. It was WAY less money than a cat back brand name system and I really think it sounded just as good. They can use a flowmaster muffler and make the joining pipes themselves.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Exactly. That's what these guys do for me for all my vehicles. Sometimes they have lightly used mufflers laying around and use scrap pipe and just ask me for $10. I think I'll pick what I want for the actual muffler this time though....

Ryan

 

[5.0Flareside]

Magnaflows sound dam good on these trucks.

 

[mustangtoby]

X2 on the Magnaflow. I've got a Gibson system on mine. I got to talking to a guy with a Flowmaster catback on his, he had the Gibson on for a couple of months and it wasn't loud enough. So he bought the Flowmaster and I lucked into meeting him and talking to him about his truck (his exhaust caught my ear and I just started shooting bull w/ him). He sold me his "old" Gibson system for $60, and I installed it the following weekend. From the cab you can't tell the difference, but when the wife does a drive by it sounds really good, just not very loud. I personally wish it was a little louder, but I still get compliments on it. Nice deep rumble with rpms, a little more bass at idle.

 

[mustangtoby]

Do a search on youtube, there are a lot of magnaflow clips on there. If I was gonna spend the money on a new muffler, that's what I would get. Nice deep rumble, no cackle.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Yeah that's what I think too. I don't really want a cackle - it's not characteristic of a truck this new.

Ryan

 

[Pony Hauler]

I really like my Magnaflow cat back

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Well guys I made the order and it arrived yesterday.

I am going to stay stock down through the cat. I have a 2 1/2" single inlet and dual 2 1/2" outlets on a flowmaster super 44. Those will lead back to 2 18" long 3 1/2" stainless steel tips. They are cut at 15* and are rolled in.

Should look/sound good without throwing my new fangled computer controlled contraption of a truck out of whack.

Ryan

 

[5.0Flareside]

shoulda went magnaflow.... you'll regret the Dronemasters.......

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Here's how I made my final decision, youtube videos and studying aside.

We were parking at the state fair and a guy pulled up in a truck just like mine except in black. It sounded beautiful. I had no bias - I was just going off sound. I asked "Hey, what muffler do you have on that thing?" He replied "Flowmaster Super 44." That's all I needed to know....

Ryan

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Ryan

 

[Fordzilla80]

And you didn't ask him about any Engine Mods?

Ryan, I'm gonna be honest with you, I think you should've done a little more research on it. You can't just go on one truck and Youtube videos.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

lol it's a muffler man... I am going for sound not performance... The truck was bone stock except for exhaust and a bug deflector.

I'm not going for performance. If it happens on accident - that's sweet. My old truck is what's going to be my race-truck. I just want to be able to hear this darn new truck rev when I'm getting on the highway.

Ryan

 

[Fordzilla80]

What I meant by my comment is if his truck sounded that good, was it really the muffler? Or did he have some other mods that also contributed to the sound?

Flowmasters might have been a great muffler at one time. But over time, quality can go out the window. Just look at Chilton's Manuals. IMO, Flowmasters fall into the same category as Fart Cans. You're not cool unless you have one. In reality, you're not cool, even if you have one.

In the end, it's your truck, and you do what you like. It just sounds like you let the sound of one truck and a few youtube videos make up your mind. Not necessarily the way I would've done it.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I have a close family friend that owns a muffler shop. I take a lot of advice from him... He's seen it all in his 20 years owning the place and said Flowmaster was a recommended brand. He *also* said that he's seen a huge amount of magnaflows falling off vehicles and welds breaking due to rust. If a flowmaster is really a piece of junk (I don't think it is until I have one fail on me) then I'll just replace it and my buddy will install a new one for me.

From what he's told me and what my ear likes, it's the right application. Not trying to pick at you - hope you don't see it that way. I am not a fad guy though - I just buy what I like.

Ryan