exhaust(ing)


lumber

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 30, 2011
22
Hello all, long time lurker now an official owner.

Let me start by saying that this is a great/informative forum, that made my hunt/purchase painless.

I ended up purchasing a 05 red/white from Marv Rose. Great guy to deal with. Car is a 4 option with great add-ons...clear bra, hot buttons, short shifter,
pulley/tune and fr borla muffler. Evidently these were installed by gt guys, so I feel even better.

A question I have involves my exhaust. I would like to have it louder. Im thinking either a cat delete, m5230, and leaving the borla muffler. Or going with the
9430gtx. I know apples and oranges, but I would like a clean sound, however crazy loud that might be, vs something raspy/drony.

I currently have a spf cobra which is obviously loud and obnoxious, but I feel that makes it very entertaining to drive at a slower speed. I am thinking I would
like to set up the gt the same way. I live in a rural area and use the car to drive to and from my summer home which is only 1/2 hour away, and a number of
reduced speed zones...

Loud is ok. I find that the more I can play with my exhaust, the more involved the drive is, if that makes any sense...

Another thing...what is needed as far as tuning? I know the secondary o2 sensors need to be addressed, but anything else?

Thanks in advance.
jack
 

ViperJoe

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 17, 2006
1,305
Washington Crossing, PA
Welcome aboard. Use the search function where a wealth of information can be found. Consider supporting the forum by becomming a member. I installed a set of FRPP Rear Exit Headers which I absolutely love. Hammers of Hell loud!
 

paul b

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2006
810
Stainless exhaust, shed the weight and gain the sound
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
IMHO the rear exit headers can be a bit raspy especially a lower RPMs. The car comes alive on the top end, at the track it will be very reminiscent of le Mans (or an atomic explosion). The unusually short nature of the GT exhaust makes it unlike any other American muscle car. The cat delete options may be your least expensive way of testing different levels of exhaust volume. However there are several simple options for the rear section that offer a significantly different sound. I think every option has a certain RPM range that it likes to drone a bit. As stated above, the search option will net you a lot of information on this subject.
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
FWIW, I had the same senerio that the borla was not loud enough. I went with an x-pipe and was enough for me.
 

Biginch Blake

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Nov 4, 2008
983
Rockville, Indiana
CONGRATS, Good to hear from a new owner. I went from stock to Borla (good sound) “BUT” next went to the GT Guy’s “X” pipe with the factory cats in place (Great Sound). The “X” pipe is a good sounding setup and will not make the neighbors kids run for cover (at least not till go by their house at 100 MPH)
 

33Bravo

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Nov 3, 2006
688
Minneapolis, MN
Congrats! Nice color.

I have the Ford long tube headers, and the same Ford (Borla) "muffler". This combo sounds great!
 

lumber

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 30, 2011
22
Thanks for the feedback so far...Ive forum searched for the past two weeks.The problem im finding is, that with most things, exhaust sound
is subjective. Im leaning towards a 9430gtx...For Ralph to have his on for 20k miles, it cant be all that bad
 

lumber

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 30, 2011
22
alright, I just ordered a set of 5230 cat deletes from jack @ MM...may as well start somewhere...
 
H

HHGT

Guest
Come to a Cars and Coffee event in SoCal and you will hear all of them.
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
Congrats! Nice color.

I have the Ford long tube headers, and the same Ford (Borla) "muffler". This combo sounds great!

I thought the long tube headers went out the back. Do the headers exit at the same point the cats would exit? I learn something new everyday.
 

33Bravo

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Nov 3, 2006
688
Minneapolis, MN
I thought the long tube headers went out the back. Do the headers exit at the same point the cats would exit? I learn something new everyday.

I think the Ford Racing rear exit headers go straight out the back.

The Ford long tube headers take up the space the original exhaust manifolds and cats take up. I believe it could be used with the stock muffler (why?) but it was designed to be used with the Ford Racing Muffler. The Borla muffler without the cats and with the long tube headers (what I have) is loud. My understanding the rear exit headers is even louder.
 

Waldo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 7, 2005
767
Fort Worth, TX
My GT had the Borla muffler when I bought it. I replaced the Borla with an Accufab X-Pipe and have been very happy with that combination (OEM cats and manifolds).

I think you will find ditching the big mufflers (OEM and Borla) would be beneficial for both weight reduction and reducing the heat under the clamshell.

Congrats on your new GT.

Best Regards,
Waldo
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,018
Metro Detroit
FWIW, I had the same senerio that the borla was not loud enough. I went with an x-pipe and was enough for me.

Which one (X-Pipe) did you go with?
 

GT Venum

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 4, 2010
326
Wisconsin
Below is the link to a video with several exhaust systems. Does anyone know what exhausts goes with what car?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qCvbsHAHDc
 

Black GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 2, 2006
771
Heffner cat back rocks. Sounds great and looks great. People always comment on how my GT sounds. Anyone correct me if I am wrong,but I don't think you gain too much hp with cat delete.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
Heffner cat back rocks. Sounds great and looks great. People always comment on how my GT sounds. Anyone correct me if I am wrong,but I don't think you gain too much hp with cat delete.

But is sounds faster. :lol
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,504
Belleville, IL
Ralphie is deaf, so he doesn't hear anything no matter what the mileage. Old age.
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
Pretty sure it is a Heffner, got it used from "hollywoodstunts" last winter, bumper delete legnth even.

Which one (X-Pipe) did you go with?