Magnaflo Overland

[MotorboatMcGoat]

I just had this exhaust installed today, and I've driven it all of 20 minutes, city+highway, tossed it into manual to play with different RPM sounds. It will need to break in of course. Some initial thoughts:

No issues installing with factory hitch, it's tucked way up there, definitely not going to smash it on departing obstacles. I can actually hear the motor on idle. I love the low rumble you hear at all speeds. It's a lot quieter inside than I was expecting. WOT sounds good, but not loud at all inside. In the cabin with load on the motor between 1600-2100 RPM there is some drone. If I'm in that range but just cruising it's VERY minimal, only when there's load my ears pick it up the most between 1700-2000 RPM. The drone is louder than the sound of the exhaust across all RPM ranges. Since it's only day one it's hard to say whether or not it's going to bother me. With the music on (not loud) it didn't bother me at all.

If after a few weeks it's bothering me I'll look into getting a quarter wave or helmholtz resonator made.

 

[Bang Bang]

As has been mentioned earlier in this thread, MT’s and the radio on and you can’t hear it until you get on it. I love the sound. Been on a couple overland trips (driving 6+ hours a day) and have no issues with it. My wife was with me on one trip and she did not say a word about it…….she would definitely let me know if she didn’t like it.

 

[BigNick]

I like the Magnaflow on mine, nice sound and the tip is tucked up . As others have said, you can chop the resonator off and get the tip up. But, it just doesnt sound as nice. I like my sound and I'll keep it.

 

[BigSwede]

No issues installing with factory hitch, it's tucked way up there, definitely not going to smash it on departing obstacles. I can actually hear the motor on idle. I love the low rumble you hear at all speeds. It's a lot quieter inside than I was expecting. WOT sounds good, but not loud at all inside. In the cabin with load on the motor between 1600-2100 RPM there is some drone. If I'm in that range but just cruising it's VERY minimal, only when there's load my ears pick it up the most between 1700-2000 RPM. The drone is louder than the sound of the exhaust across all RPM ranges. Since it's only day one it's hard to say whether or not it's going to bother me. With the music on (not loud) it didn't bother me at all.

I think you've nailed the description.

 

[WBrown999]

I just had this exhaust installed today, and I've driven it all of 20 minutes, city+highway, tossed it into manual to play with different RPM sounds. It will need to break in of course. Some initial thoughts:

No issues installing with factory hitch, it's tucked way up there, definitely not going to smash it on departing obstacles. I can actually hear the motor on idle. I love the low rumble you hear at all speeds. It's a lot quieter inside than I was expecting. WOT sounds good, but not loud at all inside. In the cabin with load on the motor between 1600-2100 RPM there is some drone. If I'm in that range but just cruising it's VERY minimal, only when there's load my ears pick it up the most between 1700-2000 RPM. The drone is louder than the sound of the exhaust across all RPM ranges. Since it's only day one it's hard to say whether or not it's going to bother me. With the music on (not loud) it didn't bother me at all.

If after a few weeks it's bothering me I'll look into getting a quarter wave or helmholtz resonator made.

How has your experience been over the past month or so?

 

[MotorboatMcGoat]

How has your experience been over the past month or so?

Good! I've driven about 1.5k since I got it. It still surprises me how mild it is though. Maybe it's due to all the soundproofing but to me it's quiet even when on the throttle. If I have the music up when I'm WOT I can't really hear it. When the music's down and you're on it it sounds awesome, but again, not loud at all. When chillin at stoplights the idle volume is lovely.

The small amount of drone still hits under load from 1750ish-2000 rpm which is worse when the motor's cold. The exhaust (inside) is loudest at that range and everywhere else is quieter.

It did bother me initially, enough that I'd try to avoid staying under load at that range. I might be getting used to it or my driving habits have changed as lately I haven't thought about it at all. My wife didn't notice until I pointed it out and it doesn't bother her, she just says she likes how it sounds. My two kids aren't phased by the drone. I think I'm the most sensitive to it out of all of us.

For me, personally, the exhaust would be perfect if it was a bit louder under throttle, and if that drone wasn't there.

 

[Rednexus]

A Helmholtz resonator will take care of the drone. There is a good spot around a foot up from the tailpipe. My Borla is stock-silent at 70 mph after building a Helmholtz.

 

[ericm979]

How did you calculate the volume and connecting tube length of the Helmholtz and how did you find an exhaust shop who didn't blank out when you said "Helmholtz"?

 

[Rednexus]

I used the spreadsheet/method listed below:

Drone Reduction - Wilhelm Raceworks, LLC

Adding a Helmholtz resonator to my center exit exhaust for done reduction. Calculator to design a Helmholtz to solve your own drone problem.

wilhelmraceworks.com

And I built the Helmholtz myself. There is some info in my build thread.

The whole process of killing the drone was quite a saga with a lot of trial and error. The end product and skills I picked up along the way were worth it.

 

[WBrown999]

I used the spreadsheet/method listed below:

Drone Reduction - Wilhelm Raceworks, LLC

Adding a Helmholtz resonator to my center exit exhaust for done reduction. Calculator to design a Helmholtz to solve your own drone problem.

wilhelmraceworks.com

And I built the Helmholtz myself. There is some info in my build thread.
View attachment 3289676
The whole process of killing the drone was quite a saga with a lot of trial and error. The end product and skills I picked up along the way were worth it.

Extremely impressive!

 

[BrickRunner]

I used the spreadsheet/method listed below:

Drone Reduction - Wilhelm Raceworks, LLC

Adding a Helmholtz resonator to my center exit exhaust for done reduction. Calculator to design a Helmholtz to solve your own drone problem.

wilhelmraceworks.com

And I built the Helmholtz myself. There is some info in my build thread.
View attachment 3289676
The whole process of killing the drone was quite a saga with a lot of trial and error. The end product and skills I picked up along the way were worth it.

Did the Helmholtz resonator work the first time based on the spreadsheet, or did you have to adjust it a bit? The spreadsheet outputs 4 frequencies based on the dimension inputs, each at a different temperature. Which temperature did you pick for your target frequency?

Thanks!

 

[Rednexus]

I designed it for (IIRC) a ~140 Hz frequency at 100F, since the actual resonator itself stays pretty cool. It works very well for the ~2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had and the exhaust is basically silent at ~2,300 rpm. Based on where I installed the resonator, there really isn't any room to make it bigger, so I didn't add any adjustability (although I had purchased a 4" band clamp to provide length adjustment if needed). If you can build it with adjustability, IMO it is a good idea.

Now that's it's been installed for around a month or two (and I've gotten used to it) I've noticed a ~1,500-2,000 rpm drone that isn't opressive (maybe 60 db, so quieter than the 2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had before) but somewhat annoying. I'm going to build a second, larger Helmholtz that ties into the tailpipe at the outlet from the muffler and sits on top of the muffler to take care of this other done and hopefully have a stock-quiet exhaust at 50-80 mph cruising speeds. These are really pretty easy (and fun) to build once the process is down. I'm still loving the extra power of the exhaust, so IMO it's worth the effort of building a couple of resonators.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

I designed it for (IIRC) a ~140 Hz frequency at 100F, since the actual resonator itself stays pretty cool. It works very well for the ~2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had and the exhaust is basically silent at ~2,300 rpm. Based on where I installed the resonator, there really isn't any room to make it bigger, so I didn't add any adjustability (although I had purchased a 4" band clamp to provide length adjustment if needed). If you can build it with adjustability, IMO it is a good idea.

Now that's it's been installed for around a month or two (and I've gotten used to it) I've noticed a ~1,500-2,000 rpm drone that isn't opressive (maybe 60 db, so quieter than the 2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had before) but somewhat annoying. I'm going to build a second, larger Helmholtz that ties into the tailpipe at the outlet from the muffler and sits on top of the muffler to take care of this other done and hopefully have a stock-quiet exhaust at 50-80 mph cruising speeds. These are really pretty easy (and fun) to build once the process is down. I'm still loving the extra power of the exhaust, so IMO it's worth the effort of building a couple of resonators.

What would something like this run if say someone wanted to pay to get one put on a certain GX460?

 

[BrickRunner]

I designed it for (IIRC) a ~140 Hz frequency at 100F, since the actual resonator itself stays pretty cool. It works very well for the ~2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had and the exhaust is basically silent at ~2,300 rpm. Based on where I installed the resonator, there really isn't any room to make it bigger, so I didn't add any adjustability (although I had purchased a 4" band clamp to provide length adjustment if needed). If you can build it with adjustability, IMO it is a good idea.

Now that's it's been installed for around a month or two (and I've gotten used to it) I've noticed a ~1,500-2,000 rpm drone that isn't opressive (maybe 60 db, so quieter than the 2,100-2,500 rpm drone I had before) but somewhat annoying. I'm going to build a second, larger Helmholtz that ties into the tailpipe at the outlet from the muffler and sits on top of the muffler to take care of this other done and hopefully have a stock-quiet exhaust at 50-80 mph cruising speeds. These are really pretty easy (and fun) to build once the process is down. I'm still loving the extra power of the exhaust, so IMO it's worth the effort of building a couple of resonators.

Awesome, thanks!
I'm building an exhaust for my 4Runner, so I've got lots of space where the factory spare used to go.

 

[Rednexus]

What would something like this run if say someone wanted to pay to get one put on a certain GX460?

Just the materials to build the resonator out of 304SS are probably $75 a pop. A shop with "real" equipment (not me DIY-ing it with homeowner grade tools) who knew what they are doing could probably build and install one in 1-2 hours. So $200-300 seems to be a decent figure. But, you may have to do some searching to find a shop that 1) understands what a Helmholtz is - you may need to prescribe to them exactly what to build instead of relying on them to figure it out and 2) readily welds 304SS at a low price.

Also - I've read elsewhere of only nominal power gains for an exhaust on a GX that does not already have headers on it. The gains on mine were substantial....but I have LT headers to the OEM exhaust was a major bottleneck. If you have stock manifolds, the exhaust is downstream of the bottleneck, so I'm not sure you'd get the same power gains and power-to-price benefit.

 

[r2m]

Just the materials to build the resonator out of 304SS are probably $75 a pop. A shop with "real" equipment (not me DIY-ing it with homeowner grade tools) who knew what they are doing could probably build and install one in 1-2 hours. So $200-300 seems to be a decent figure. But, you may have to do some searching to find a shop that 1) understands what a Helmholtz is - you may need to prescribe to them exactly what to build instead of relying on them to figure it out and 2) readily welds 304SS at a low price.

Also - I've read elsewhere of only nominal power gains for an exhaust on a GX that does not already have headers on it. The gains on mine were substantial....but I have LT headers to the OEM exhaust was a major bottleneck. If you have stock manifolds, the exhaust is downstream of the bottleneck, so I'm not sure you'd get the same power gains and power-to-price benefit.

If the shop has to do the math, I can guarantee you you'll be spending a couple more "shop hour $$$" for them to figure it out, if they even can/what to.
If one thinks about it, if they made it through college, they probably wouldn't be doing mufflers. Not many folks with college degrees are mechanics, unless their degree is basket weaving, pottery, sociology or some other esoteric discipline.

The 23 strangest college degrees you can actually earn — and where to get them

If a typical liberal arts or chemistry degree seems a little too old-fashioned for you, perhaps you'd be interested in a more obscure one — such as Puppet Arts or Paranormal Studies. Here are the hands-down most unusual degrees you can actually earn.

www.insider.com

 

[Rednexus]

If the shop has to do the math, I can guarantee you you'll be spending a couple more "shop hour $$$" for them to figure it out, if they even can/what to.
If one thinks about it, if they made it through college, they probably wouldn't be doing mufflers. Not many folks with college degrees are mechanics, unless their degree is basket weaving, pottery, sociology or some other esoteric discipline.

The 23 strangest college degrees you can actually earn — and where to get them

If a typical liberal arts or chemistry degree seems a little too old-fashioned for you, perhaps you'd be interested in a more obscure one — such as Puppet Arts or Paranormal Studies. Here are the hands-down most unusual degrees you can actually earn.

www.insider.com

I agree that would probably be preferable to sketch up the dimensions/locations of the Hemlholtz and just provide it to the shop . I'm an engineer (not mechanical) so its second nature to me

However these arent that bad to DIY with a angle grinder, hole saw, and cheap HF welder with some SS flux core wire.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Just the materials to build the resonator out of 304SS are probably $75 a pop. A shop with "real" equipment (not me DIY-ing it with homeowner grade tools) who knew what they are doing could probably build and install one in 1-2 hours. So $200-300 seems to be a decent figure. But, you may have to do some searching to find a shop that 1) understands what a Helmholtz is - you may need to prescribe to them exactly what to build instead of relying on them to figure it out and 2) readily welds 304SS at a low price.

Also - I've read elsewhere of only nominal power gains for an exhaust on a GX that does not already have headers on it. The gains on mine were substantial....but I have LT headers to the OEM exhaust was a major bottleneck. If you have stock manifolds, the exhaust is downstream of the bottleneck, so I'm not sure you'd get the same power gains and power-to-price benefit.

If I had a choice I'd prefer an individual to do it rather than a shop. Have had better luck in the past dealing with individuals. Shout out to @THEOZMAN!

 

[Rednexus]

If I had a choice I'd prefer an individual to do it rather than a shop. Have had better luck in the past dealing with individuals. Shout out to @THEOZMAN!

Just about any buddy who can weld can build you one. SS was a bit of a curve for me but doable. A buddy with a proper TIG setup could make one that is actually pretty too

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Just about any buddy who can weld can build you one. SS was a bit of a curve for me but doable. A buddy with a proper TIG setup could make one that is actually pretty too

I dunno if I have any local buddies who fit that bill. LOL