Muffler deleted LX 470, rough idle, noise sanity check (1 Viewer)

[KingGlizzard]

Hey y'all, I recently purchased a '99 LX470, 225k~ miles. It has an extensive service history and generally is very clean.

My only reservation lies around a muffler delete job that the previous owner did. It sounds pretty great from the back but the idle sound and noise from the engine bay don't sound normal to me. I've attached a video in a drive through where it can be heard a bit better. For comparison, I've also attached a cold start video so you can hear how loud the exhaust is. Youtube Video

 

[KingGlizzard]

I am considering replacing this muffler deleted exhaust with an OEM/OEM+ catback kit. We're going to be using this vehicle for long roadtrips and it's curretnly pretty loud on the highway. Any recommendations other than finding an OEM set?

 

[SteveH]

I used the el-cheapo Walker muffler (below) and it has worked well for me. If the PO cut off all the OEM piping and just straight-piped it, you might as well just go an exhaust shop and have them install a decent muffler, since you won't be able to just bolt up anything like an OEM muffler.

Walker Muffler installation - some tips

With some trepidation, I installed a Walker muffler on my '99 LX. $118 from Rock Auto, but I got an un-used one from a fellow MUDder. My OEM muffler was leaking water through rust holes at 300K+ miles. The good news: that the muffler basically fits and can work, and is quiet - maybe not 100% as...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[2000UZJ]

I would check your spark plugs, ensure they are tight. That might be the tick/hiss. There is a massive thread on it, and commonly sounds like the exhuast manifold tick to some degree.

The 2UZ doesn't sound great to me with a muffler delete. Doug Thorley and Borla are great alternatives. I had DT on my 2000 and it was fine on the highway and sounded very aggressive under heavy throttle while maintaining some definition in the sound.

 

[SteveH]

A good exhaust shop will steer you toward a muffler that will get rid of the drone in an SUV. You can use much louder mufflers on a pickup, since the noise is radiating to an open pickup bed. In an SUV, the cargo area amplifies any noise that is radiated to the floor. The Walker I used seems OEM-quiet to me, and I like that.

 

[badlander]

I put the Walker on mine and fitment was a nightmare. If I were to do it agein I'd go with the Bosal as it is an exact match to oem and bolts right in with no modification/bending of mounting brackets, etc, required.

 

[excessive]

kind of defats all the hard work the Lexus engineers put into the sound deadening of the LX470

 

[Kabanstva]

Just buy an OEM muffler. They still make them.

I bought one as a spare a few years back in case mine gets trail damaged. It was around $400 without hardware if I recall.

Last thing I’d want is a loud vehicle with constant drone. If it was a Sunday sports car sure, but not listening to that crap on a thousand mile road trip to see mountains.

 

[terryscott621]

I also deleted my large main muffler from my LX and it's not as loud as your rig. Inside my vehicle you can hardly hear any difference. The previous owner of your vehicle may have deleted the large main muffler and the rear resonator near the exhaust tip as well. As far as replacements, Magnaflow offers all shapes and sizes of replacement mufflers that can be welded in. Lots of threads on here with people trying them and liking them.

 

[chuckscap]

OEM is the right answer. +1 on getting your sparkplugs checked for tighness