Custom Borla mufflers - first impressions

[SSpeed]

I've had the stock mufflers forever and decided it was time for something else. I got a pair of Borla ProXS mufflers with 2.5" inlets and outlets to mount to my AVO Y. A couple of friends helped weld them up.

 

Some impressions:

 

1) Boost response seems better and so does off boost throttle response. On the highway there wasn't an RPM I couldn't build boost at, down to 2000. In third I hit 19.5psi at 3200rpm. But it is cold and wet tonight and it's so LOUD and chaotic when you floor it that it might have even been earlier than that and I was too freaked out to notice. The 16g spools so easy anyway, but it *seemed* even more responsive.

 

2) WOT sounds like 10,000 infidels, holy crap it's loud and sounds good.

 

3) Cruise is painful, at 75mph I almost pulled over and put the stock mufflers back up on the side of the road in the rain, it's that loud. Think of the scene in Apocalypse Now where they are playing classical music on the helicopters as they bomb the village, it was like that. Borla says Baja racer use their mufflers so they aren't fatigued in the race, holy crap, I don't believe them.

 

4) I think it was quieter already once I got in to Denver from Longmont (hour drive), so either it packed out some already, 75mph was so loud anything sounded quieter, or I'm now deaf at that frequency level.

 

5) I could take or leave the Subaru sound before, but at 75mph with those unequal exhaust pulses hitting your eardrums I began to hate my unequal exhaust tract.

 

6) Coming back through my neighborhood was like that scene in Stephen King's Christine where the car goes and kills everyone that has been mean to its owner, then idles back to the garage smoking from the body being on fire, while the garage owner looks on like WTF. I idled through the neighborhood and I could feel my neighbor's stares like WTF.

 

7) I looked and I have room for at least one bullet muffler. I might see what the equal length headers do and look in to adding a bullet.

[Code]

I've had the stock mufflers forever and decided it was time for something else. I got a pair of Borla ProXS mufflers with 2.5" inlets and outlets to mount to my AVO Y. A couple of friends helped weld them up.

 

Some impressions:

 

1) Boost response seems better and so does off boost throttle response. On the highway there wasn't an RPM I couldn't build boost at, down to 2000. In third I hit 19.5psi at 3200rpm. But it is cold and wet tonight and it's so LOUD and chaotic when you floor it that it might have even been earlier than that and I was too freaked out to notice. The 16g spools so easy anyway, but it *seemed* even more responsive.

 

2) WOT sounds like 10,000 infidels, holy crap it's loud and sounds good.

 

3) Cruise is painful, at 75mph I almost pulled over and put the stock mufflers back up on the side of the road in the rain, it's that loud. Think of the scene in Apocalypse Now where they are playing classical music on the helicopters as they bomb the village, it was like that. Borla says Baja racer use their mufflers so they aren't fatigued in the race, holy crap, I don't believe them.

 

4) I think it was quieter already once I got in to Denver from Longmont (hour drive), so either it packed out some already, 75mph was so loud anything sounded quieter, or I'm now deaf at that frequency level.

 

5) I could take or leave the Subaru sound before, but at 75mph with those unequal exhaust pulses hitting your eardrums I began to hate my unequal exhaust tract.

 

6) Coming back through my neighborhood was like that scene in Stephen King's Christine where the car goes and kills everyone that has been mean to its owner, then idles back to the garage smoking from the body being on fire, while the garage owner looks on like WTF. I idled through the neighborhood and I could feel my neighbor's stares like WTF.

 

7) I looked and I have room for at least one bullet muffler. I might see what the equal length headers do and look in to adding a bullet.

 

FWIW, My AutoSpeed was way too loud when I installed it. I used a Borla XR1 5" in place of the resonator in the mid and it is now perfect.

[MrTris]

You you need/want this:

 

3in resonator. Hushes shit down, makes it tame and tolerable.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Vibrant-1142-Ultra-Quiet-Resonator/dp/B001806YE2]Amazon.com: Vibrant 1142 3" Ultra Quiet Resonator: Automotive[/ame]

 

And good ELHs aren't cheap. Expect to spend about $800 -

[SSpeed]

Thanks both of you for the feedback.

 

Yeah, I have a good ELH on order a few weeks back via tax return.

 

I thought about both an XR1 and that Vibrant resonator. Which model is the XR-1 5", I don't see that? Is is this one? http://www.borla.com/products/xr1_sportsman_3_centercenter_15x5_round___racing_muffler_part__40085.html

 

Here's the setup.

 

Downpipe to flex section to mwiener2 cat to AVO resonator, back to Y to ProXs mufflers

 

I don't think I have room for either of those suggestions without some major moving around. After the AVO resonator I maybe have room for one of those little 9 in bullet mufflers, but I don't know if that would do jack? I assume the AVO resonator is pretty good and replacing it with either suggestion wouldn't quiet me down a lot? Or would either of those be an improvement over the AVO resonator already in there?

[Code]

That is the xr1 that I have. My AS mid pipe is 3"

[SSpeed]

I haven't been that far under the car in awhile, but could I do a normal muffler in the AVO resonator location?

 

Something like this would probably make it perfect.

 

http://gibsonperformance.com/products/retail_prod_annoucement.php?product_number=55153S

 

http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/462superflowcutaway.jpg

[sjxbrd]

+1 for vibrant ultra quiet resonator. I have a full 3" custom CBE with a vibrant 1142 in the mid pipe, and two magnaflow mufflers out back. When I still had stock header, it sounded good: zero drone, not too loud idle or cruising, and mean sounding when you get on it. Now I have ELH, it is even quieter. Love the sound.

[SSpeed]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Have an appt with a Subaru exhaust guy on Thursday. I'll run all the suggestions past him and see what he says. I looked and I think an actual muffler would fit that location, I just feel that's what I need since it's SOOOO loud and not drony. The AVO resonator has to come off though and replacing it might introduce drone.

[Code]

I was able to fit the 5" round xr-1. I dont think that muffler with the offset outlet will work there. If you want a resonator I have a 4" stainless in my garage that I will sell for cheap( its what i replaced with the xr1)

[SSpeed]

You're probably right, I just looked under from the side and it looks to be space enough for a center-center muffler, I didn't get fully under.

 

I appreciate the offer on your resonator, I'm just going to do it right and hopefully be done with it. I wish I could hear each on there before choosing.

[SSpeed]

Looking at these pics, a person could possibly get an oval muffler in to the stock cat location. It would have to be pretty narrow though.

 

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7072/janv10001b.jpg

 

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/4346/janv10003b.jpg

 

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8937/janv10006b.jpg

[SSpeed]

Found one that someone did a muffler there.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-pa-hks-silent-hi-power-exhaust-sold-149991.html?t=149991

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=92724&d=1290218340

[whitrzac]

I will be attempting that this weekend, but with the 4x9x18 magnaflow:spin:

 

I will be working with the SPT midpipe which hangs down a bit lower than that...

 

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00186GIH4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1]Amazon.com: Magnaflow 11249 Stainless Steel 3" Oval Muffler: Automotive[/ame]

 

 

I also ordered a thrush stainless glasspack if the muffler doesn't fit.

4x20 core.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AGLIAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]Amazon.com: Thrush 24241 Glass Pack Muffler: Automotive[/ame]

 

 

IDK what I'm going do do for mufflers yet.

[RooTBeeR]

That is why I went with the mufflers I did.

Only thing I might change is take off my stock y-pipe, have a nice 3" resonator welded onto my resonator-less y-pipe to increase flow and minimize drone

 

I used 2 flowmaster DBX mufflers.

[SSpeed]

I will be attempting that this weekend, but with the 4x9x18 magnaflow:spin:

 

 

Let me know how it goes and post pics. That's the exact size of the Gibson 55153S I want to put up there. Realistically I'd like to do offset/offset because the cutout makes me believe it would flow better, but I think center/center is going to be tight enough.

 

That is why I went with the mufflers I did.

Only thing I might change is take off my stock y-pipe, have a nice 3" resonator welded onto my resonator-less y-pipe to increase flow and minimize drone

 

I used 2 flowmaster DBX mufflers.

 

I looked at the DBX series and that was one option. I have 3in coming from the turbo to the 2.5in Y-pipe, that size is a killer for keeping noise down.

[RooTBeeR]

They aren't the cheapest, but they sound great and are not much louder than stock.

Without s resonator though, It was hard to talk to people next to you over the drone, put the stock y back on for now and it made all the difference.

 

When I get my dp I should look into a 3" res I guess, do I don't go crazy haha

[SSpeed]

Funny story, was in the muffler shop today so the car could go on the lift and get better measurements. Anyway, two older guys with 2014 Camaros were in there getting exhausts because their cars were "too quiet". I was eavesdropping and they joked, "it's probably quieter than that Subaru over there". I just laughed and said, "I'm not sure about that".

 

They asked me to fire it up so they could hear, I revved it and one guy almost fell over. They loved the sound, said it sounded perfect and asked why I would want to change it, I think they also ride loudassed Harleys. It's growing on me, but has to be toned down just a little at least, I just hope my toning down doesn't completely kill the sound, I like the deep rumble. And WOT, wow, it's just nasty (which is good).

 

Anyway, the muffler guy says he can get an 18" muffler in the tunnel AND still keep my resonator. I opted for a 13X4x9 Gibson 55143S (in my picture above, has an X chamber) http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gib-55143s/overview/ instead just to be safe, I'd hate to quiet it down and introduce drone by losing the resonator. I had to special order that, so we'll see when it comes in.

[whitrzac]

magnaflow 4x9x18 is installed.

 

Fits ok. no special work required.

 

Could fit one thats 4+in longer without any extra work.

 

Cut the overall noise output to a reasonable level.

 

No drone/little sound above 3000rpm

 

Still drones 2500-3000rpm

[SSpeed]

Thanks whitrzac, do you have any pics?

[whitrzac]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj182/whitrzac/legacy/20150502_155856_zps2vzzlgho.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj182/whitrzac/legacy/20150502_155845_zpswa2yrcja.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj182/whitrzac/legacy/20150502_155833_zps37pvntpp.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj182/whitrzac/legacy/20150502_155818_zpsag4g4lpk.jpg

 

2nd time welding stainless.... I practiced on butter knifes before this:lol:

 

 

SPT midpipe. Aftermarket 3in flange.

Cut, weld, done.

 

There's ~1.5in of space around the muffler.

[Code]

That is tucked in there better than my XR1. The 5" round sits down a little lower, which on my car makes it maybe 3" off the ground. I've dragged it before.

[SSpeed]

Wow, good work, that does tuck in really nice.

 

I installed my ELH tonight. Substantial reduction in sound for whatever reason, so much that I can hear gear whine again. Still very low and deep, thanks to the Borlas. I haven't taken it on the highway yet, but I suspect the drone will still be there since it sort of was in town. Maybe I now need to find a good resonator vs an oval muffler, I don't want to reduce the sound more, just kill the drone. The AVO resonator doesn't seem to do it.

 

Code, did the 5" XR1 help withe drone? It's a round muffler, but not a true resonator right?

[SSpeed]

whitrzac, was that the Magnaflow 14319 you installed? I had high hopes on it killing drone after seeing this thread.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/wagon-folks-resonator-helpi-87917p4.html

[Code]

It is definitely a muffler and it reduced the overall volume by about half when I replaced the original AutoSpeed resonator. The car only drones a bit in the 2500-3000ish rpm range on the highway.

[whitrzac]

whitrzac, was that the Magnaflow 14319 you installed? I had high hopes on it killing drone after seeing this thread.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/wagon-folks-resonator-helpi-87917p4.html

 

It's the next step bigger, but not polished. 11249

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mpe-11249

 

 

It is definitely a muffler and it reduced the overall volume by about half when I replaced the original AutoSpeed resonator. The car only drones a bit in the 2500-3000ish rpm range on the highway.

 

 

That's where I'm at now. The car is silent above 3k rpm(80mph) at 75 it drones a bit. At 65 its too loud.

 

At WOT it makes no sound at all.

 

 

My SPT cans are shot, and the tips are still to far under the car. The next step is to get new mufflers on the back.