Thinking about exhaust mods...
01-06-15, 10:48 AM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
Thinking about exhaust mods...
I'm sure there are other exhaust mod threads going around, but I think this one is a bit different. So I really like the car and all, but overall, I think it's too quiet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wanting a dirt track race car sound, but I have to stand on it to hear it good.
There are those that love that whisper quiet sound. But me, I love the sweet sound of the exhaust of a V-8, (V-10 & V-12 also). I want it louder, but not too loud, and no droning. I like the sound of a well tuned exhaust, not the mechanical sound of the engine.
I got up under the back of the car and looked around at the exhaust to see if I could come up with some ideas. I don't know what has been done before, but I think I'm going to consider the following possibilities.
Replacing the resonator area of the pipes with straight pipe sounds the simplest, but 2 problems. 1. This would be permanent, and 2. I don't know how much effect this will have. Could be too loud, could do very little. I didn't think too deeply about this at the time I was under the car. I need to get back under there and do some measuring, and make sure there's no 02 sensor plumbed into this section. It is the pipes just prior to the rear-most flange, and just to the rear of the catalysts. From what I could see, it appeared there was no 02 sensors. It could be a rather simple replacement. Good for a trial to see the difference if nothing else.
A by-pass is a lot of work, and would create clearance issues no matter where the by-pass pipes ran. To explain the by-pass pipes, from the rear-most flange a pipe would split-off and by-pass the mufflers. This is a common exhaust mod on Corvettes as their exhaust system layout makes this very simple. At idle most of the exhaust would go through the muffler and still be fairly quiet. But as acceleration creates back-pressure in the muffler, more exhaust spills through the by-pass, and the noise levels increase. That seems optimal, but a plumbing nightmare.
I like the cut-out idea because it gives me the option of running it in stock form (quiet) or pressing a button and enjoying. But this will require a lot of work to install this system.
I wish I had some muffler / tailpipe assemblies to play with. The cheapest I have found them for is $400 per assembly, $800 per vehicle (duals).
Feel free to jump in and tell me I'm nuts. Maybe I am. I'm also thinking that if I can come up with something that sounds good, I could reproduce it for other LS 460 owners. I've done that for another vehicle I have in the fleet.
There are those that love that whisper quiet sound. But me, I love the sweet sound of the exhaust of a V-8, (V-10 & V-12 also). I want it louder, but not too loud, and no droning. I like the sound of a well tuned exhaust, not the mechanical sound of the engine.
I got up under the back of the car and looked around at the exhaust to see if I could come up with some ideas. I don't know what has been done before, but I think I'm going to consider the following possibilities.
- Remove & replace what looks to be like 2 sections of resonators with straight pipes.
- A by-pass from the rear-most flange to the back side of the mufflers.
- A cut-out at the rear-most flange. One that has a partial opening setting.
Replacing the resonator area of the pipes with straight pipe sounds the simplest, but 2 problems. 1. This would be permanent, and 2. I don't know how much effect this will have. Could be too loud, could do very little. I didn't think too deeply about this at the time I was under the car. I need to get back under there and do some measuring, and make sure there's no 02 sensor plumbed into this section. It is the pipes just prior to the rear-most flange, and just to the rear of the catalysts. From what I could see, it appeared there was no 02 sensors. It could be a rather simple replacement. Good for a trial to see the difference if nothing else.
A by-pass is a lot of work, and would create clearance issues no matter where the by-pass pipes ran. To explain the by-pass pipes, from the rear-most flange a pipe would split-off and by-pass the mufflers. This is a common exhaust mod on Corvettes as their exhaust system layout makes this very simple. At idle most of the exhaust would go through the muffler and still be fairly quiet. But as acceleration creates back-pressure in the muffler, more exhaust spills through the by-pass, and the noise levels increase. That seems optimal, but a plumbing nightmare.
I like the cut-out idea because it gives me the option of running it in stock form (quiet) or pressing a button and enjoying. But this will require a lot of work to install this system.
I wish I had some muffler / tailpipe assemblies to play with. The cheapest I have found them for is $400 per assembly, $800 per vehicle (duals).
Feel free to jump in and tell me I'm nuts. Maybe I am. I'm also thinking that if I can come up with something that sounds good, I could reproduce it for other LS 460 owners. I've done that for another vehicle I have in the fleet.
01-07-15, 07:01 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
i think that there are several places that you can look on this forum for pix/vids of exhaust mods.
what i did on my LS430 was chop everything out from the 3rd cat back (just before the resonators) in such a way that it could all be put back in, and did straight pipes. that was extremely loud and exotic sounding but had a pretty bad drone in the cabin. so i went back in and put a 1 in/2 out muffler right behind the 3rd cat, which made it much quieter and removed 90% of the cabin drone and my car (along with cold air intake) sounded like a mustang. lol!
i've also seen on youtube the LS460 with the electronic cut-outs!
what i did on my LS430 was chop everything out from the 3rd cat back (just before the resonators) in such a way that it could all be put back in, and did straight pipes. that was extremely loud and exotic sounding but had a pretty bad drone in the cabin. so i went back in and put a 1 in/2 out muffler right behind the 3rd cat, which made it much quieter and removed 90% of the cabin drone and my car (along with cold air intake) sounded like a mustang. lol!
i've also seen on youtube the LS460 with the electronic cut-outs!
01-08-15, 02:58 PM
#5
Advanced
Thread Starter
I came in here to post about Shah's topic. Glad to see he jumped in here! I've done a lot more reading about this since I made my post.
Shah's muffler delete is sounding (pun intended) very promising! I like the idea of deleting the mufflers more than anything else I've read. Shah, I'm looking forward to seeing / hearing the sound while driving, I'm hoping you'll publish another video soon.
In your opinion, is it too loud when driving, or just right?
7milesout
Shah's muffler delete is sounding (pun intended) very promising! I like the idea of deleting the mufflers more than anything else I've read. Shah, I'm looking forward to seeing / hearing the sound while driving, I'm hoping you'll publish another video soon.
In your opinion, is it too loud when driving, or just right?
7milesout
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01-10-15, 12:40 AM
#10
A method I used is a trick my exhaust shop gave me years ago.
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. 👍
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. 👍
01-10-15, 05:27 AM
#11
Lead Lap
A method I used is a trick my exhaust shop gave me years ago.
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. ?dc4d
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. ?dc4d
01-10-15, 09:18 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
A method I used is a trick my exhaust shop gave me years ago.
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. 👍
Put some nuts (as spacers) in between the exhaust flanges that bolt up right near the diff. You just need to jack up the car (make sure to support it with jack stands before getting under the car). Then disconnect the exhaust pipes, put some nuts or washers on the bolts in between the two sections of pipe and then bolt them back together. This allows most the exhaust to bypass the mufflers but not all.
This way if you like it you can leave it as it is or have it more permanently modified. If you don't like it then just put it back to stock or use smaller spacers to quiet it down. This is also obviously very cheap. 👍
01-10-15, 09:40 AM
#14
If it was that easy then manufactures would have done it long ago to hide exhaust bits.