Exhaust options to fix drone

[HEKYEH]

G'day folks :)

Firstly, I'd like to see who out there has a similar setup to what I do in terms of camshaft and what exhaust you are running.

My cam is 227/240 @ 116. I've had lifters, pushrods, valve springs etc done as well. It's not a massively aggressive cam, but you can tell it's there, that's for sure.

My main issue with my X Force exhaust (yes...I know...it's X Force...) is that it drones terribly when sitting on 100km/hr. This is at about 2200rpm as I've also got 3.45 diff gears. I've got 1 7/8 headers into 100cpi cats with 3" mild steel exhaust. The sound outside the car when revving it is great...but the drone when cruising is killing me!

If you have a similar setup in terms of cam, I'd love to know what exhaust setup u r running and how it sounds at WOT and cruising.

Secondly, I spoke to a guy at a muffler shop who said the Varex system would help quieten it down. Anyone have one of these mufflers and how is it? Any other feedback would be great too.

Cheers,

Andrew

[TUFFIE]

:confused::doh::doh: Though we discussed this...Varex with X force sounds shit...but thats just my 1c worth.....
hope you find a solution...

[HEKYEH]

Lots of ppl have given me lots of different options...

I agree that the Varex option is shithouse...

I don't want to spend $3-4K on a new exhaust and still have the same issues.

Should I keep the existing x force headers, get new cats and cat back exhaust?

[vr5speedv6]

Have you looked into getting bigger mufflers for the back, or maybe stick a pair of ressies in somewhere?
The ve's seem prone to drone, my vx has no drone at all with xforce converted to h-pipe but is loud as hell when going hard!

[NuffNuff]

I had the varex on for maybe about a year, it was pretty good but because it's so loud when open I had it closed most of the time, it would rob you of power but i didnt feel anything regarding fuel economy

I've since switched to a HM/Perry 2.5" exhaust (my Xforce was 3") and it's about the same in loudness except it's all V8 note and very little drone for how loud it is. Xforces drone would be 9/10 (just incase there is something dronier out there) and the HM would be a 3/10

I think maybe the muffler man in prahran might still have my varex

some have said getting a better merg on the Xforce removes a fair bit of the drone, maybe speak to Thunder. otherwise get it cut out and have a H pipe fitted (this would be a really cheap solution)

[CalaisRider]

Andrew, other than change your exhaust, the below link to Dynamat Sound reduction "may" be an option for you.

http://www.dynamat.com/

Quite a few car audio places have it, plus it all over the place on E Bay.

Just a thought.

Pete

[NuffNuff]

A few people have tried that to no avail.

The drone with the Xforce 3" seems to emit right from the center of the car, you can hear all the popping and banging going on (and the drone) within the center muffler from within the cabin...

One thing you could check for is maybe leaks, some of the drone was reduced changing the gaskets between the catback and cats because it's such a fat exhaust it was scraping on everything and pealed itself apart.

[amckiwi]

Exhausts are so personal

Some hear drone in the factory setup.

Best bet is to arrange a ride in cars with various setups and see what you can live with.

Chevs on a Sat arvo would be a good starting point.

I know of a setup in a ute that has no drone 1 7/8 paccies 100 cpi cats & 2.5 HM Perry in fact pretty much all the noise comes out the back of the exhaust

Stu

[255-LS1]

my mates VE R8 LS3 has DF 1 7/8 headers, 100 cpsi ballisitcs and xforce dual 3" cat back. It sounds horn but drones heavily at 100 kays. He remomed the rear mufflers and put the stock ones back on (just the mufflers). Now there is no drone and is much quieter, but still has a defined V8 note. Might be an option for you as you've got a cam it should sound a bit thicker.

good luck with it

[whitels1ss]

Simon had the Varex on his and his set up sounds simillar. This thing sounds tough as in real life and gets very quiet when required. :goodjob:
Simon has this week moved over to USA so can't be contacted untill he sets up a new email.

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=126197&highlight=varex+simon

Details about the Varex later in the thread with sound files at post 67

YouTube- Cammed VE SSV with Varex mufflers video 2

YouTube- Cammed VE SSV with Varex mufflers video 1

YouTube- VE SSV Commodore, Cammed, OTR, Full 3" Exhaust

[Ron SS]

The Americans have proved conclusively that the rear mufflers do NOT stop power in these cars. They get good results with headers, bigger cats, 2.5" pipes and use std rear mufflers. I suggest you do the no cost option and try the std rear mufflers, bolt them on and see if it helps. It will definitely stop the drone. The drone comes from using a straight through pipe at the rear. The std muffler has a longer system because it uses a triple flow, hence the pipe length is longer. Using a simple straight through muffler is shorter by about 28" and the sound wave at 1800 rpm resonates with the basic car wave. I bet the drone disappears at about 2300 ...as the sound wave is no longer resonating. Std mufflers with your system will be fine and will not hurt power.

Another solution to still use your current setup but to get rid of the drone is to add a "j pipe". This is a 2" diam pipe 28" long and blank ended. Weld it into the pipe just before the rear muffler. The sound wave reflects back and cancels out the incoming wave at 1800 rpm. There is room to fit it above your mufflers. Have a look at www.g8board.com ..plenty of photos there. Try the std mufflers first though.

[HEKYEH]

Hrmm... Some interesting options. I sold my stock exhaust though, so I'll have to hunt down some stock mufflers then.

Lots to think about...

[whitels1ss]

Hrmm... Some interesting options. I sold my stock exhaust though, so I'll have to hunt down some stock mufflers then.

Lots to think about...
Buddy I reckon if you put up a post in the "wanted to buy" forums you would pick up a stock system easy and cheap! :)

[Wonky]

Hrmm... Some interesting options. I sold my stock exhaust though, so I'll have to hunt down some stock mufflers then.

Lots to think about...

Andy, I'm sure some of the sponsors or local exhaust shops will have some they've removed from customers' cars that the customer hasn't bothered taking. They should sell you rear cans cheap, or even just give them to you if they are feeling generous.

[BLACKVE]

G'day folks :)

Firstly, I'd like to see who out there has a similar setup to what I do in terms of camshaft and what exhaust you are running.

My cam is 227/240 @ 116. I've had lifters, pushrods, valve springs etc done as well. It's not a massively aggressive cam, but you can tell it's there, that's for sure.

My main issue with my X Force exhaust (yes...I know...it's X Force...) is that it drones terribly when sitting on 100km/hr. This is at about 2200rpm as I've also got 3.45 diff gears. I've got 1 7/8 headers into 100cpi cats with 3" mild steel exhaust. The sound outside the car when revving it is great...but the drone when cruising is killing me!

If you have a similar setup in terms of cam, I'd love to know what exhaust setup u r running and how it sounds at WOT and cruising.

Secondly, I spoke to a guy at a muffler shop who said the Varex system would help quieten it down. Anyone have one of these mufflers and how is it? Any other feedback would be great too.

Cheers,

Andrew

I'm in the same situation after putting in bigger cam/heads although mines more just a booming noise at 60km/h no drone on highway:confused: ute and manual 3.7 gears.

I've put my stock mufflers on to the 3" X Force(they fit but pull the rubbers around a bit and have slight vibration through car) makes the car very quite even with the 239/247 cam but at WOT it's still noisey wouldn't say a great note but heard worse, at cruise there's not V8 rumble at all.

Currently looking at a Manta or KPM system they seem to get the good reports for cammed VE's but even though i'm in adelaide there's no KPM demo car to listen to????? The Manta has a extra muffler(option) which seems the good PM RED R8 and a few others

Few pics of jkgmh's manta
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u164/jkgmh/VE%20Zorst/Copyof16052008106.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u164/jkgmh/VE%20Zorst/Copyof16052008107.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u164/jkgmh/VE%20Zorst/Copyof16052008108.jpg

[mustanger]

Hrmm... Some interesting options. I sold my stock exhaust though, so I'll have to hunt down some stock mufflers then.

Lots to think about...

I have a set that you may be able to try for the exercise ........Cheers

[Wonky]

I had a ride in JKGMH's car when we were in Perth a couple of years ago and it was great - sounded tough (smaller cam - 224/228 from memory) and absolutely no drone with the Manta system! However, when he had the cam first put in it did drone quite a bit apparently so the exhaust place somehow modified the mufflers for him. I have read that newer Mantas are better.

[HEKYEH]

I have a set that you may be able to try for the exercise ........Cheers

If I can test fit them and see if there's any improvement, that would be awesome. That might be the first step I think...

[2ajmanvell82]

I had the x-force 1 3/4 headers and dual 3" s/s system on my Maloo and was awesome sounding even then when supercharged and cammed, never had drone and was actually very quiet in cabin that made u feel was quiet outside but was yough as sound.
I then upgraded to my E2 clubsport and after hearing reports of drone and been in plenty of mates cars that had the 2.5" system that droned then went to the 3" system and was heaps better, but on my clubsport I ordered it with their new option for the sedans that has a larger/longer centre muffler with an internal "H" pipe as it goes over where the "X" merge used to be and my car is good, especially compared to my mates cars with the 2.5 and 3" combo's and I also have the 1 7/8" headers on this.
A cam will be going in hopefully over x mas if it arrives in time.
If running x-force it is just the centre sectin been altered. The new rear mufflers were also different in looks and finish also.

But yes have seen plenty of cars, especially on G8 forums in US running upgraded headers cats middle sections and std rear mufflers and all making great power cam only.

be interesting to see if anyone here has tried it as a cheap alternative for those looking for something.

[Pepps]

Im having the same issue at the moment.

Twin 3" xforce system on a cammed SSV, including headers and it drones really bad when cruising.

Sounds tough when revving though, so I want to keep as much of that tough V8 sound as possible but eliminate the drone, it does my head in big time!

Cheapest option is to replace the rear mufflers with standard mufflers?

[ADAM 26]

alot of people have issues with x-force and drone.

i have played with there system a bit to get a good sound, with out drone, and found:

1 - stock or hsv headers and cats, stock motor, twin 2.5 inch system, with center muffler removed and x pipe removed. made a very deep grunty note, but silent and no drone while cruising.

this system was great untill i put the cam in, and it sounding like fluffing air sort of noise at idle, so i had another play!

2 - played with different mufflers, in differnt places, found that all it needed was a 2 inch balance pipe. no drone, with my 219/233@109 cam and 3.45 gears. still stock hsv headers and cats! still has a great note.

[Pepps]

So whats my best option do you think? As I have xforce headers and high flow stainless cats..

[morpheousssv]

alot of people have issues with x-force and drone.

i have played with there system a bit to get a good sound, with out drone, and found:

1 - stock or hsv headers and cats, stock motor, twin 2.5 inch system, with center muffler removed and x pipe removed. made a very deep grunty note, but silent and no drone while cruising.

this system was great untill i put the cam in, and it sounding like fluffing air sort of noise at idle, so i had another play!

2 - played with different mufflers, in differnt places, found that all it needed was a 2 inch balance pipe. no drone, with my 219/233@109 cam and 3.45 gears. still stock hsv headers and cats! still has a great note.

If you replace your H pipe with a magnaflow crossover 1) you will find a bit more hp and 2) remove all that fluffing sound at idle and it will pound your neighbours windows at idle - real tough sound like it's got massive cubes.

[DCV1NU]

So whats my best option do you think? As I have xforce headers and high flow stainless cats..

Andrew(Hekyeh) played with a couple of set ups, firstly he used the stardard rear ss/hsv mufflers(combined with the full xforce system) which worked a treat & eleminated the drone but was too quiete for his liking.

He then used redback rear mufflers with gave him the sound he wanted but the drone was still there(albeit less than with the xforce mufflers), he then switched over to a 3inch hm/perry ss catback whilst retaining the xforce headers and cats and loved it(the drone was still there but was very minimal).

[ADAM 26]

if i were you, start by replacing the x pipe with a h pipe. then if it still drones cut out the centre muffler. not sure how loud it will be with the 3 inch over my 2.5?

[ADAM 26]

If you replace your H pipe with a magnaflow crossover 1) you will find a bit more hp and 2) remove all that fluffing sound at idle and it will pound your neighbours windows at idle - real tough sound like it's got massive cubes.


wit flutterd with-OUT the h pipe! since i installed the h pipe, it has that low window rattling note!

[Pepps]

Ive sent a few enquiries to a few exhaust places and will see what they think, but I wonder how quiet the stock mufflers made it as no drone will be the best thing ever, but I still want the tough sounding idle..Ill shoot him a PM.

[vitob2006]

What do people mean by drone though. If at 100km/h it is loud then put another resonator in somewhere or change the muffler. if by drone u mean sound boom type noise through the cabin it is sound frequency related this can be changed by a different size or type or position of the crossover pipe ie. x or h pipe, put in another resonator in the system somewhere (this won't reduce flow but will change the resonating frequencies). IMO the last thing u want to do is go back to the factory muffler as they are restrictive and will undo the advantages of the free flowing system u have installed. You can even change the resonating frequency by putting lead attached to a cutoff pipe and wrap it on your system tying it down with wire, go for a drive and see if it changes, move it up and down your system and test drive until your happy. then you have found the position that you can wrap some dynamat or some product like that. make sure the product is safe to go on the pipes though......no fires please. Just so you know I have a full tri-y 2.5 inch xforce system with their whistling tips and couldn't be happier..toughest sound.... a bit loud at 110-120 but no booming. hope this helped

[BEARWOOD]

your not going to cause to much of a restriction by using the standard rear mufflers as pointed out earlier if thats the path you take.
Peoples opinion on tough is very controversial as i'm yet to hear a car with an xforce exhaust sound tough, raspy maybe, but not tough...
Your going to get some drone with a 3" exhaust and cam no matter what brand it's just that some are worse than others and peoples definition of drone varies.

[Pepps]

Thats right, well the cam adds to the 'tough' sound im talking about, however the drone is unbearable. Is there a muffler inbetween a stock muffler and an xforce muffler that will eliminate majority of the drone but still be as free flowing?

[Arrow420]

My VZ clubby 6litre has the 3 inch exhaust with straight through pipes at the rear (no resinator), but its excellent with no real droning, but is quiet loud outside with that crackling when you let it off, I may get under and have a look what systems on it as Im after a nice exhaust for my VE clubby now.
My son has the VY 5.7 and its has 2.5 inch supercat exhaust with resonator, its no quieter inside then mine and is alot quieter outside.

[LS1FRK]

Is there a Sureflo option for the VE? I have the 3.5" catback on my VX and don't have any drone at all.

Millsy also uses the Sureflo (his is cammed so it might be a better comparison) and he's never mentioned any droning.

[murdoch]

alot of people have issues with x-force and drone.

i have played with there system a bit to get a good sound, with out drone, and found:

1 - stock or hsv headers and cats, stock motor, twin 2.5 inch system, with center muffler removed and x pipe removed. made a very deep grunty note, but silent and no drone while cruising.

this system was great untill i put the cam in, and it sounding like fluffing air sort of noise at idle, so i had another play!

2 - played with different mufflers, in differnt places, found that all it needed was a 2 inch balance pipe. no drone, with my 219/233@109 cam and 3.45 gears. still stock hsv headers and cats! still has a great note.


so you have found with a "H" pipe your droning stopped?

Did you just weld a tube between the two pipes before the center mufflers? If that is teh case, how did you obsolete the "X".
Or did you cut out teh "x" and replace with a "H"

[Pepps]

I may be taking it into sureflow on tuesday as they state they have an answer to my droney woes...

[Wonky]

Absolutely no point in any comparison between VT-VZ and VE unfortunately as they are totally different cars and systems.

[Wonky]

Im having the same issue at the moment.

Twin 3" xforce system on a cammed SSV, including headers and it drones really bad when cruising.

Have you considered trying some J pipes on it Pepps? If you don't know what I mean I'll find you the thread, but they're all the rage with guys in the USA with their G8s apparently.

[ice57l]

mines a vx so i cant comment on the ve.. but i have no drone and its loud... i had it moded to fit dump pipes and wow... straight to cop magnet!

[SAMCRO]

Oh, VAREX is good man. It's as quiet as a stock VE SS and if you open the flaps :rofl: it's raspy and loud. Go to MOCHA automotive in Chelsea, he's got 3" VAREX on his red GTS. Mine is 1 5/8 with 2,5" cats and catback, 3.7 diff and it drones at 1800-2000 rpm. 3" KPM will be my choice when I take the X-Force off..

[etrocket]

I would keep the exhaust and changer the rear section to hm. More than happy for you too borrow the rear cans and see whether it helps.

[vitob2006]

what ever u do dont put the stock muffler in too restrictive. change to a h pipe or resonator. believe me it will fix it.

[AzuR]

Hey mate,

I recently got the twin stainless 3" manta system hooked up to my e3 maloo, really really happy with it and so far no droning and im in an auto. I'm going to try n get out this weekend to do some drive by's and post the sound file.

Here's a couple of pics of it getting fitted. Defently thumbs up on the system though :)

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/IMG_0403.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/IMG_0404.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/IMG_0406.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/IMG_0410.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/th_IMG_0413.jpg (http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/scottymacscotty/?action=view&current=IMG_0413.mp4)

[vitob2006]

nice pipes man. enjoy the real v8 music now!!! congrats