Finally, a good quiet muffler

[blackGSX2g]

I've always been bothered by my exhaust drone on the highway, so I've been trying different ways to cut down on it. Time to let my secret out!

First trial was to run a QTP 3" exhaust cutout with several 1" dia holes cut in the plate. The idea was to restrict exhaust flow with the flapper closed, and with the flapper open it would flow like a normal 3" exhaust.

This worked OK for driving (sans the max boost of 3psi), but didn't suppress idle noise very much, and I was worried about increased backpressure.

For my second trial, I picked up a stock 2g turbo muffler (twin tip)and cut the top part open. I ran 3" pipe straight through one tail pipe, and added my QTP cutout (with a new plate) in the middle of the muffler. I then cut a 2" hole before the cutout, and routed that with smaller preforated pipe for 3 180* turns and packed the muffler full of packing. The idea was to have a normal straight through muffler with the flap open, and actually have some muffling ability with the flap closed.

After hours of welding, cutting, and losing a quart of blood I had it done, but the cutout motor hit the bottom of the trunk sheet metal

I was going to just cut a circle out of the trunk to allow it to fit, when my weeks and weeks of searching came across this gem. I'm using the oval muffler w/twin tips (pics below), but they also make an oval muffler single tip and a regular can style.

XForce - Performance Exhaust Systems

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I couldn't find anyone in the US using this muffler, and there are no vendors selling it here.

I ordered this thing on a Saturday afternoon from New Zeeland, and it was sitting outside my office Tuesday morning.

They stole my idea, but they made it look better and fit under my car:

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The difference is AMAZING. With the flapper closed, I can't even hear the exhaust on the highway. With the flapper open, it functions as a normal 3" in/out muffler.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Looks nice man...now we need a video of the car running with it open and closed!

On my car I used a stock cat back with a 3" downpipe. Then I added a 3" cutout right before the cat! Obviously tho the open downpipe makes the car sound like a semi truck or a Farm tractor haha...but it spools the turbo up fast!

I'd like to see your muffler mounted up and running!

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[mindset]

I just watched those videos... please tell me you didn't pay $400.

 

[Killa_dsm]

I just want to say thank you for posting this. A very nice way to keep your exhaust quite. Hopefully I can get my hands on one soon. I don't see a price or a place to purchase it. How did you order yours? And how much did you pay?

 

[blackGSX2g]

I just want to say thank you for posting this. A very nice way to keep your exhaust quite. Hopefully I can get my hands on one soon. I don't see a price or a place to purchase it. How did you order yours? And how much did you pay?

X-Force doesn't sell them directly, they sell to retailers. I got mine from Redline Performance:

Redline Performance - HKS, Turbosmart, D2 Suspension, Apexi, Tomei, Toda, Splitfire

I just pulled out my invoice and I paid $551.56NZD shipped to my office. At the exchange rate in March when I got it, that was about $294.83 shipped. Hell of a deal if you ask me.

I just watched those videos... please tell me you didn't pay $400.

No, but I would have in a heartbeat. Sorry, I guess I have different priorities with my car. I enjoy being able to talk on the phone, listen to music, or have a conversation while on the highway. You know, the common amenities of a 'normal' car. Having the good sounding DSM rumble and full power is just a button push away. Plus I've been wanting to get rid of the large can on my exhaust for a good dual tip for awhile now.

Looks nice man...now we need a video of the car running with it open and closed!


I'd like to see your muffler mounted up and running!

I'll try to get some pics...right now the rear bumper is off and getting paint, trying to have the whole paintjob done by the Shootout. I'll post up some vids when I get the car back. I'll be at the SO also if anyone wants to see/hear.

 

[Killa_dsm]

X-Force doesn't sell them directly, they sell to retailers. I got mine from Redline Performance:

Redline Performance - HKS, Turbosmart, D2 Suspension, Apexi, Tomei, Toda, Splitfire

I just pulled out my invoice and I paid $551.56NZD shipped to my office. At the exchange rate in March when I got it, that was about $294.83 shipped. Hell of a deal if you ask me.

Ahhh, I see. Good to hear and thats not too bad of a price. I was looking to get rid of my Apexi N1 soon and have been looking all over for a quite/sleeper muffler. This will definitely be my next muffler replacement when I get some extra cash.

Can't wait to see some pics and vids of it mounted to your car. Do you have a cat or resonators on your car? Or straight pipe to the muffler?

 

[blackGSX2g]

Ahhh, I see. Good to hear and thats not too bad of a price. I was looking to get rid of my Apexi N1 soon and have been looking all over for a quite/sleeper muffler. This will definitely be my next muffler replacement when I get some extra cash.

Can't wait to see some pics and vids of it mounted to your car. Do you have a cat or resonators on your car? Or straight pipe to the muffler?

Nope, just a straight 3" from the turbo to the muffler. I did have to buy a Vibrant 3" SS 2-bolt flange to weld to the end of my current exhaust to match up to the 2 bolt flange on the muffler, but I guess you could just cut it off and weld directly to your exhaust. I wanted to keep the flange so I could take the muffler off easily if I needed to service the butterfly valve motor.

 

[99gst_racer]

Looks good, MLF. I've never seen a mufffler like that before. Can't wait to hear it at the SO.

 

[mindset]

I just pulled out my invoice and I paid $551.56NZD shipped to my office. At the exchange rate in March when I got it, that was about $294.83 shipped. Hell of a deal if you ask me.



No, but I would have in a heartbeat. Sorry, I guess I have different priorities with my car. I enjoy being able to talk on the phone, listen to music, or have a conversation while on the highway. You know, the common amenities of a 'normal' car. Having the good sounding DSM rumble and full power is just a button push away. Plus I've been wanting to get rid of the large can on my exhaust for a good dual tip for awhile now.

No no, I like the muffler a lot. Infact if I had the money and my car wasn't broke I'd buy one. I think it's a great idea. And I understand the point of having a quiet exhaust... it gives me a damn headache sometimes! Good buy I think it could be a little cheaper but I like it.

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Wow, I want you to keep this posted. I am running just a 3" straight exhaust but I really want a dual function muffler like this one.

 

[DSMunknown]

Sweet find, MLF. Definitely gives my stealth muffler some competition.

 

[kenamond]

Wacky contraption! Don't you hate it when you find out you've "re-invented the wheel?"

Since I spent waaay too much time customizing my muffler/tips, I'm going to put a 5"x15" round in-line, straight-through muffler where the cat would be. Saw a thread about drone, and this completely fixed it for the guy, so I figure I'll give it a try.

 

[blackGSX2g]

Wacky contraption! Don't you hate it when you find out you've "re-invented the wheel?"

Since I spent waaay too much time customizing my muffler/tips, I'm going to put a 5"x15" round in-line, straight-through muffler where the cat would be. Saw a thread about drone, and this completely fixed it for the guy, so I figure I'll give it a try.

Yea no kidding. If your in-line doesn't get rid of the drone, this for sure will. I never realized how much road noise comes through these cars since the exhaust used to drone it out. Maybe I'll try some dynamat under the back seat and in the trunk.

No no, I like the muffler a lot. Infact if I had the money and my car wasn't broke I'd buy one. I think it's a great idea. And I understand the point of having a quiet exhaust... it gives me a damn headache sometimes! Good buy I think it could be a little cheaper but I like it.

If you want a cheaper alternative, you could modify the factory twin tip as I did. You will just need to find a cutout that doesn't stick up very far so it can either clear the top of the muffler or the spare tire well. Unless you want to cut a hole for it to fit. The only cost in that is a cutout, some muffler packing & pipe, and some of your time.

 

[blackGSX2g]

Here's a pic I just snapped of the rear. Excuse the lack of clearcoat on the rear end, it's been too humid to finish up.

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[reno23]

That definitely looks much better than a Coffee Can Muffler. Looks clean and stock, but with added function. Great find.

 

[Killa_dsm]

That looks awesome! Could we maybe get a video? I wanna hear the difference it makes.

 

[blackGSX2g]

I'm at the shootout now, but when we get back I'll get some videos put up.

 

[bane3d]

Thank you for posting this up. I've been wanting to go the sleeper route on my car as far as performance. I didn't want to go through the whole ordeal of trying to piece something together and then getting tips that match, etc... I'm really excited to hear how this sounds. Enjoy your time and keep us posted.

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[TurboTJ]

That looks like a great setup! I would like to see a video of it with sound.

Do you guys think there would be any problem running that setup on my MAP based tune? I am worried that something like that will change the volumetric efficiency between when it's open and closed. Do you guys think that's significant enough to put my tune off?

 

[awdwhip]

wheres the vid!?

 

[ricktb]

Is there a way to control the valve using a dash mounted switch or do you have to use the remote control device.

 

[blackGSX2g]

That looks like a great setup! I would like to see a video of it with sound.

Do you guys think there would be any problem running that setup on my MAP based tune? I am worried that something like that will change the volumetric efficiency between when it's open and closed. Do you guys think that's significant enough to put my tune off?

Doubt it. I wouldn't be giving it WOT when it's closed, but you should be in closed loop during a cruise anyways so I couldn't imagine having any issues. I drove to the SO with it open, and home from the SO with it closed and didn't notice any major MPG or performance differences.

wheres the vid!?

It finally dried out up here, so car is apart again getting paint work finished. I won't be with the car until next weekend at the earliest.

Is there a way to control the valve using a dash mounted switch or do you have to use the remote control device.

Unfortunately, all they have is the stupid remote control switch. It's kinda neat to show people when you can stand by the tailpipe and actually hear it first hand, but it's very ghetto to use that while driving IMO. I plan on picking up a PERFORMANCE / ECON switch from some car at the junkyard with an auto trans and wire that into the remote control circuit board. I'll probably install that where the cig lighter is or in the ash tray where the switch for my other exhaust silencer was. Shouldn't be too difficult; just a lot of projects on my plate to clean up first.

 

[blackGSX2g]

It's windy and nasty out, but I'm home sick from work so what the hell, what better way to get over my cold than to go cruise around in the dizzum. I've got some videos of the car driving at the camera and away from the camera with the flap open and closed, but it's so windy out it's hard to hear anything else.

I did get a few that illustrate the sound dampening. Here is a video looking towards the rear end of the car revving around 4k with me actuating the flap. As you can see, most of the noise comes from the engine when it's closed. Once the car is moving, the exhaust noise is gone.

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Here is a clip at idle flipping back and forth between open and closed:

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[mindset]

Despite my bs above I'm buying one of these when I get a 3" exhuast. haha

 

[blackGSX2g]

Glad to change your mind!