i want a new muffler... problem here

lochenjons · #1 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 08:21 PM

okay so i recently got a dual chamber flowmaster for my caddy. sounds great. just a little too quiet for my liking. so i stopped down by the muffler shop where i had the work done and talked to the guy. i asked him if he could take a look so he did. he said that is the loudest it can legally be because of the catalytic converter stops a lot of the flow from going into the muffler. is there any way to bypass this? legally? unlegally? i just want a louder sound. have any of you guys encountered this problem? let me know if you guys got any ideas.

1985 fleetwood brougham big body

thanks guys!

Old Fleetwood · #2 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 10:20 PM

Would removing the resonator make it noiser?
And what are those silly things we see under the bumpers of ricers that makes those little fart pipes so loud?

Cadillac Giovanni · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 10:25 PM

Why on earth would you want a loud exhaust? I will forever be puzzled by this. I have strived to make my exhaust as silent as possible, because I think that the elegance of a low, resonating hum is far more desirable than a loud, rapping vibration.

However, in the spirit of helping my fellow Cadillac owners, I'll tell you what is up.

My car's catalytic converter became clogged, and to bypass it temporarily, I took it off and hollowed it out, beating the honeycomb mesh inside out of it with a crowbar. This, however, only creates a loudness in the chamber of the cat, which is quite annoying, being directly under the passenger's floor. This is illegal, although unless anyone takes off the catalytic converter and looks inside, nobody will know. Also, your car would probably not pass an emissions test if it had to.

Another option is to replace the catalytic converter with a plain length of exhaust pipe. This will pass the exhaust directly to the muffler, and most likely create more noise for you, but this is equally, if not more illegal than the above option, and no mechanic would do it for you because tampering with a catalytic converter is punishable by death. (or so i understand)

Those are some options. I'm not much on the performance exhaust scene, so I don't know as much as other's might, but I hope I helped out some.

Oh yeah, great car!

lochenjons · #4 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 10:48 PM

hey thanks guys, yeah that does help. i talked to a couple of other guys and they said going to a dual exhaust might help? any ideas on that?

Old Fleetwood · #5 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 11:05 PM

Have I got a deal for you!
Elias has a Borla system on his 96. And somewhere, downwind on this site, is a video clip, with SOUND of his car, including the sound of his CORVETTE STARTER and the sound of his BORLA EXHAUST both idling, backing, a bit of gently moving then blasting off.
It sounds great.
You might want to search for that particular location and give a listen.

lochenjons · #6 (**permalink**) 02-07-07, 11:55 PM

and no it doesn't have a resinator on it

GenoTheLowrider · #7 (**permalink**) 02-08-07, 01:42 AM

I have a dual exhaust on my 89 Bro and the muffler shop took the Converter off. It really has no purpose except for emissions. So if u dont have to pass an emissions test, then go head and get rid of it. I think Dual exhaust might help as well.....but I must agree with Cadillac Giovanni, why u wanna make the Caddy loud!!!??
--Geno TL

lochenjons · #8 (**permalink**) 02-08-07, 02:35 AM

yeah thats what I was thinking... might as well contribute to global warming haha. i just love the sound of loud cars.

KaddyKat · #9 (**permalink**) 02-09-07, 10:25 AM

cats are a big target for theives now, They crawl under a car in the parking lot cut it out and take it to recycle yards. To replace it is a very expensive
deal. They had a piece on the local news about it happening to a guys truck.

mortis08 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-09-07, 11:17 AM

Going to a true dual exhaust may be more trouble than its worth. I pretty sure on that year( as well as many others) that the trans crossmember has only one hump in it for single exhaust, so you would have to source a dual or customize the one in it. FWIW i too like the loud exhaust. I cut the cat out of my 90 Brougham and ran a single with a louder muffler. Cheap and it sounds good!

Cadillac Giovanni · #11 (**permalink**) 02-09-07, 12:38 PM

How can you manage to cut the cat out? Don't you still have to run emissions tests? Or do you have one of those "connections" that gets you stickers magically?

Old Fleetwood · #12 (**permalink**) 02-09-07, 03:30 PM

I have to wonder that also.

I thought every state HAD to have emissions tests or the feds yanked highway dollars from the state DOT's.

PhantomCadillac · #13 (**permalink**) 02-09-07, 03:39 PM

Not in Florida. Certian areas like Jacksonville and Miami have emissions test. But not were I live.
Of course it is still illegal to remove the cat's. I know it use to be a $10,000 fine to the mechanic.

Destroyer · #14 (**permalink**) 02-11-07, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mortis08

Going to a true dual exhaust may be more trouble than its worth. I pretty sure on that year( as well as many others) that the trans crossmember has only one hump in it for single exhaust, so you would have to source a dual or customize the one in it. FWIW i too like the loud exhaust. I cut the cat out of my 90 Brougham and ran a single with a louder muffler. Cheap and it sounds good!

With mine I had both dual pipes run down one side instead of notching the crossmember. However, notching the crossmember is not a big deal but you can also get a cross member from a car that came with dual exhaust.

bicentennialcadillac · #15 (**permalink**) 02-12-07, 12:06 AM

Thankfully, no testing whatsoever here in Kentucky.