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Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 10:13 am    Post subject: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

I've done much searching, but have had a hard time finding any first hand evidence of a really quiet muffler for the 2.5 subaru conversion. I have a Magnaflow muffler that seems pretty nice, but it's definitely not quiet in my opinion.

I read something in one thread about using a muffler from a Ford F-150 but no model was mentioned, and it was kind of second hand.

So: What's a known quiet muffler on these that works well, and doesn't have any significant performance decrease?

Thanks in advance!
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dgbeatty
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 10:29 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

We have the stainless muffler from Smallcar. Healthy sound, but not loud. If you have a larger cat then a higher flow muffler might be nice. Under hard acceleration when next to a reflecting wall there is quite a bit of whoosse sound. That may be the price paid for the quieter sound level.
On the subject of noise take a close listen to the side louvers. Without the resonate chambers there is a lot of intake noise noticeable from the left/drivers seat.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 10:50 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

I believe that the Ford muff was covered in one of the print versions by BoxerMic from boxerswaps.com, if I recall it was a mid '90's F-150 replacement.
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 11:24 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Aha, well that eliminates that one. On the following page:

http://busaru.com/subaruvanagon/ej22installparta

He says that at idle it is quiet, but at full throttle it growls like a tiger. I'd like it if he had said purred like a kitten at full throttle....
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 1:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Pingora wrote:
I've done much searching, but have had a hard time finding any first hand evidence of a really quiet muffler for the 2.5 subaru conversion. I have a Magnaflow muffler that seems pretty nice, but it's definitely not quiet in my opinion.

I read something in one thread about using a muffler from a Ford F-150 but no model was mentioned, and it was kind of second hand.

So: What's a known quiet muffler on these that works well, and doesn't have any significant performance decrease?

Thanks in advance!


This is the quietest I have tried. The candy cane long bend tail pipe helps too. No effect on power that I could detect. I tried several. The 2.1 stock OE muffler is probably good too.
https://europortparts.com/catalog/product/view/id/120943
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Thanks, I'll check that one out.

Can you tell me more, what you mean by the candy cane long bend tailpipe? Is this something you add after the muffler? Doesn't seem like much room to add length before it....
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 3:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

The stock VW muffler seems to be fine.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Pingora wrote:
Thanks, I'll check that one out.

Can you tell me more, what you mean by the candy cane long bend tailpipe? Is this something you add after the muffler? Doesn't seem like much room to add length before it....
The tail pipe. If you look at different ones you'll notice some have much more curve to them. Others are shorter and more straight. The long bend seems to cancel out some resonance.
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AZ Landshaper
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

I have an F150 muffler on my 2.2 and it's not quiet. You might be searching for a unicorn. I've had four mufflers on my suby swap and non was that quiet. I would not consider any of them to be real loud other my original from the aircooled motor. They all have a growl and a bit of noise when downshifting. I've never heard a silent muffler on an EJ outside the factory application. Possibly because we are using a rather short exhaust.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 5:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

If you are after factory quiet there is a way. Because I am an incurable retired engineer there are changes made on a regular basis.
1. A short straight thru muffler can be fitted as a resonator in the "J" pipe. Sometimes we have one installed and at other times we have a small pre cat installed. We live in California so a pre cat is legally required, at least part of the time.
2. Using a Syncro style tailpipe , they sweep forward a bit, a stainless resonator exhaust tip can be fitted.

These measures will dramatically reduce the exhaust noise. I should note that our exhaust is also completely wrapped.

BUT ! If the intake noise is not addressed you will still be disappointed! The only solution to the intake noise that appears to me is to add the original unit that is in the fender of the donor. This could be done, at least I think it could, by installing it below and routing the intake air through it and then back up the pillar. A lot of work plus you will still need to install one or more resonance chambers before the air filter. It would gain a bit of performance due to smoother air flow, but a lot of work. BORED TIME ON YOUR HANDS?
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Ya the f150 muffler works but isnt quiet by any means. I use the original intake and that isnt quieting anything down. My thinking is that the engine bay reverberates the sound into the cabin so much more than a normal car, when normally the exhaust would be under the flat area of the vehicle where the sound bounces away and dissipates.
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Here is what mine sounds like with the OE 1.9 muffler and tailpipe on my 2.5 with a KEP intake connected to the stock syncro snorkle (moved over to the driver side).

You can skip ahead to 3 minutes. (I made this because I have my van listed in the classifieds). At 7 minutes I roll the windows down and you can notice a bit of a difference.


Link
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AZ Landshaper
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Significantly quieter than my van.
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:39 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

I'm using a 1992 Ford Ranger muffler from IPL and its very quiet. Its very hard to hear the engine at idle or at 70 MPH with the windows up.

I started off with the existing 2.1 VW muffler but found it restrictive above ~4500RPM
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AZ Landshaper
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:31 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Hey Jake. Does your muffler fit in the KEP bracket? 6 in diameter? I can attest to the loudness of the stock VW mufflers and Id love to quiet my rig down a bit and use this bracket I have but doesnt fit my current setup.
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:19 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

dgbeatty wrote:
If you are after factory quiet there is a way. Because I am an incurable retired engineer there are changes made on a regular basis.
1. A short straight thru muffler can be fitted as a resonator in the "J" pipe. Sometimes we have one installed and at other times we have a small pre cat installed. We live in California so a pre cat is legally required, at least part of the time.
2. Using a Syncro style tailpipe , they sweep forward a bit, a stainless resonator exhaust tip can be fitted.

These measures will dramatically reduce the exhaust noise. I should note that our exhaust is also completely wrapped.

BUT ! If the intake noise is not addressed you will still be disappointed! The only solution to the intake noise that appears to me is to add the original unit that is in the fender of the donor. This could be done, at least I think it could, by installing it below and routing the intake air through it and then back up the pillar. A lot of work plus you will still need to install one or more resonance chambers before the air filter. It would gain a bit of performance due to smoother air flow, but a lot of work. BORED TIME ON YOUR HANDS?


Thanks, these are some good ideas. Can you lead me towards the kind of short muffler that you are suggesting fits in the "j" pipe? I don't know what this would look like or where to find it.

I had a friend stand near different parts of the car while revving it, and it seems that most of the noise is the exhaust for now, so I'll be fixing that first, then probably dealing with the air intake later...
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:21 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Jake de Villiers wrote:
I'm using a mid-nineties Ford Ranger muffler from IPI and its very quiet. Its very hard to hear the engine at idle or at 70 MPH with the windows up.

I started off with the existing 2.1 VW muffler but found it restrictive above ~4500RPM


This sounds very promising! Really, hard to hear at 70 mph? At 70 mine is the worst, with a loud low drone that just wears on my ears, and makes music listening hard.

What is the rest of your system like, tailpipe, etc?
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Pingora
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:23 am    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Oh and this might be a dumb question, but what is IPI?
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

AZ Landshaper wrote:
Hey Jake. Does your muffler fit in the KEP bracket? 6 in diameter? I can attest to the loudness of the stock VW mufflers and Id love to quiet my rig down a bit and use this bracket I have but doesnt fit my current setup.

Pretty sure its a 6" muffler though I don't have the KEP system on my van.

This Walker Catalog might help you:
http://www.walkerexhaust.com/catalog/walker-exhaust-systems/universal-muffler-dimension-search

Or just search for 6" diameter Walker muffler on Google.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Quiet Muffler (really!) for 2.5 Subaru Swap Reply with quote

Pingora wrote:
Oh and this might be a dumb question, but what is IPI?

Its the name of a muffler manufacturer. Actually, I misremembered it; its IPL

From my notes:
• Walker cat #15196
• IPL Muffler M1122; ’90 - ’95 Ranger
• Try Walker 22460 for ’96 F150
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www.crescentbeachguitar.com
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Last edited by Jake de Villiers on Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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