Exhaust noise level
 

Im going to be getting the american thunder flowmaster catback in two weeks. I was wondering, can it be installed by me? Also, how loud is it with the STOCK headers and STOCK H-pipe? Is the noise level comparable to the force 2 catback with a cated h-pipe? Also, will I be able to talk and listen to my radio?

That's the same cat-back I have, and although I have a smaller engine block (4.6L), it will definitely not be too loud for you to talk and listen to radio. It only gets louder at around 3000 rpms anyways, and even there it just sounds deeper and a little louder.

With the stock H-pipe and headers, your car won't be very loud at all. If you really want the sound, I would get an off-road pipe and a good set of headers. Your car should sound good with just the cat-back, but most people want it louder.

If you get an off-road X or H pipe, your car will be EXTREMELY loud, loud enough for it to be hard to talk on the phone to someone. I know, because that's how mine is with my off-road H-pipe, stock headers, and flowmaster cat-back. For a good deep, and loud yet not obnoxious sound, I would go with aftermarket headers, an x-pipe w/ two high flow cats, and your american thunder cat-back.

Does the american thunder catback sound good with an x pipe with cats? Just when i complete the whole exhaust, I just want to be able to hear my radio and talk to someone in the car who is next to me in the passenger seat without yelling or getting headaches. (I have a vert as you can see in my avitar pic.)

98gt5sp Do you have any sound samples? I have heard some at mustangexhaust.com but none of them were with catted x pipes.

I have a off road x pipe with 40 series flowmasters (same as the force 2) and its loud but more powerful sounding. Like an old stang and its rumble. I got so much power out of it but im still looking to go louder. You can def hear your radio but when talking to someone and you hit the gas you have to talk louder.

If you want to be able to talk on the phone and listen to the radio. Just keep the stock H-pipe. Don't waste over $400.00 for a 2 cat pipe like I did. It's a complete waste of money. I would also recommend getting the 40 series from flowmasters instead of the american thunders because there is quite a drone with the american thunders around 2k rpms and it makes it hard to hear things when your inside the car. From the type of sound you are looking for. Loud, but not too loud. I would get the 40 series mufflers, keep the stock h-pipe on, and get some shorties. The headers won't make your car really louder because of the 4 cats on the h-pipe, but you will still get the power :-)

I just got off the phone with a performance shop (all they work on is mustangs) and was told that you actually loose horsepower with the american thunder catback. He recommended the MAC Flowpath Catback.

He told me that a stang that he worked on had an american thunder catback. The car was a 95 5.0 auto. He said on takeoff you could chirp the tires. When he installed the mac catback, you could spin the tires all the way through first gear.

Do you actually loose this much horsepower with flows?

Thats a bunch of BS if you ask me. I felt a slight increase in hp on the highway after installing the american thunders. You might lose some low-end torque once installing an H-pipe and headers, but it really doesn't matter if you eventually get gears.

One other thing... There is no way in hell you can burn rubber all through first gear on an auto 5.0, unless you power brake it, or you have a pretty steep gear ratio. Either way... Don't expect much power from exhaust. You most likely won't notice the difference in power at all (that is until you do the whole thing). I'm sorry, but tell your friend at this mustang place that MAC mufflers are not the same as gears. There is just no way a pair of mufflers could unleash that amount of power.

now it works you've got a PM