What causes the exhaust to have a "RASPY" tone?

**KIXASS** · 08-01-2007, 07:33 PM

I have converted from being a life long Mustang owner (owned over 13 of them) and I can say so far I'm impressed by the power, but the exhaust tone is hard to get use to. It seems that every exhaust system I hear always has that NASTY "raspy" tone to it. I personally hate it. I'm more of a DEEP throaty exhaust tone.

**INeedLS1** · 08-02-2007, 10:48 AM

LS1's have a deeper sound than anything your going to find in a Mustang. You can sometimes tone out the rasp with a muffler.

**secondgearscratch** · 08-02-2007, 10:52 AM

i have to disagree...mustangs on average sound way more throaty and less raspy.

**KIXASS** · 08-02-2007, 12:23 PM

Yeah, after owning so many, I known for a fact a Mustang is much deeper than a LS1 equiped car with the standard exhaust route. I figure it is because you are not running dual pipes and mufflers. My Dodge Ram Hemi has a single 3" magnaflow system with 360 hp and it doesn't sound "raspy" either.

**SSwt00SS** · 08-02-2007, 12:54 PM

quite a few things lead to the Ls1's having raspy exahust. my understanding is that the main culprit to having RASP is the y-pipe and how it is constructed...

when you look at the exhaust systems from the mustang to the camaro, you notice that the mustang exhaust has an H-pipe in most cases, or an X-pipe. understanding how the exhaust pulses from the heads through the manifolds or headers and then how those pulses are merged together will help to cancel out the unwanted RASP. the more perpendicular the y-pipe is where each side meets causes more of a disturbance in the exhaust flow pulses and thus creates the RASP that we all have grown to hate. however, the more parallel you can get the two sides to meet, the smoother, and more refined and reduced drone (not to mention probably a little more power) you will achieve...

obviously it is known that running true duals w/either an "H" or "X" pipe helps to reduce if not even eliminate RASP, compared to a "Y" pipe setup. then the light bulb flicks on and you realize that by going to a true dual setup w/either the "H" or "X" pipe makes the setup more like the mustangs and thus somewhat better sounding...

typical y-pipe: BAD see how the exhaust pulses can 'crash' into eachother (perpendicular)...

custom (better merging y-pipe): GOOD see how they meet more side by side...

typical X-pipe true duals: BAD...

better made x-pipe: GOOD see how they meet more side to side as well...

**rel3rd** · 08-02-2007, 06:35 PM

HEY LOU!

What did you get my fellow EX Mustang guy?

**Heartbreak1** · 08-02-2007, 06:57 PM

Try looking into Bassani's True Dual X for F-Bodies. Mrr23 has it and loves it. Im sure he'll chime in here and tell ya about the sound.

**KIXASS** · 08-02-2007, 07:11 PM

Bob,

I bought a 98' Camaro SS convertible red, 6spd, black top #1730 ordered by Chevrolet Corporate Office for use as a Field car and by Quality control. I thought that was pretty cool.
The mods so far are:
4.11 gears
Edelbrock shorty headers
airbox lid
Granetalli Mass air meter
BBK 80mm t/b
Z06 intake
Adj. track bar
Panhard
lower control arms
Eibach springs
Slp loundmouth cat-back (forsale)

I also got with the car some spare parts:
T-56, crossmember & bellhousing forsale
NOS-05177 kit forsale
stock front springs (1/2 coil cut) forsale

SSwt00SS,
So I guess I should go to a muffler shopand have them build me a custom x-pipe and duals? How do you fit 2 mufflers under these cars??? Mine is lowered.

**Z ROADSTER** · 08-02-2007, 08:50 PM

I dunno, I've heard many new GTO's that have duals & they too sound raspy. But for some reason the Vette's sound pretty close to a stang as far as sound quality goes. Its the H-pipe I think that makes all the difference.
I know that when I had my stang with headers & an off-road H-pipe & glass packs the sound was unbelievable. Just hearing my stang crank-up in the morning would get me a nut. And blipping the throttle between shifts was unnerving to all the gear heads that heard it. It sounded as good as a Harley with straights. I once experimented by removing the H-pipe and that was a BIG mistake. Thats when it sounded a lot like a raspy LS1. Even built 383 small blocks didn't sound as good as my built 5.0 !

**KIXASS** · 08-02-2007, 09:03 PM

I guess I will just have to get use to it

**ATCharming** · 08-02-2007, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by secondgearscratch

i have to disagree...mustangs on average sound way more throaty and less raspy.

definitely agree with u on that. mustangs sound like a dodge ram with aftermarket exhaust
deep...

ls1s seem to turn out more raspy, but i dont know of many around here so i could be wrong

**0rion** · 08-02-2007, 09:43 PM

I agree the stangs sound great but I'll take the extra horsepower instead.

**ATCharming** · 08-02-2007, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I agree the stangs sound great but I'll take the extra horsepower instead.

i didnt say sound great. i like the lt1 or ls1 sound way better

**AKIRA** · 08-03-2007, 06:42 AM

Ive had 2 mustangs, both with different exhausts and both had more drone/rasp than the 2 f-bodies Ive owned. Always around 2k rpms.

**secondgearscratch** · 08-03-2007, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I agree the stangs sound great but I'll take the extra horsepower instead.

thats basically it.

**rel3rd** · 08-03-2007, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by KIXASS

I guess I will just have to get use to it

I was in the same boat Lou...

JetHot longtubes
JetHot Off Road Y pipe
Borla adjustable catback

After driving it more and more, I am used to it....and almost like it too...lol.

BTW, check your PM's.

**whiteLS1TA** · 08-03-2007, 04:45 PM

hey i was just wondering about my exhaist set up. im new to all this so my question might sound stupid but i'd like to know what you guys feel about my setup. i have the 2.5 slp y pipe with the loudmouth 2, all coming off the stock manifolds. the sound wasnt what i expected i was hopeing for more of loud and gurggle type sound. what should i do??

**Heartbreak1** · 08-03-2007, 04:55 PM

Try swapping the resonator out for an LM1 or a bullet style muffler.

**Marc 85Z28** · 08-03-2007, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by rel3rd

I was in the same boat Lou...

JetHot longtubes
JetHot Off Road Y pipe
Borla adjustable catback

After driving it more and more, I am used to it....and almost like it too...lol.

BTW, check your PM's.

You'd wouldn't have to get used to it if you didn't have possibly THE worst sounding catback made for an LS1. Borlas sound good on LT1s, but certainly not LS1s.

**Heartbreak1** · 08-03-2007, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Marc 85Z28

You'd wouldn't have to get used to it if you didn't have possibly THE worst sounding catback made for an LS1. Borlas sound good on LT1s, but certainly not LS1s.

I beg to differ...Flowcrapper is the worst.
I personally like the sound of the Borla Adj.