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  1. #1

    Default Exhaust systems 3.8 v6 CFI

    Anyone mess around with exhaust setups for this engine? I'm thinking high flow cats, dual flowmaster 40 series with dual 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inch exits out the back. Anyone have any opinions on how it would sound. I had a ranger 2.3 with this setup except it was single into dual And it sounded great.

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
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    No experience with the V-6, but you could search YouTube to see what you can find. I did a search for "2.3L exhaust" and came up with a lot of videos of different exhaust setups and sounds. Very interesting.

    BTW...if I haven't said it already, "Welcome to FEP."
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  3. #3

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    I would love to know what you find, because I would like to do the same with mine. I have only been able to find a shop that would make a system for me.

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    I split my exhaust after the factory cat and ran dumps with some cheap turbo mufflers. Most people thought it was a v8.
    Dave

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  5. #5
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
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    Not sure if you found the info you were looking for, but I did a YouTube search for you and found these:

    http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...be.tR881cIHjis
    Craig "IDMooseMan" Peters
    1979 Mustang Ghia Notchback, 2.3L, Holley 5200, 4-spd, 3.08:1 7.5" diff, A/C, PS, PB, AM/FM/8-Track, Sunroof, Rear Defroster
    USAF SSgt 63170 1983 - 1992; Co-Founder, Vice President, Omega Delta Sigma, ID-A 2/2015
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    FEP Power Member plstktnkr2's Avatar
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    What I did with my car was to install headers, high flow cats and the way I handled the mufflers was to make the inlet side 2.25" and expand the other end with some heat and an expander to 2.5" so I could use the stock LX tails with stainless tips. Keeping it 2.25 till the exit side of the muffler will help keep some back pressure so torque is not lost.
    Rick
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  7. #7

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    Change that to "keep some flow velocity" and I'll be with you. Back-pressure is at best a
    necessary evil.
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    Jeff Cook

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  8. #8

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    At most, for a stockish 3.8, I'd go no bigger than splitting to 2-1/4" duals. (If you *must* have duals).

    A single 2-1/2" system will flow all the air you'll ever need on that car, and shouldn't be too large to kill exhaust velocities.
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    Haven't worked with a 3.8 myself but the word on the SCCOA forums is that a system such as described would be fairly raspy, and not in a good way. Those that have tried it over there have re-installed the resonator in order to take the sharpness out.

  10. #10
    FEP Power Member plstktnkr2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GT40Capri View Post
    Haven't worked with a 3.8 myself but the word on the SCCOA forums is that a system such as described would be fairly raspy, and not in a good way. Those that have tried it over there have re-installed the resonator in order to take the sharpness out.
    Depends on the mufflers, the V6 will be "buzzy" above 3K rpm, but I used Pypes "Violator" mufflers, I also had a Crane Cam as well. I wish I had made a sound clip

    My engine was a stroked 3.8, BBK longtubes (out of production) high flow cats Pypes Violators, and LX tails
    Last edited by plstktnkr2; 08-16-2013 at 08:08 PM.
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  11. #11

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    my 2 door wagon has 3.8 stock with 3.73 diff.Iwant to put duals on it(with cats) and have side exhaust like the old cobras.also am looking at a 4.2 upgrade.what would you sugest engine wise?

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Your so lucky to be able to go dual with an even fire V6. Since they relplicate an inline six, but with two separate banks, they do sound flat when the exhast bore size is too big and single. Two small dual exhasts works best for sweetness for our Aussie Buick 3800 engined Commodores and our 4.0 Falcons, but with Panhard Rod or Watts link live axle, its very hard to do that. 90% of the time, any modified six cylinder with even a slightly bigger single exhast and good hiflow mufflers and resonators makes a dreadfull drone, and dual exhast with x or h pipe suddenly removes it.

    The V6 can be very inspiring if done dual. Dual cats alone, such as the 1981 Project Capri Car & Driver did behind a 4.2 V8 would work just as well on the little Essex. The 3.8, 3.9 and 4.2 Essex 90 degree V6 is a hidden gem with many facets when you start to cut into it with some hot rod smarts. There are so many about, you can't go wrong with a plstktnkr2-style upgrade. We use them in Hiluxes SR5's and Surfs down here because they are so light, and with a common SBF bolt pattern, its easy to fit a Windsor 5.0 adaptor to the Toyota G52, and that keeps the transfer case intact. I loved the sound of a black hILUX 4x4 that ran one, it had small pipes and no x or h tube, was loud, but really fun to listen to. Like a Jag XJ6/XKE, or Aston Martin DB6.

    My Mustang 3.3 has dual pipes, and it sounds great when they are small.

  13. #13
    FEP Power Member plstktnkr2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy View Post
    Your so lucky to be able to go dual with an even fire V6. Since they relplicate an inline six, but with two separate banks, they do sound flat when the exhast bore size is too big and single. Two small dual exhasts works best for sweetness for our Aussie Buick 3800 engined Commodores and our 4.0 Falcons, but with Panhard Rod or Watts link live axle, its very hard to do that. 90% of the time, any modified six cylinder with even a slightly bigger single exhast and good hiflow mufflers and resonators makes a dreadfull drone, and dual exhast with x or h pipe suddenly removes it.

    The V6 can be very inspiring if done dual. Dual cats alone, such as the 1981 Project Capri Car & Driver did behind a 4.2 V8 would work just as well on the little Essex. The 3.8, 3.9 and 4.2 Essex 90 degree V6 is a hidden gem with many facets when you start to cut into it with some hot rod smarts. There are so many about, you can't go wrong with a plstktnkr2-style upgrade. We use them in Hiluxes SR5's and Surfs down here because they are so light, and with a common SBF bolt pattern, its easy to fit a Windsor 5.0 adaptor to the Toyota G52, and that keeps the transfer case intact. I loved the sound of a black hILUX 4x4 that ran one, it had small pipes and no x or h tube, was loud, but really fun to listen to. Like a Jag XJ6/XKE, or Aston Martin DB6.

    My Mustang 3.3 has dual pipes, and it sounds great when they are small.
    Unlike a V8 or 4 the "even-fire" Essex has no scavenging properties (where the gasses help remove more gases by vacuum [sort of] ) so to get a proper flow you need to stay in the "sweet spot" of HP vs diameter. An engine like the six needs between 2 inch or 2.25 inch dual exhaust (up to 300hp) to breathe properly. Remember a little back pressure is good, but not too much. Too big a pipe and you lose torque.
    Rick
    Last edited by plstktnkr2; 10-30-2013 at 06:54 AM.
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  14. #14
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    It was called by Dick Johnston in Australia flow velocity. In the Brisbane Engine Center, they developed several engines which the Australian racer planned to homologate after Ford Australia said no to warranty claimes on Bensons, Hall, Garret Normalair, Mike Vine, AIT and IHI turbo's. One was a 250 X-flow with a 2305 Holley 500 cfm 2-bbl carb which gave 196 hp. They found that the exhast was better with smaller diameter, and the English SVO project engineer said the Watts Link XF Falcon rear bumper valance made life impossible with all itss guts hanging out to make a proper exhast. They couldn't run a twin exhast becasue of the RIM (read plastic) fuel tank. Dick was an old Holden six cylinder sedan, XU1 Torana, Capri and then Falcon V8 campaigner, and it was with his six cylinder cars, he told Street Machine that it wasn't back pressure, but flow velocity. Larger the pipe, the less the scavenge, and the right pipe was the smaller one, and duals bet singles.

    About that time, Australians who were pi33ed off with Ford Australias Grandpa Gransden tactics got David Inall to make an AIT twin turbo 4 wheel drive 4.1 with Ford Truck ZF 5 Speed. Same thing, two small turbos, small exhast. The car died, so did the turbo ohc 3.9 EA 26 which was planned, againnbecause Ford Australias inability to get proper heavy duty gearboxes from the US. Ford rejected the AIT Turbo forthe 88 OHC Ford. Each had small diameter exhasts. So did the 1988 Mick Web SVO 3.9 MPI, a 15.8 second car with 3 speed auto. The pattern here is a six got a smaller exhast, and in our Aussie cars, we were always stuck with single exhasts untill 1992 and the return of the Mustang V8 after 13 years of Clevelands and 10 years of EFI sixes. Then in 2003, when the fuel tank got shifted and there was the possibilty of a full aftermarket Herrods dual or quad exhast,

    Your Foxes weren't cursed with Watts linkages like our X and E shell Falcons



    or non IRS V car Commodores with Panhard rods were.



    You guys are lucky.

    See Car and Drivers October 1981 4.2 Windsor 190 HP Quad Exhast 4-bbl AOD Mercury Capri Exhaust

    Plenty of space if you use the factory hangers for even a quad exhaust.




    http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/Liter...Oct81_2_02.jpg
    http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/Liter...Oct81_2_04.jpg

  15. #15

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    well I was thinking about a 6 cyl version of a 5 liter exhaust with dual cats etc .where the problem seems to be getting the outlet pipes from inside the frame rails to the outside and still have speed bump clearance etc I may have to have the pipe oval shaped at that point

  16. #16

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    This is my 85 with Dynomax turbo's and no cat's. I took it to a muffler shop and they did it for me. 2" pipes from the manifolds to the mufflers then 2 1/4 from the mufflers back. I'm happy with it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FqbG_g69JA
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