"No rear muffler"

I checked your Member's Machines Thread and looks like that is confirmed;

rear muffler replaced with 2.5 inch pipe.

How loud is this?

Are you getting CELs?

"No rear muffler"

I checked your Member's Machines Thread and looks like that is confirmed;


How loud is this?

Are you getting CELs?


no cels, its not overly load, nice deep note, and cheap mod.

no cels, its not overly load, nice deep note, and cheap mod.
I assumed it was illegal to delete the rear muffler. So is it not? Interesting mod idea...

I assumed it was illegal to delete the rear muffler.

Correct.

my understanding is that it is ok to remove the rear muffler providing it meets noise regulations.

my understanding is that it is ok to remove the rear muffler providing it meets noise regulations.
I'm amazed its not ridiculously loud without any rear muffler. I replaced the standard rear muffler on mine with a smallish straight thru (you can see from one end straight out the other) but it was that loud & droned so bad, I only drove the car for 20 minutes before replacing it.

I'm amazed its not ridiculously loud without any rear muffler. I replaced the standard rear muffler on mine with a smallish straight thru (you can see from one end straight out the other) but it was that loud & droned so bad, I only drove the car for 20 minutes before replacing it.

mine has no drone, which really supprised me. its quiet at idle and at cruise

In an earlier post I said I had fitted a Lukey UltraFlow and even with an extra resonator it was too droney for my liking.

So, taking a leaf out of mytsgt95's book, I just now removed the rear muffler and took it for a spin.

A slightly deeper note, no louder than before at idle or cruise, slight reduction in drone. Somehow is quieter and much less droney on downchanges. Sounds magnificent but maybe a bit loud when wound out through the gears.

No perceptible improvement in performance, the UltraFlow probably gave very little restriction.

Still drones more than I would like at constant 1/4 or more throttle, but a slightly less annoying drone than before.

Rear actually looks better with no muffler or tip in sight!

Will leave it like it is for a week or so, and then look at getting a Lukey LR2779 or Berkley BS0655 fitted. My noisy youth is well in the past and SWMBO would be much happier if I reduced the noise somewhat.

KJ.

Still running with no rear muffler, still too droney much of the time.

Ordered in a Lukey LR2779 but it simply doesn't fit on a 380, it's a very long muffler (around 22 inches in the old money, showing my age!) and it's about four inches too long to fit between the suspension and the bumper.

My exhaust guy reckons the Berklee BS0655 is no good. Will fit but it's a cheap & nasty muffler, low grade materials & construction. Then again he's a Lukey agent, so who knows. He's now trying to source a Lukey similar to the LR2779 but shorter, but he's taking his sweet time about it.

I don't want to revert to the stock muffler (which I have kept). It might be nice & quiet but it's just too restrictive, I'm really set on a straight through unrestrictive muffler that's not at all droney, but I'm not having much luck.

Any suggestions?

KJ

Still running with no rear muffler, still too droney much of the time.

Ordered in a Lukey LR2779 but it simply doesn't fit on a 380, it's a very long muffler (around 22 inches in the old money, showing my age!) and it's about four inches too long to fit between the suspension and the bumper.

My exhaust guy reckons the Berklee BS0655 is no good. Will fit but it's a cheap & nasty muffler, low grade materials & construction. Then again he's a Lukey agent, so who knows. He's now trying to source a Lukey similar to the LR2779 but shorter, but he's taking his sweet time about it.

I don't want to revert to the stock muffler (which I have kept). It might be nice & quiet but it's just too restrictive, I'm really set on a straight through unrestrictive muffler that's not at all droney, but I'm not having much luck.

Any suggestions?

KJ
Theres another Lukey, a shorter one AL something or other,search it.

Ive always wondered if aVRX muffler off a diamante would fit? They arnt load and offer extra hp as well.

I run a supercat. But there is dicussion Here (http://www.aussiemagna.com//forums/showthread.php?t=52686&highlight=lukey)

Still running with no rear muffler, still too droney much of the time.

Ordered in a Lukey LR2779 but it simply doesn't fit on a 380, it's a very long muffler (around 22 inches in the old money, showing my age!) and it's about four inches too long to fit between the suspension and the bumper.

My exhaust guy reckons the Berklee BS0655 is no good. Will fit but it's a cheap & nasty muffler, low grade materials & construction. Then again he's a Lukey agent, so who knows. He's now trying to source a Lukey similar to the LR2779 but shorter, but he's taking his sweet time about it.

I don't want to revert to the stock muffler (which I have kept). It might be nice & quiet but it's just too restrictive, I'm really set on a straight through unrestrictive muffler that's not at all droney, but I'm not having much luck.

Any suggestions?

KJ

Should take him about 5min to do, measure the inlet dia, whether he wants the input offset and if so by how much, the length height and width of what space he has, then look it up in the giant lukey book he should have

I've given up on my usual exhaust guy, he still hasn't found the 'right' Lukey muffler after nearly three months, he never rings me and every time I ring him it's obvious he hasn't done any checking or research.

I've gone somewhere else and I'm having a Berklee BS0655 fitted tomorrow arvo, $220 all up including cutting the existing tip off (a four inch bevelled edge stainless steel job) and welded on to the new muffler.

Ran around with no rear muffler for about three weeks, lots of complaints from back seat passengers about being too loud & droney. And that's with an extra resonator welded in after the existing standard resonator. Put the muffler back on again a week ago (the Lukey Ultraflow, not the stocker), much quieter but of course still too much drone. So I don't know about mytsgt95's claim that having no rear muffler is not overly loud and not droney, especially as I have an extra resonator fitted. I also have the Galant intake snorkel and K&N filter and enlarged inlet hole, but I doubt if these mods would make much difference to exhaust loudness or drone.

I'd recommend against removing the rear muffler.

Hoping the Berklee does the job, will report back.

KJ.

Both Grubco & I have the Berklee and we are very happy with it in terms of sound & performance. You can just hear it from the drivers seat with the windows up but definetely no drone.... just prepare yourself for the fact it is going to be considerably more quiet than what you have no with no rear muffler. Let us know how you go after fitting.

I now have twin supercats at the back & have drone. All variations of my system have had some sort of drone. I think it is a fact of life ..... more power = more noise lol

i know they are expensive, but why not a Magnaflow? i get them for $250-$300 depending on tips and config+ fitting

Probably coz they're expensive?? What makes them better than the rest?? :confused:

Finally got the Berklee BS0655 fitted today, after several dramas yesterday & the day before.

But had to have the towbar removed before it would fit, which cost an extra $176 labour. Ouch.

Anyone else had this problem with the BS0655?

Looks much better without the towbar, which I didn't want or need anyway.

Also it weighs a packet, gotta be at least 30 kilograms, can't have been good for performance or handling.

Very happy with the BS0655 so far, nice and quiet, no drone at all, but still a nice little growl when planted.

Seems to be a tiny drop off in performance over the Lukey Ultraflow, but maybe that's just an illusion caused by the relative quietness.

So I now have a full factory 380 towbar going cheap, any reasonable offers accepted, pick up only (Adelaide).

Also a slightly used (about 3000 kms, just broken in!) Lukey Ultraflow, and a stock 380 muffler. Same deal, any reasonable offers accepted.

KJ

Glad to hear you are happy with your new muffler. Although the extra cost of having to remove your towbar would have been unwelcomed, just think of that additional weight you no longer have to lug around!!!

Good luck selling your Lukey muffler....my current Berklee replaced a noisy straight thru that was only on the car for less than 30 minutes & I couldnt get $20 for it!!!

Finally got the Berklee BS0655 fitted today, after several dramas yesterday & the day before.

But had to have the towbar removed before it would fit, which cost an extra $176 labour. Ouch.

Anyone else had this problem with the BS0655?

Looks much better without the towbar, which I didn't want or need anyway.

Also it weighs a packet, gotta be at least 30 kilograms, can't have been good for performance or handling.

Very happy with the BS0655 so far, nice and quiet, no drone at all, but still a nice little growl when planted.

Seems to be a tiny drop off in performance over the Lukey Ultraflow, but maybe that's just an illusion caused by the relative quietness.

So I now have a full factory 380 towbar going cheap, any reasonable offers accepted, pick up only (Adelaide).

Also a slightly used (about 3000 kms, just broken in!) Lukey Ultraflow, and a stock 380 muffler. Same deal, any reasonable offers accepted.

KJ

Put your towbar muffler in For Sale Thread. Not being a rules-nag, but the items will get more attention there.
Yes I have the Berklee BS0655 muffler too (Blue380 recommended it and the muffler shop). I'd previously had a Lukey (somethingorother) muffler on my TF Magna - with Pacemakers - and it was LOUD!!! The Berklee on the 380 is much quieter muffler (for when we outgrow that stupidly-loud stage of life), but still growls when the foot put down, as you said. I have also noticed mine grow louder over the past 2 weeks; don't know if these things mature or bed-in with time or anything, but yes definately a tad louder around the 2,000-3,000rpm area.
I didn't have any dramas with my towbar... but that's probably because I don't have one. Think of the added cost there, as weight reduction and therefore a bit more power.

That's a bugger about the towbar weight - coz i've got one and I need it!

I got the Gas tank as weight, but who cares, we've made them more powerful anyway.

From what I have read I have come to the conclusion that the Berklee muffler will end up being the most popular replacement muffler for most 380 owners. After reading forums comlaining of to much noise and drone this muffler seems to tick all the boxs. Just one question for KJ380 and that is did you get a good performance gain compared to standard muffler like Grubco and Blue380 did, and did the muffler have to be welded on or did id bolt straight up? CHEERS:D

specialk,

I'm fairly sure that the Berklee gives a significant performance gain over the stock muffler, but I can't be certain for two reasons.

First, I went from the stock muffler to a Lukey Ultraflow. No doubt this gave significant gain, but of course I had the problems with being too droney.

Second, with the Lukey on, I freed up the intake side a bit with a K&N filter, the larger US Galant intake snorkel and I enlarged the intake hole (on the radiator cross member just in front of the snorkel. Between them these mods gave another significant boost to performance.

So I've done things a bit back to front to tell for sure.

But, subjectively, the car feels just as lively to me now as it did with the Lukey. If anything I would say it has restored a little more low down torque at the expense of a slight loss in top end power. It revved out a little better through the gears with the Lukey, but not by much, say an extra 300 to 400 rpm before it 'died'.

I've also noticed that it seems a bit smoother with the Berklee, especially on lift off. With the Lukey there was a little hesitation at lift off before the revs dropped fairly quickly but not so much with the Berklee. I guess it's down to the Berklee not being quite as 'straight through' as the Lukey (I think it has a single expansion chamber) and the resultant increase in back pressure.

And the Berklee is a LOT quieter, much the same as the stock muffler, until you boot it and then you get a nice refined growl.

Again, because I went from the non-standard Lukey to the Berklee it was obviously a cut and weld job, so I'm not sure how it would go going from stock to the Berklee. I think the Berklee is a little longer than the stocker, by about two inches, seeing as I had to get the towbar removed before it would fit, so I doubt if it would be a bolt on job and I would guess it would be a cut and weld job.

KJ.

When I was enquiring about the Berklee, my exhaust guy told me if you dropped your keys in one end, they would fall out the other. And I agree with Grubco, mine is definetely louder now than what it was when it was first installed. Anyway, in case anyone is interested in the internal design of them, check out the link:

http://www.bestmufflers.com/bshop/product_info.php?cPath=343_344_500&products_id=602&osCsid=e6bcff81e6cfa04c3357123faee26ec5

Went back this morning to the shop that fitted the Berklee for me, to get a quote on a dual system.

Bad news I'm afraid.

Can't fit another Berklee BS0655 on the passenger side, not enough room due to the metal fuel line protector/cover on that side. Which should never be removed and especially not with a hot muffler mounted right under the fuel line - barbecue time!

Only acceptable solution would be to scrap the existing Berklee and start from scratch with a matching pair of smaller Lukeys or similar (not the too drony Ultraflow though).

But at $220 each plus other costs (pipe, brackets, cut hole in passenger side of rear bar, labour) I was quoted $760 all up. And going on experience there are always 'problems' that cost extra.

Too steep for what would in effect be a purely cosmetic mod (no performance improvement unless I went extractors + 3 inch pipe + high flow cat as well, another $1200 easy).

And no guarantee that it would sound at least as good as the current single system, and a risk it could sound lousy - too loud and/or too drony

So this is a heads up for anyone looking to go from single Berklee to dual - can't be done, well at least not with dual BS0655s.

KJ.

I have two Supercats at the back with one resonator & a 3" Metal cat plus extractors & I'll tell you now it's too loud!
Gonna see what it sounds like with the supercharger running then if I still don't like it, take it back for another resonator & maybe change the back mufflers.

Refering to the previous post about having to ditch the factory towbar to fit the berklee muffler, just wondering if anyone has the Berklee BS0655 fitted along with some sort of towbar.

I'd like to get this muffler fitted, but at the same time i plan on getting a towbar fitted soon, specifically this one

http://www.towbarsaustralia.com.au/base/cms/shop/product-details.aspx?pid=3834
http://www.inhalesuite2.com/uploads/59/productImages/1016124334T-STD-DIR-resized-600-x-413.jpg

Refering to the previous post about having to ditch the factory towbar to fit the berklee muffler, just wondering if anyone has the Berklee BS0655 fitted along with some sort of towbar.

I'd like to get this muffler fitted, but at the same time i plan on getting a towbar fitted soon, specifically this one

http://www.towbarsaustralia.com.au/base/cms/shop/product-details.aspx?pid=3834
http://www.inhalesuite2.com/uploads/59/productImages/1016124334T-STD-DIR-resized-600-x-413.jpg

Speak to Braedz, he had my old Berkley BS0655 fitted to his VRX with the factory towbar still in place, a couple of years ago.

But apparently he has just fitted a new/different muffler.

Do be aware that, even though the towbar claims a 1600kg rating, the 100kg ball limit means you won't be able to use it for towing a typical caravan - even a pop-top. With vans, the ball loading is typically around 10% of the van weight - and that assumes an even load distribution.

Do be aware that, even though the towbar claims a 1600kg rating, the 100kg ball limit means you won't be able to use it for towing a typical caravan - even a pop-top. With vans, the ball loading is typically around 10% of the van weight - and that assumes an even load distribution.

ok then yeah i dont know too much about towing, but thats interesting info.

the towbar will only get use like once every 18months-2 years when we move house, so it would be for a hire trailer 8'x5' and couches & fridges etc........... do you reckon that would be safe for that towbar?

and i think i will just get the muffler done, and towbar down the track, everything can be made to fit :) I drive it like miss daisy so im not sure why i even want to start improving stuff, but i guess the more overtaking power on the highway the better........ as long as it doesnt sound like a exhausted commodore dear god

the towbar will only get use like once every 18months-2 years when we move house, so it would be for a hire trailer 8'x5' and couches & fridges etc........... do you reckon that would be safe for that towbar?
Should be more than ample for that.

Had the Berklee BS0655 fitted today along with a Boronia CHR55 towbar, can confirm it all fits together nicely.

A short 2.5" section of pipe had to be redone going to the flange behind the muffler as the last 15cm of factory pipe going to the factory muffler turns to spagetti. The berklee is quiet........ very quiet. If someone fitted the muffler without me knowing, i dont think i'd ever know unless they told me lol

Ok, yes, maybe at full throttle you can kinda hear a slightly louder roar, but forget about 'feeling' any sort of power increase because you wont. In the end, it cost me more than i wouldve liked, but at least its not droney....... but theres no real 'better' sound going on either. Im still on the fence about this mod...........

You'll never get decent sound output with a muffler that size, however if you go much better i've heard that 380s drone alot so that's why it's reccomended.

It will get louder as it gets older. Mine was very quiet too at first.

If you want a good exhaust sound then fit the Supercat. Both Fooz and I have one (he did have 2) and they sound great. They rumble at low revs and scream at hi revs. Quiet at idle and when cruising. They definitely give a performance boost - see my result in the Dyno results thread; first mod.

thanks mate, im sort of glad its not that loud as thats one the biggest things i was worried about

i did expect some more torque down low, or just some sort of increase......... maybe fuel economy might get better?

There won't be any performance gain in the low range. It frees up the exhaust flow from around 3000rpm onwards. What is a very constricted top end is given better breathing.

been nearly 3 weeks (geez times going slow lately) since fitting the muffler, and it has developed more of a noticable growl under load. Yet it is still quiet as mouse with anything less than full throttle........... watched the wife drive the car away and you honestly could not hear anything from outside the car. Nice mod in my opinion because im getting better fuel economy just by putting around town !!

I'm running dual supercats and have never looked back :) nice growl low to mid range and slightly improved fuel economy.

OK, an update about the mufflers on my jalopy.

A few months ago I got my exhaust guy to fit twin stock 380 mufflers. Fitted no problems, but I still had some resonance/drone between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm.

I then got him to fit a pair of "Gonzo" spiral resonators. Much better but still some drone and/or resonance at certain revs under load.

Then, on his advice, I got him to replace the 200 CPSI Zetti metal cat with a 350 CPSI Magnaflow metal cat. A bit better, nearly there.

Nice and quiet cruising at 60km/h in 3rd, 4th or 5th gear, and the drone/resonance on a trailing throttle going down hill all gone.

But under load going up a hill, at around 3,000 rpm, (eg the uptrack of the SE Freeway in 4th gear at 100 km/h) I was getting a loud 'thrumming' noise. Really loud and really annoying, and even after the road levelled off a bit and I could ease off the loud pedal the thrumming persisted. And it seemed to lack the guts I was used to.

Seemed to me I was getting a blockage or flow interference or something in the exhaust system, but only under certain load conditions and revs.

The guys all rave about Supercat and Magnaflow mufflers (and as far as I can figure out Supercat are the same as Magnaflow, just rebranded in Oz), so I bought a pair of Magnaflow mufflers over the interwebz, from Summit Racing in the good ol' US of A. Cheapest I could find.

Model number 11256, 9" x 4" x 18".

I went with that size coz as far as I could figure out the larger 11'' x 5" X 22" size (eg model 14586) wouldn't fit, and 18" long was the max that would fit, at least in the Magnaflow range. And the 11256's were a lot cheaper than the 14586's.

I got the 11256's fitted this morning.

A fair bit louder than the pair of stockers and a bit of drone at 60km/h in 4th gear.

But an obvious increase in power/torque over the twin stockers, suddenly I was reintroduced to torque steer city in 2nd gear!

Maybe that explains some/most of the power loss of 10kw per my last dyno run (see sig).

Yet to test them in conditions where previous setups droned or resonated too much for my liking (for example 60km/h or 100km/h up a steepish hill in 4th gear).

I took or looked up the measurements of the stock muffler, Magnaflow 14586 and Berklee BS0655:

Stock: 11" x 6.5" x 19.5"

Berkley BS0655: 10" x 6" x 20"

Magnaflow 14586: 11" x 5" x 20".

So I said to my exhaust guy, "if the stocker fitted on the passenger side no sweat, and the Berklee is only 1/2" longer and is 1/2" skinnier, then surely it will fit OK?".

In the end he agreed with me.

So the plan is I'll test the new mufflers out over the next two weeks, and if I'm not 100% happy with them (and I suspect I won't be) I'll be going with the twin Berkley BS0655.

I'll then have two 380 dual exhaust setups up for sale (well from the Y pipe back!), both of them probably with polished stainless steel tips already fitted.

Kim I can't believe you are still pissing around with your exhaust. I solved this equation ages ago after about 5 attempts. I do have a couple of custom small 2.5" D shaped mufflers installed up front from a place here in Brisbane that make them which took the bark out of it & solved all the probs with the Supercats at the rear.

I will be chopping the collector off the extractors soon & going a full twin 2.25" from front to back as the 2.5" can't flow enough for my power level, so hopefully I don't muck up my non droning system when I do this .....

Kim I can't believe you are still pissing around with your exhaust. I solved this equation ages ago after about 5 attempts. I do have a couple of custom small 2.5" D shaped mufflers installed up front from a place here in Brisbane that make them which took the bark out of it & solved all the probs with the Supercats at the rear.

I will be chopping the collector off the extractors soon & going a full twin 2.25" from front to back as the 2.5" can't flow enough for my power level, so hopefully I don't muck up my non droning system when I do this .....

Got it in one Rob, still pissing around after all this time!

I've now come the conclusion that with RPW extractors and dual exhausts there is no 'universal' solution, and every 380 is different depending on what other mods you have (or haven't) done.

People also have different ideas about loudness/quietness and acceptable levels of drone, resonance, vibration etc.

Same goes for single systems with or without RPW extractors, auto v manual and so on.

So what works for you may not work for me and vice versa.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a picky bugger and I won't stop until I get the 'perfect' exhaust system - free flowing, increased power & torque, good note, but absolutely zero drone, resonance, thrumming etc.

I'm quietly confident that twin BS0655's will do the trick.

And yes Max, you could rightly argue that I have wasted several thousand $ in this quest, but it's my money and I'll spend (waste) it as I see fit!

Maybe compromise is the answer & sound deaden the boot & floor pan & doors. Mine was a lot quieter when I deadened the boot for the sound system.

Maybe compromise is the answer & sound deaden the boot & floor pan & doors. Mine was a lot quieter when I deadened the boot for the sound system.

Now there's an idea I hadn't considered!

Fooz,
I am still getting used to the new 'sound ' from RPW Headrers and 3" Cat back exhaust. I like it especially when I let it out as it ends up with a very pronounced growl. But in normal driving it isn't too intrusive. I got a Berklee muffler but I don't know which one. My exhaust guy reckons its the best and he sells a number of different brands.

I am looking at ugrading my sound system (Morel speakers, Audison Amp and Double Din. Which sound deadening material did you use? Everybody seems to embrace Dynamat and at first I thought that was th eonly product on the market, but I think there are a couple of others.

BTW I ordered a K&N filter for the 380. $66 from Amazon including postage. At least if it doesn't make any difference I haven't wasted the $99 that RPW want for it.

I used Roadkill coz I bought a heap from the US & got a good deal, it's the same as dynamat anyway.

I think I'll be going the Supercat SCM8800. Its the closest volume I can find to a Berklee, which I wanted, but wont fit as I have a factory towbar, which I need, plus I want to install dualies at some stage.

I think I'll be going the Supercat SCM8800. Its the closest volume I can find to a Berklee, which I wanted, but wont fit as I have a factory towbar, which I need, plus I want to install dualies at some stage.

Apparently the Berklee BS0655 will fit with a factory tow bar (but only just), ask Braedz.

The Supercat SCM8800 looks good, measures 11'' x 6" x 17" so will fit easily and reasonably big volume so it shouldn't be too loud or droney.

Had the Supercat supplied and fitted today for $198, very happy with it. A subtle rumble down low, with a beautiful raspy note when planted, and no real drone that I can hear, but I am suspecting it may get a little more enthusiastic as it wears in.

Kim, how did you go with fitting the dual Berklees?

Had the Supercat supplied and fitted today for $198, very happy with it. A subtle rumble down low, with a beautiful raspy note when planted, and no real drone that I can hear, but I am suspecting it may get a little more enthusiastic as it wears in.

Kim, how did you go with fitting the dual Berklees?

Haven't fitted them yet, still waiting for them to be shipped to my exhaust guy, he should get them any day now, I expect them to be fitted some time next week.