Anyone ever tried...

[mysticv6]

Taking out the cat, and replacing it with say a 40 series flowmaster, then just using a little bit of pipe and have it exit out the side, behind the passenger's door?

I'm aware I'd probably need an O2 sim, and of the emissions constrainsts, but other than that, is this a bad idea?

I'm thinking it would be pretty cool, and fairly unique, but also much cheaper than a full cat back.

I have a 1995 3.4

[Bliggida]

If you like noise, you'll love the idea. Putting the exhaust just behind the doors is going to send all that sound straight into your ears.
Most folks around here are all nimbly-bimbly and find the 40 series to be raucous.

Somewhat related, I have a set of 3" glasspacks attached directly to a set of 3" heddmen headers, they stop about mid door - right under your feet at the floor pan. (don't really care for the exhaust note, but it keeps the noise down enough to tune the engine and keep neighbors happy - I'm an open-headers guy) Anyway, most people find that to be way too obnoxious, and when you sit in the car, amidst being shaken by the loping idle, you litterly feel the exhaust booming under your feet.

The 40 series won't nearly be as bad (obviously) but out of all the exhaust system combinations, I think that would require you to have the nerves and heart of a true hot-rodder to find happiness with it.

I wouldn't mind it myself. But you have to take into account the 40 drones. I personally like it, but most find it bad enough exiting the rear. Imagine that drone right behind your head and you'll get an idea of what that setup would do to (especially) your passenger.

[mysticv6]

Those are very good points... I'm not sure entirely how much noise I want. I defintley want it to be a lot louder than stock, but that doesnt say much. Is this going to be quieter, or about the same as a 98' 3.8 with a cutout just behind the cat?

Also, if a 40 series drones too much for this application, what do you all reccomend?

My friends LT1 with shorties, gutted cats, and 3" Hooker catback isnt too loud for me if thats any indication of what I'm looking for.

[ August 29, 2003: Message edited by: mysticv6 ]</p>

[Ted]

I've done this. Sorta. Road debris tore through my old exhaust system. So I was forced to use a walker (the company that makes dynomax) muffler off the y pipe and put a turndown towards the side. It works... But theres a few things you should consider here. The muffler I used is about the size of a flow 40. Your going to have some trouble keeping it under there, because the cat shield is only so big. It has to tilt a little bit towards the ground to fit properly under the car. I had major ground clearance issues. My biggest worry was it hitting something and taking out a few lanes of cars on the freeway. The second thing you should consider is I was using a stock sounding muffler, so it was a little bit louder then stock. But i'd compare the sound of just a flowmaster 40 to the sound of my carsound cat just being there. It'll be so loud you might as well just run with nothing on there at all. I don't know I just see all these people wanting to make there exhaust so loud, taking of cats, coming up with crazy ideas to make it really really loud. I say just get a catback, my flowmaster system is loud and obnoxious as it is.

[mysticv6]

Well, its not that I want it obnoxiously loud really. I do want it louder than stock, but what I'd really like is a combination of added power, sound quality, and sound quantity, with my most important in that order. I figure with a muffler in place there, less piping should allow the system to flow better in general. Eventually I'd like to get headers, so a 3" y-pipe to a 3" muffler should flow pretty good.

And also, it would be very cheap. Much cheaper than a full catback, and installation should be simpler as well.

Does more of the sound come from the exit of the exhaust pipe, or from the muffler itself? I can imagine that vibrations and heat are created by the muffler, but I dont know a lot about how that works exaclty.