Noisy exhaust

[Grumpy21]

Getting to the smaller bits and bobs now. Cars driving really well but the exhaust is quite a bit noisier than I remember from my last one.

It’s fitted with a stainless steel one (from ESM I think?) which isn’t leaking or blowing anywhere.

I’m wondering if a mild steel one would be any quieter?

Anyone with a similar experience?

Thanks

[svenedin]

Yes. I replaced a mild steel exhaust that WAS blowing (with a hole near the back axle) with a stainless steel 3-part exhaust from ESM.

The stainless steel exhaust is definitely louder especially the parps on overrun which are almost embarrassing. As my car is a convertible I really hear the exhaust a lot when the top is down. On long runs at speed (which I don't do very often) the exhaust "drones". This is hard to describe but basically it is "tiring on the ears". I would be interested to hear about the experiences of owners with more expensive stainless steel exhausts such as those made by Bell.

Stephen

[simmitc]

"Back in the day", mild steel exhausts were one piece, hence difficult to ship and fit. but also cheap and fairly short-lived. Stainless exhausts were two piece, easy to fit, more expensive, and claimed to be guaranteed for "life" - in reality, 10-15 years (>160K miles) before they tended to crack around the joint in the expansion chamber (silencer box). I found mild steel lasted 2-3 years. When I switched to stainless, they were definitely sounded louder, but I did not have a decibel meter to measure any difference, real or imagined.

My current three stainless exhausts are all two piece systems, at least 15 years old, so I cannot comment on the modern ones; but do know that when attending events, they do still appear to be louder than the same model car fitted with a mild steel system. I still have not measured the sound level, so I do not now whether it is frequency and/or amplitude that is different - or simply perception.

[Mervin]

My S.S. exhaust (E.S.M.) has been on the car for 26 years. I love the noises it makes! Without looking, I can't remember if it's two or three sections.
I don't know if this is correct, but to fit the one piece system, the car body had to be raised, at the rear, to give enough clearance for the pipe to be routed over the rear axle/diff.?

[mowogg]

Single piece exhausts can be fitted or removed by jacking up the rear of the car on the front spring hangers, and allow the axle to drop down. I have removed a complete exhaust this way( 2 piece that would not separate)

[TravellerROG]

Stainless exhausts are usually a little more resonant than mild ones. My Traveller is not too loud but rasps well on the overrun. I had 103e Popular with a stainless pipe which was very 'fruity' especially at idle, when it sounded like a motorboat, and I had a Reliant Rialto which sounded positively sporting with a stainless pipe.