Good 4-banger exhaust for deep throaty sound?

[TallPaul]

2001 Ranger 2.3L DOHC. What a free flowing, probably a turbo muffler, not real loud, just so I can hear a nice throaty sound. And want a turnout tailpipe in front of rear wheel.

I know, throaty is big block but I need something that won't sound like a rice racer.

 

[bdcardinal]

Borla maybe?

 

[d00df00d]

The only suggestion I can offer is the Apex'i WS2 catback. That's one exhaust that seems to produce a good deep sound with no rasp in a variety of applications. If they don't make it for your car, maybe you can adapt the resonator and muffler from a kit that was made for a similar engine.

EDIT: bdcardinal's suggestion is a good one, too. I totally forgot about Borla...

 

[OVERKILL]

Magnaflow in a long-style muffler will probably work.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Magnaflow in a long-style muffler will probably work.
+1, most of the Toyota truck guys seem to recommend a big magnaflow for good sound on a 4 cyl truck.

 

[IndyIan]

I've got a $50 Napa "sound master" with dual outlets on my Neon right now and it sounds pretty good. The hangers needed some more weld but if you get a shop to install it, that shouldn't be big deal if yours is the same.
On the Neon the outlets are different lengths which I think helps with adding some over/under tones and I think helps a 4 cyl sound a bit better too. The outlets are just roughly cut off if you care about that.

 

[mechtech2]

4 cyls don't sound as good as V8s, or even V6s.
The best sound is from a cat, resonator, and straight through muffler. Test without a muffler if you have a cat and resonator - you may be surprised how quiet it is when not 'on it'.
Get as large physically of a muffler as will fit. Both in length and diameter.

4 cyls drone and moan - the outcome is unpredictable.

 

[A_Harman]

I recommend 4 more cylinders and about 320 more cubic inches.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: SOHCman
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Magnaflow in a long-style muffler will probably work.
+1, most of the Toyota truck guys seem to recommend a big magnaflow for good sound on a 4 cyl truck.


+2 There is only so much you can do without 4 more cylinders but Magnaflow has a nice sound close to what you are looking for in your application.

 

[NHGUY]

4 cylinders sound very raspy and noisy,like a BLAT.
6s,particularly inline 6s sound very agricultural.
Nothing sounds like an 8.
Wonder what a 3 cylinder GEO sounds like? Must be like a blender.

 

[abycat]

Ive seen and heard a turbo 3 cyl with a cherry bomb and it was pretty good. Magnaflow seems to be a good bet on most applications.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
4 cylinders sound very raspy and noisy,like a BLAT.
6s,particularly inline 6s sound very agricultural.
Nothing sounds like an 8.
Wonder what a 3 cylinder GEO sounds like? Must be like a blender.


Search youtube for some wrx and STI sound clips. Not all 4-bangers are the same.

FWIW, I used to own a Focus ST with the same motor. The exhaust on that sounded pretty good - a little bit of throatiness, but not obnoxious or loud on the highway. Besides a Civic SI (K20Z3,) it's the best sounding 4-cyl N/A exhaust I've heard.

 

[kkreit01]

Magnaflow. I had one on my 2.0 Neon, and it sounded quite nice. It wasn't farty or raspy at all.

 

[01rangerxl]

Dynomax Super Turbo kit. It should run about $160-$180 for your truck, fits great, and has a nice sound to it. I had Dynomax exhaust on my old 2.5L Ranger and it sounded as good as that engine was going to sound. Pretty deep, not too buzzy, but my V6 has more rumble with stock exhaust and a missing silencer from the air intake. I know it didn't sound too bad because I sold the truck to a guy in his 60s whose main car was a Lexus.

 

[Lead Shoes]

The HKS Hi-Power cat back on my Integra is one of the best exhausts you can get for a honda/acura 4cyl, I get nothing but compliments from people, it sounds much more deep and refined than the other kids with coffee cans on their imports.

For a cheap solution for the Ranger, I would look at Flowmaster or Magnaflow...

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Borla maybe?


Yes, if the price is not a major issue, if so then the Magnaflow that everyone is suggesting is hard to beat.

The Borla WILL outlast the Magnaflow because it is ALL, REAL 304 austenitic stainless steel, vs. the Mag which is only 409 stainless (as are most of the others save for Corsa, B&B, Kooks, ARH, and some of the Nippon brands I am not familiar with).

Just stay FAR away from the Borla XR-1 series, since they ARE a race muffler, and WILL destroy your hearing in very short order (ask me how I know this

).

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
4 cylinders sound very raspy and noisy,like a BLAT.
6s,particularly inline 6s sound very agricultural.
Nothing sounds like an 8.
Wonder what a 3 cylinder GEO sounds like? Must be like a blender.


Search youtube for some wrx and STI sound clips. Not all 4-bangers are the same.

FWIW, I used to own a Focus ST with the same motor. The exhaust on that sounded pretty good - a little bit of throatiness, but not obnoxious or loud on the highway. Besides a Civic SI (K20Z3,) it's the best sounding 4-cyl N/A exhaust I've heard.


I agree with the FHI flat boxer 4s being about the ONLY 4 pots I actually like the sound of (with the proper exhaust and ancillary mods of course).
They have that Audi Turbo 5 cylinder, rally car 'woofle' sound to them.

But I DO disagree on the SI (or ANY Honda 4 banger for that matter), regardless of exhaust/mods.

 

[Michael_P]

Gibsons sound good on the 2.3 and 2.5. They are cheap and you can get them in SS as well. Go to YouTube (as gathermewool said) and search 2.3 Ranger exhaust note or something like that.

Hear this


Here is a youtube list of various exhast notes

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
Gibsons sound good on the 2.3 and 2.5. They are cheap and you can get them in SS as well. Go to YouTube (as gathermewool said) and search 2.3 Ranger exhaust note or something like that.

Hear this


Here is a youtube list of various exhast notes



I forgot all about Gibson!

And yes, most of them are 409 stainless, just like Magnaflow.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
4 cylinders sound very raspy and noisy,like a BLAT.
6s,particularly inline 6s sound very agricultural.
Nothing sounds like an 8.
Wonder what a 3 cylinder GEO sounds like? Must be like a blender.


Search youtube for some wrx and STI sound clips. Not all 4-bangers are the same.

FWIW, I used to own a Focus ST with the same motor. The exhaust on that sounded pretty good - a little bit of throatiness, but not obnoxious or loud on the highway. Besides a Civic SI (K20Z3,) it's the best sounding 4-cyl N/A exhaust I've heard.



But I DO disagree on the SI (or ANY Honda 4 banger for that matter), regardless of exhaust/mods.


I don't mean an SI with a modified exhaust - they sound terrible, just like the majority of other civics with modified exhausts (read: [censored] cannons.) It always upsets me when I hear an SI go by with a [censored] cannon, since the stock exhaust flows well and sounds nice.

I HATED how little power and torque the little thing had, but it did sound pretty cool. It took forever to get to redline, but it sure sounded like it was doing something when vtec kicked in!