SS exhaust w/ manifold on '78 280?

[FastWoman]

Hi all,

Wow, I've been gone quite a while. We took a 4 mo long roadtrip across the US. Saw some interesting sights. Took in some good photography.

I returned to my Z, which had sat up the last 4 months in the garage. Poor thing. The inspection sticker had expired, so off I went to have it inspected. It failed because of a rusted out muffler. Adding insult to injury, the gas was pretty bad, so it ran awfully. (Fresh gas now.)

Talked to the muffler shop. They couldn't get me an OEM part but offered me a universal aluminized muffler. Been there and done that on my '75: In my experience, the things only last a few years before they rust out. On the other hand, my '92 Saturn's oriiginal SS exhaust and headers have held up flawlessly since the day I bought the car (new) -- in OHIO, no less!

So what I'm wanting, if I can find it, is a SS exhaust system (well, with as much SS as possible) to mount up to the stock manifold. I really don't want headers, and I don't want loud. Just a nice, civilized exhaust system that doesn't break the bank and doesn't rust out every few years.

Any suggestions?

I did find these mufflers but have no idea whether they're total junk. The seller of course says they're not:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/200SX-240SX-280ZX-300ZX-Dual-Flat-Tip-Exhaust-Muffler-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4149c7c8f3QQitemZ280410704115QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I also have no idea whether they would fit under a '78 Z or adapt to the 1 3/4" exhaust I currently have in the car.

... or should I just get the piece of @#$% generic aluminized muffler that will rust out in a few years.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, everyone!

Sarah

a.k.a. FastWoman

Edited July 26, 2010 by FastWoman

[FastWoman]

Or this one??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-DRAGER-MUFFLER-2-5-INLET-300ZX-280Z-240SX-180SX-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3357cbe3efQQitemZ220516312047QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[Walter Moore]

I don't know anyone that sells a stainless exhaust for the Z car, at least not retail.

A good aluminum plated muffler should hold up for years. It is the "good" part that is the difficult part.

[FastWoman]

I see some kits from Monza. Are these any good?

I also see YouTube videos of Monza exhaust systems like this one on a Miata...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc66SMCFnr8

Sounds like some kid's Honda tuner car. Is that approx what the 280Z Monza exhaust would sound like?

I also see a Magnaflow SS muffler available from Autozone -- lifetime warranty:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/MagnaFlow-2-1-4-in-offset-outlet-dia-x-2-1-4-in-center-inlet-dia-x-14-x-5-x-8-in-body-length-satin-finish-stainless-steel-oval-muffler/_/N-25in?counter=5&filterByKeyWord=exhaust&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=888980_0_0_

The only problem is that my exhaust is 1 3/4", and the muffler is 2 1/4". Can this be adapted? If so, would it sound/perform badly?

[FastWoman]

... So I'm reading that too large dia an exhaust system will make a car sound like a "tuner" gone bad. What is the max dia for a largely stock 280Z that would result in a mellow note, without the harshness heard in a kid's tuner?

Also do people adapt larger dia mufflers to smaller dia pipes -- say from a 1 3/4 pipe to a 2 1/4 muffler?

Finally, do exhaust tips necessarily make the exhaust loud and obnoxious? Is it better simply to have a straight pipe, if the objective is to keep the noise down?

[FastWoman]

Well, 106 views, and only 1 response so far. (Thanks, Walter, you're a gent!)

I guess I should go for the piece of @#$%, rust-out-in-a-couple-of-years muffler, then?

(I'd like to get this job done, so I can get my inspection sticker and have my transportation back.)

[kjphilippona]

Missed You

[kjphilippona]

Had to replace my exhaust on my 77' 280z, the speed shop had all kinds of SS mufflers and tip, lots of $ so i went with a good high flow muffler and angled SS tip.

Edited July 27, 2010 by kjphilippona

[sblake01]

I replaced the original muffler on my 78 with a regular aluminized Flowmaster Turbo muffler and Monza tip. I did that in 1997 and it still in good condition and sounded good when I sold it last year.

[Walter Moore]

The pipe diameter isn't really a major part of the sound, it is the muffler type that makes the exhaust loud. "Turbo" mufflers have minimal sound reduction, and it is claimed less back pressure. They aren't really any quieter than old fashioned glass-pack mufflers. They just last longer because there is no fiberglass to shake lose and blow out.

Personally the turbo muffler that I have on my car is too loud, but not loud enough that I feel motivated to replace it.

I guess we will see how I feel about the noise after driving it to Tennessee tomorrow.

(My wife may have something to say about it as well...)

[doradox]

The pipe diameter isn't really a major part of the sound, it is the muffler type that makes the exhaust loud. "Turbo" mufflers have minimal sound reduction, and it is claimed less back pressure. They aren't really any quieter than old fashioned glass-pack mufflers. They just last longer because there is no fiberglass to shake lose and blow out.

Personally the turbo muffler that I have on my car is too loud, but not loud enough that I feel motivated to replace it.

I guess we will see how I feel about the noise after driving it to Tennessee tomorrow.

(My wife may have something to say about it as well...)

Pipe diameter can make a huge difference in how the exhaust sounds. Tip length and diameter can be used to tune the sound. Even just a few inches worth like on a Z. As a general rule longer and smaller around is quieter. I've used the tip as a tuning device to eliminate resonance in several exhausts I have built.

Steve

[fixitman]

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31263&highlight=stainless+steel+exhaust

Please refer to the link above for a description and a few photos of my S.S. system. I still have a 2.5" Borla muffler, pipes and clamps for sale at a very reasonable price. All components are in S.S. A local shop or MSA's exhaust fabricator could bend the pipes for you.

Fixitman