Muffler? - BMW Forum

Neil Paz · 05-22-2006, 05:15 PM

I turned my 1984 325e on today and all of a sudden it sounds like a throaty Mustang V8! What gives? Ideas?

JoeMadoo · 05-22-2006, 05:31 PM

Probably a hole in the muffler

325eXTATIC · 05-22-2006, 06:04 PM

Or the engine fairy came by and dropped a 7 series motor in without you knowing... If that's the case, shoot him/her my way. My engine is tired!

Josh W.

JoeMadoo · 05-22-2006, 09:13 PM

Haha..

saltshaker185 · 05-22-2006, 09:21 PM

umm maybe your muffler just went bad and its kinda like a straight pipe now?

325eXTATIC · 05-23-2006, 07:10 PM

Yeah, actually my bet is that the baffling inside the muffler has finally let go. It is usually wadded fiberglass (depending on brand, some don't use glass baffles at all) and the combination of moisture, heat, and pressure breaks them down. Brands like Magnaflow use multiple chambered mufflers in which the chambers themselves act as the baffle, which can last longer.

Just my .02

Josh W.

ldsbeaker · 05-24-2006, 10:59 AM

mine sounded really loud when the exhaust FELL OFF from the resonator back.
It was AWESOME!! but, it was also getting louder and louder until it fell off.

draculia · 05-24-2006, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 325eXTATIC

Brands like Magnaflow use multiple chambered mufflers in which the chambers themselves act as the baffle, which can last longer.

magnaflow uses a perforated core wrapped in packing, not baffles. i believe you're thinking of flowmaster.

a lot of decent brands will use ceramic or stainless packing in their stainless mufflers so that it will outlast the car.

325eXTATIC · 05-24-2006, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by draculia

magnaflow uses a perforated core wrapped in packing, not baffles. i believe you're thinking of flowmaster.

a lot of decent brands will use ceramic or stainless packing in their stainless mufflers so that it will outlast the car.

Yeah, that's it! That's the ticket.

Josh W.

Neil Paz · 05-30-2006, 12:03 PM

Turns out that the muffler got detached from the pipe coming into it, rusted off. Can I go with any muffler or just a certain kind?

325eXTATIC · 05-30-2006, 12:16 PM

Anything that will fit. Might be a good idea to go cat-back... That way the whole system will age together, and you won't have a NEW muffler on an OLD tailpipe.

Just my .02

Josh W.

Neil Paz · 06-12-2006, 12:55 PM

Okay, so I'm buying the muffler today and there is the stock one for $140, an ANSI Free Flow one for $240, and a Bavarian Autosport Tri-Flo one for $800!

Is it worth the extra $100 bucks to go with the Free Flow?

325eXTATIC · 06-13-2006, 11:36 AM

Anything that offers better breathing is likely to improve performance! Stock pipes are ALWAYS overly restrictive so that they can be super quiet. Quiet is "generally" the enemy of performance when it comes to exhaust, because quiet means restrictive. I say spend the extra and go for the free flow if it won't pinch your pocket too much!

Hope that helps!

Josh W.