Flowmaster Exhaust system question

I finally got some money and i wanted to start pricing the exhaust systems, so i was wonder for those of you that have a flowmaster exhaust system. How did you get it, did you go to a muffler shop or buy it and install it yourself. I would like to install it myself or just have a shop do it.

thanks

i got mine done at a family friend's shop....so I got hooked up ALITTLE! but most privatly owned shops do a great job. I know alot of you guys dont like the duel pipes, cuz sometimes one pipe gets loose and is floppin around...but on my last blazer, it never did, and now for my tacoma it is solid as a rock. I think I have the 50 series cuz I didnt want it to be too lous due to my x-tra cab. Flowmaster is always a good choise in my book.

[kokopelli]

dpauley , First , what condition is your present exhaust system in ? Second , how handy are you ? Next , what is your goal with the Flowmaster exhaust system ? What is your student budget like ?
IF your present exhaust system is in sound shape you may only need a flowmaster muffler installed . This is a relativly easy and straight forward replacement job . You wouldn't really gain much more by going with a complete catalytic converter back exhaust system . If you're determined to have the whole system for a V-6 , I believe you can purchase one complete or you could have one made up for you and installed by a shop . Instalation for a purchased system is a remove and replace job with only a few hand tools needed . A purchased system tends to cost more money than one custom bent up and installed at an exhaust shop for basically the same thing . If you choose to replace the muffler only as I did on my 2.7L4 the problem you wll encounter is probably going to be offsetting the FlowMaster to your present exhaust system , as Toyota offsets are verticle and FlowMasters are offset horizontally. I carefully measured the offset "drop "for my straight through muffler at about 5 1/2 inches , there is a little flexibility in the tailpipe and muffler hangers that allignment is not super critical. Your choice of a FlowMaster will probably also involve some offset from right to left , as well as up and down , depending on the muffler you choose . I measured and cut an adapter pipe from the tailpipe to the muffler out of a couple purchased "bends" and joined them with a 2 inch exhaust coupler adapter and had a friend weld the pipes together after I fitted it by rotating the bends in the coupler to get the proper offsets . Another problem you will encounter is that in my case the stock pipes were not exactly to the diameter of "American " measurements . I overcame this by using a couple exhaust adapters to make the adjustment from the 2 inch inlet and outlet of the muffler to 2 1/8 inch and had one of those welded to my adapter pipe to fit the tailpipe and the other clamped to the exhaust pipe (you could have this welded too ) or you could just have an adapter pipe custom bent to the proper specs to join the stock tailpipe and the muffler to the stock exaust pipe . I used exhaust clamps to join the muffler to the exhaust pipe and the stock Tailpipe to the to the adapter pipe with the muffler fitted in between . The next propblem you'll encounter isn't really much of a problem . The stock Toyota muffler hanger brackets are some heavy suckers welded directly to the muffler and supported by some figure 8 rubber hangers to the frame . I was able to retain stock mounting locations by utilizing a couple more exhaust clamps and two universal (adjustable) J-hangers to locate to the figure 8 rubber hangers by giving them a quarter twist after hooking the J's into the hanger bushings before sandwiching the flat side of the J-hangers between exhaust clamp saddles and the nuts on the U-bolts of the exhaust clamps .
.....Of course , after you get an idea of the length of the adapter pipe and the FlowMaster muffler . you're going to have to cut the tailpipe off the old muffler flush with the muffler hanger brackets with a hacksaw and saw the exhaust pipe off at the appropriate length to accomadate the length of the adaper pipe and the FlowMaster .
If you're not so handy , see if you can have an exhaust shop adapt the flowmaster to your stock exhaust . None of this post is going to make much sense until you get down under your Tacoma and look around yourself . I did my whole job myself without jacking up the truch and without a creeper dolley . A FlowMaster muffler is going for about $ 80.oo at PepBoys around here and I used about $30.oo in other supplies . I'd go with a 50 series or maybe a 40 series . You should get a noticable performance gain with the muffler alone , especially if you free up the breathing at the intake end first . See the deck plate mod posts on this site .

You can do this....... [img]images/graemlins/AR15firing.gif[/img]

Current Condition seams fine

goal i want some power with a decent sound, and i hear that the cat back helps on gas miles

I dont know what your working with as far as cylinders.

On the 4cyl, the factory piping is an adaquate size so we just replace the stock muffler with a 2 chamber Flowmaster.

The V6 is very responsive to 2.5" piping from the cat back with a straight through muffler. A 2 chamber Flowmaster will work good also.


As far as whos gonna do the work......I dont know of any premade cat back systems for the Tacoma(not to say there arent any) but if there are, they will be more than you would pay at a muffler shop. Muffler shop will be custom to your specs and they do the work.

[brayboy]

Thanks kokopelli and Clear! I can't add to the question more than you did. Clear, thanks for sticking around on the board. Hope everything is well. Good to hear from you. I got a local shop down here to do a 2.5 cat-back on my 3.4 w/a Borla(mild) and I love the response and the sound. I took instructions from you on pipe size because I also heard that too much diameter would cause lack of velocity and effect HP. Anyway, thanks! Bray. [img]images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img]

Right on Bray. Glad you got a good setup.

I cant say it enough, the 3.4 is the most responsive out of all of the truck motors to exhaust. Ive done 2.4, 2.7, 3.0,3.4,4.7. The 3.4 wants to burn rubber off the line with new exhaust.

[kokopelli]

cleartoy , Actually , on my 2.7L-4 My original idea was to put a Super Trap (S/T) adustable muffler on the end of my stock tail pipe after eliminating the stock muffler and I may still do that . Summit Racing had the S/T on back orderand @ about $ 170.oo for the one I wanted , my choice for an installer was a personal friend , Tim Tobin; who owns Edinboro Exhaust ,in Edinboro PA ; which is 400 miles away from me . It was March here , I was developing cabin fever , I needed a simple project to do as a diversion to a small appartment life in Philly . I wasn't scheduled to go back to Erie County until May and I was
extremely curious about what performance might be gained from reducing back pressure . In the interium , what I did as a low cost experiment was to replace the stock muffler with a 26 inch long CherryBomb straight through muffler . I kept the 2 inch tail pipe because "some" backpressure is desirable on a street enigne . Another reason I decided to do this experiment was that on the factory tail pipe hanger was very close to the tip of the tail pipe . As it was desirable to me to retain all stock exhaust hanger locations , a factor that may have put mounting the S/T jutting out past the body to far for PA State inspection laws , I decided that a chrome exhaust tip and a replacement muffler may be the route to go . I know you guys are wrinkling your noses at my choice of a CherryBomb , they are not currently in vogue ; but my past experiences with them have been good and they are more durable that some would lead you yo believe . It will certainly last as long as the rest of my 6 year old exhaust system will . When replacement time comes I may go the S/T aimed out the back, instead of off to the side or I may go with a FlowMaster or equivelant in the stock location . As far as performence goes , I may have lost a little torque on the low end , but at the top where I needed it , I experienced a significant power gain at interstate speeds , especially when hauling my 6 X 12 , extra tall CarMate cargo trailer . At an idle , there is vertually no difference in sound over the stock muffler . Running around town , I get a nice sportscar sounding drone and some babbling on decelleration . Inside the cab , the sound level difference is negligable all the way up to interstate speed . Outside the vehicle the sound is louder , because I can hear it as I go through under passes , toll bothes and tunnels . I wish I could actually hear the sound as my taco passes by , but I don't have anyone here that can drive a stick . I'm headed out on vaction this afternoon , I'm going to give the exhaust mod , the 450 mile road test pulling the trailer over these Pennsylvanias mountains . I'll give you an update when I get back . If you don't hear from me for a few days , know that I am AFK , probably safe and having a great time camping accross PA . See ya'll when I get back .


[img]images/graemlins/beach.gif[/img]And awayyyyyy we go , I'll send you all a post card.......... [img]images/graemlins/AR15firing.gif[/img]

Id rather see you run a straight through cherry bomb than a Super Trapp any day of the week. I didnt know they were still in buisness. Their design is more restrictive than a stock muffler.

If your piping is only 2" Then id upgrade to 2.25" when you finalize what you want.

How heavy is this 6x12 trailer your pulling? Does it have trailer brakes? Do you have an electric brake controller in your Taco????

Dpauley,

I noticed you have a V6 in your explainatory page or whatever, when you press on your name.
Anyway. Pull into any muffler shop, preferrably a self owned one, not a namebrand, you will get a better price.
This is what I did. I told him what I wanted, a nice sounding pipe, that would add some power, some noise, and not cost a bundle. He sawsawed my old muffler off, put the MAGNAFLOW up there, welded it on, and threw in a 3 in Chrome tip for $129.00.
Done in $20. Sounds bitchen. Was cheaper than any other shop quoted me and I got a nice tip out of it too. Its an angled chrome tip. It has to be a special one, cause if you notice where the hanger is your pipe slowly get bigger. Well this tip on the other side of the angle slowly got smaller, so we cut it to the perfect size to slide right over, then catch on the part where the pipe gets bigger, he and I both said he was lucky he had one in his stack of misc stuff. It sticks out a little and gets mud, or tire rubber if I burn out on the street, but it looks sweet and is a hell of a lot better than stock, or the $50 Valor tip sells. Or ANY type of screw on tip from Pepboys, Wallyworld, or any other shop like that. I hate the 3 screw looking things on there. This one is welded on and looks sweet.
So see if you can do the same.
The Flowmaster should be nooooooooooo problem. All the shops have them, its a 2 1/2 to 2 1/2 on your Toyota. They can do it in 20 min. and you will be rockin and rollin with a sweet sounding.

Chezman

PS Sorry for the guys with the different engines. Sounds like you guys have to go through some stuff to get pipes for yours. Lucky the V6 is "plug and play"! [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]