What is the most stock-sounding exhaust?

[kjohnson2444]

My original exhaust is sorely in need of replacement. Is there a muffler and pre-muffler available that replace the original with a stock look and sound?

[72 OJ]

Black Dragon catalog 2012 edition page # 57

[kjohnson2444]

OJ, The Black Dragon catalog only has a gasket for the 240z. I'm going to need more than that.

[72 OJ]

OJ, The Black Dragon catalog only has a gasket for the 240z. I'm going to need more than that.

ops............me bad................bump your request and some veteran might chime in

[kjohnson2444]

In the BD catalog, both of the mufflers are available for the 280z, with what looks like an integrated tail pipe. The routing of the tail pipe looks wrong for the 240z. Anyone know if that works for the 240z?

[djwarner]

Have you thought about replacing them with OEM parts? You can get them through any Nissan Dealer.

[kjohnson2444]

djwarner, Really? I thought I had checked quite a while ago with no luck. I just sent another email to my parts guy at my local dealership. Thanks.

Edit: Just heard back from Bob at Buckeye Nissan. No 240z mufflers available.

[djwarner]

Might very well be. I found the part numbers on a website and checked an online parts dealer who said the parts were available. Before ordering, I visited my local Nissan dealer who also had the part numbers with prices in his system. I am waiting for the online dealer to confirm the order and I may very well find them NLA. Here's hoping.

[Arne]

The 280Z exhaust doesn't quite fit directly. Slightly larger diameter pipe, and a little different in the outlet area.

I've seen occasional NOS 240Z pieces on eBay, but not often, and rarely the whole thing.

But Keith, how much of your current system is bad? The hardest part to replace now is the downpipe. If your downpipe is still OK, I'd look into a repro rear muffler from Jay at JDM Car Parts, and then have the rest replicated at a local exhaust shop. Shouldn't be too hard to find a similar looking resonator, and the pipe can all be custom bent. Remember that the original pipe was quite small by today's standards, around 1 5/8" I believe, which has a considerable effect on the sound. If you "upgrade" to larger pipe, expect more noise.

[kjohnson2444]

Arne, thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure my downpipe is fine. On the muffler, the chrome tip actually broke off in my hand the other day and it became much louder. I don't want the car to be "loud", but I do want it to sound "good". I have an Altima SE-R (VQ35DE V6) that is my daily driver and it has an amazing exhaust note. It idles quietly, but has a nice low rumble as you drive, and gets menacingly loud if you get on it. I wish the 240z could sound like that. I've thought about a 14X7 round Magnaflow (14715) for the muffler, and a 22X4 Magnaflow (10435) for the pre-muffler with 2.25" pipe.

[Mike B]

I'd look into a repro rear muffler from Jay at JDM Car Parts, and then have the rest replicated at a local exhaust shop.

That's not an entire repro rear muffler that Jay sells, it is just the exhaust tip. Not exactly cheap at $175 for just the tip either....

-Mike

[72 OJ]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-71-72-7...80f351&vxp=mtr Here a very nice/rare muffler........

[Arne]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-71-72-7...80f351&vxp=mtr Here a very nice/rare muffler........

Ahhh! Vintage Supersprint. Very nice indeed.

[Carl Beck]

But don't you have to cut the opening in the lower rear panel - wider - to mount the side by side? I would think that kind of limits the market for it.

FWIW,
Carl B.

[72 OJ]

Back in the day it was a popular mod.....................

[Mike B]

But don't you have to cut the opening in the lower rear panel - wider - to mount the side by side? I would think that kind of limits the market for it.

FWIW,
Carl B.

No, it mounts vertically, like an Ansa, although I like the look of the Ansa angled tips much better. Here is a photo from the ebay ad that shows the top mounting point on the right side of the picture.

-Mike

[djwarner]

Ok as a new Z owner, I'm still learning things most of you learned long ago. I had tried to order OEM mufflers through a website that listed listed them as available. This morning I received a cancelation notice as the parts are NO LONGER AVAILABLE through Nissan.

I had hopes since Nissan still listed the part numbers in their dealer network.

That said, my 71 series I has a single rear mounted glass pack on a 2" pipe. The exhaust note is bad enough on acceleration but is also objectionable at steady speeds. A local muffler shop is willing to work with me, installing a front resonator first and then replacing the muffler if required. He asked if I had any specs/dimensions on the first muffler.

So this time I'm coming to the old hands first.

Does anyone have any specs on the OEM system? Diameters? Length? etc

Thanks in advance.

[Carl Beck]

The center resonator is oval shaped 3.5" high x 6" wide x 11" long
The inlet to the resonator is connected directly to the header pipe - and it is offset to the Right as you face the inlet. The outlet is also offset to the right as you look at the face {engine side} of the resonator.

The rear muffler is 13 3/4" long x 6 5/8's diameter round. The inlet is offset to the bottom and the outlet is offset near the top.

The pipes seem to be about 1 7/8's inch.

I have a complete NOS exhaust system - maybe tomorrow I'll run over to the local Midas Shop and see if they have anything close. Midas used to have the spec.'s to custom bend the pipes, and they used to stock pre-bend header pipes. Of course NAPA/Walker used to stock OEM quality replacements as well - - but not longer.

FWIW,
Carl B.

[djwarner]

Thanks Carl,

I tried to estimate the dimensions from a few pictures on this forum and from the service manual and kept coming up with a variety of different numbers. Your numbers appear to be for Z's manufactured before Aug 73 which is exactly what I needed.

[Carl Beck]

The inlet to the resonator is connected directly to the header pipe - and it is offset to the Right as you face the inlet. The outlet is also offset to the right as you look at the face {engine side} of the resonator.

Oops...I must have been looking at that center section up-side down. The inlet and outlet on the resonator are actually offset to the Left side - not the right as written above.

I am working with Walker Muffler Technical Support - we'll see what they say. I'll also check a few other Muffler Manufacturers. Finding replacements that are pretty close to original in terms of form and fit shouldn't be impossible.

FWIW,
Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

OK - trying to find a rear muffler that is pretty close to OEM.. I took my NOS parts to a few Muffler Shops in the area..

The Local Independently Owned Muffer Shop
Muffler $66.31 6" round, Offset inlet/outlet about 11" long {OEM Is 13 1/2 inch long)
Resonator $109.99 - This is a Flowmaster but just about the same size as OEM - only a bit thicker
Pipe $29.95 Custom Bent
Labor $80.00
Sales Tax $20.04
$306.29


Walker Technical Support responed that their Part Number 22659 was as close as they could come. It is 6" round with offset 1 7/8's inch inlet/outlet. Only it is 16" shell length - were OEM was 13 1/2 inch. Don't know if that will fit - I'll have to go look at my White Z .. the Walker 22659 is available from Advanced Auto Parts for $99.95. The Flowmaster Resonator is $104.95 from Advanced..

FWIW,
Carl B.

[Arne]

16" case is pushing it, Carl. I struggled with that when I built my system prior to selling my car.

[djwarner]

Ok, just got back from the muffler shop. The cars a purchased had a single, glass pack muffler 3" diameter by 18" length mounted in the rear position. The drone at 40-50 mph was driving me crazy. So I had the shop install a front resonator 3" diameter by 11" length, glass packed, and a rear muffler 6" diameter by 16" in length. Exhaust was finished off with a chrome tip from the old system. I also had them install a clamped joint between the two so I could remove the exhaust to work on the rear suspension.

I have no reference to judge by but the result is satisfactory to me. As was the bill at $175. Sorry, don't know what brand was used.

[Carl Beck]

Dale:
Sounds like your all set. Price looks very competitive as well. When I owned a Muffler shop that system would have been about $80.00, but that was 30 years ago.

In researching this subject - I see that the rear muffler for the 90-97 MX5 Miata is 7" Round, 14" Long and has 2" offset inlet/outlet. AP Muffler Number 700320

That is only 1/2" longer than OEM, but 1" larger in Dia. I'll have to cut a 7" circle out of cardboard to see it that would fit.

82-86 Nissan Stanza 82-86 - 7" Round, 13" long with 1 3/4" offset in/out also looks like it would fit AP Muffler 70070.

With NOS Rear Mufflers selling for $400+ on EBay - For people that want to keep a stock looking and sounding setup -it would be good to know what can be used. The exhaust system on my White 72 is still the original one. Amazing that it lasted 40 years - but it is getting thin... I have NOS parts, but they will most likey go on fully restored Z's - not my driver.

Now if I can just find a replacement for the OEM resonator -

FWIW,
Carl B.

[kjohnson2444]

OK. In an effort to just have "something", I went to a local muffler shop and they installed a stock-looking round muffler that is a little larger than the original (they said everything else was OK). It is too quiet. It sounds like a Prius. Well, maybe not that quiet. I'm going to live with this for a while and see if I like it.

[Diseazd]

I've got 2 stock exhaust systems that are almost like new.....one with 36,000 original miles. I tried to get them to MikeB, but they're too big to ship. $125.00 each to anyone that can pick them up......if that helps. Each has all parts from down pipe to tip. Guy

[Hank240]

Guy - a quick question for you - what exhaust systems do you use on your beautiful Zs ??
thanks

[72 OJ]

Here is my muffler a Flowmaster............deep sound

[fixitman]

OK. In an effort to just have "something", I went to a local muffler shop and they installed a stock-looking round muffler that is a little larger than the original (they said everything else was OK). It is too quiet. It sounds like a Prius. Well, maybe not that quiet. I'm going to live with this for a while and see if I like it.

If you decide you do not like it and a 2.25" dia. system is in your future, I have a Borla stainless steel muffler available at a very reasonable price. See the attached drawing for dimensions. It has one little problem. A tech mistakenly welded a flange on the discharge end. The flange just needs to be cut off and a tip added. If you decide to go with a 2.50" dia. system, I also have Borla S.S. components available for a complete system. The muffler dimensions are the same as the 2.25" muffler. The 2.50" system is available as shown in the photo or as individual items.

Fixitman

[stephen.hayne]

My original exhaust is sorely in need of replacement. Is there a muffler and pre-muffler available that replace the original with a stock look and sound?

I don't remember what the stock exhaust sounded like (I did own a '73 in '82!), but on a 2.5" exhaust, I just put a "Meineke" 24 inch resonator (4024005S, $60) just aft of the headers, and a Flowmaster (12514310) DBX Muffler in and it sounds absolutely awesome. Not very loud at idle or when not pushing it, but gives that wonderful sound under load. I highly recommend this combination!

The resonator has a spiral of curved scoops inside, and we installed it with the scoops grabbing into the flow. They said that gives a little more dampening, and that is what I wanted... btw, Meineke did an excellent job of bending pipe and welding - all for $180. I supplied the Flowmaster from Amazon ($150).

Stephen