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Exhaust, why the trend to make non-USA trucks sound "riced out"?

6517 Views 46 Replies 22 Participants Last post by  westracing01
Granted, I'm comparing a Chevy Silverado and a Nissan Frontier.

These are both sound clips off magnaflow's site.

Silverado:
Magnaflow Audio Player

:drool:

Frontier (gen 1, granted, but same idea):
Nissan Frontier Sound File

:ghey:


Yes, I know there are a LOT of differences between a V6 and a V8. However, what I don't understand is why there's such a trend to make japanese vehicles sound like some ricer Civic with a fart-can muffler, vs making them sound like they actually have power...

Am I the only one?
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because its how the motor revs you put the same muffler on a v8 and v6 and they will sound totally different. its in the cams and how the motor runs.
^^ what that guy said
You already said it, 6 cylinders will NEVER sound like an 8 cylinder.
because its how the motor revs you put the same muffler on a v8 and v6 and they will sound totally different. its in the cams and how the motor runs.
So it's probably more that our cams are more rounded/less agressive profiles on the exhaust side, resulting in less of a "pop" from each cylinder?

You already said it, 6 cylinders will NEVER sound like a 8 cylinder.
I'm sure it could sound closer. I just don't care for the fart-can type of sound that I'm hearing in all the aftermarket exhausts.

I'm sure even the V8 non-usa owners get the same thing.
V8's have that throaty sounds, just the way it is. You can't make a 4 banger sound like that or a v6, just won't.

With V6's, you get the best intake sounds imo, deep, sounds good. With a 4 banger, the intakes sound ricey. V8 get the best sounds from exhaust hands down.

Look up V6 American trucks, won't have that same deep growl throat a any V8 has. A titan V8 with exhaust would sound like other American V8's with exhausts.

Have you heard a CAI in a V6?
V8's have that throaty sounds, just the way it is. You can't make a 4 banger sound like that or a v6, just won't.

With V6's, you get the best intake sounds imo, deep, sounds good. With a 4 banger, the intakes sound ricey. V8 get the best sounds from exhaust hands down.

Look up V6 American trucks, won't have that same deep growl throat a any V8 has. A titan V8 with exhaust would sound like other American V8's with exhausts.
You're right, I just took a listen at the Ranger V6 clip and the Titan V8 clips...

I guess I can't really wrap my head around why there is such a difference in sound - I'd imagine that a V6 could sound more like an 8 with an aftermarket exhaust, instead it just sounds more like a I4 w/ a fart can.

On the other hand, you have motorcycles - my Honda VTX sounds like a Harley minus the idle, unless it's really cold out and it's missing on one cylinder every once in a while (hmm...) - the other end are the crotch-rocket bikes that sound like racebikes. I know with those it's a product of bore/stroke ratio - my bike has a longer stroke than bore. Sport bikes have short strokes and larger bores.

I know with the VQ40DE, it has a bore-heavy ratio. Not sure on the Titan V8 or other V8's - but maybe that's a clue to it as well?

V8's have that throaty sounds, just the way it is. You can't make a 4 banger sound like that or a v6, just won't.

With V6's, you get the best intake sounds imo, deep, sounds good. With a 4 banger, the intakes sound ricey. V8 get the best sounds from exhaust hands down.

Look up V6 American trucks, won't have that same deep growl throat a any V8 has. A titan V8 with exhaust would sound like other American V8's with exhausts.

Have you heard a CAI in a V6?
I have Stillen G3's in my 370z. Mostly I just noticed that you step on the gas an hear the engine suck in air. Didn't make much difference in sound, IMO.

Taking the air cleaner off a 351M that has a 2 barrel carb on it, that's an intake sound when you floor it...and you can definately hear that...lol
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It is what it is, a V6 has a specific sound, and I don't see how a muffler manufacturer is going to make a 6 sound like an 8. Maybe it is just me, but I appreciate them for what they are.

Did I love the sound coming from the 5.6 V8 in the Titan with a Magnaflow? You bet.
Do I love the sound coming from the 2.0 i4 in the S2000 at 9,000 rpms? You bet!
Are the sounds the same even though they are both Magnaflows? No way in helll, both are unique.

And as we are on it, as much as I want the Magnaflow on the 4.0 V6 Frontier, I'm not going with a non true cat-back system, I'm not cutting up the OEM system. I fail to understand why Magnaflow can't seem to build a proper cat-back for Nissan trucks... :mad:
I have Stillen G3's in my 370z. Mostly I just noticed that you step on the gas an hear the engine suck in air. Didn't make much difference in sound, IMO.

Taking the air cleaner off a 351M that has a 2 barrel carb on it, that's an intake sound when you floor it...and you can definately hear that...lol
What size motor is in your 370z? 4 banger? Try to find a clip of a V6 with an intake on it. Jetta VR6, Fronty V6, just about any V6 with an intake on it. Sounds amazing about 3k rpm's ++. Not ricey at all.
What size motor is in your 370z? 4 banger? Try to find a clip of a V6 with an intake on it. Jetta VR6, Fronty V6, just about any V6 with an intake on it. Sounds amazing about 3k rpm's ++. Not ricey at all.
You're kidding right? The 370z has a 3.7L VQ37VHR engine that produces more power than our Frontier. 332HP and around 269ftlb torque with a pretty flat/even torque curve, not the roller-coaster that ours does around 3.75K that gives the Frontier a better peak tq.

And to add more fuel to the discussion, here's a 370z with a twin turbo kit...without an exhaust. The turbo is effectively the muffler in the video, that's why it's not insanely loud...and it sounds so much more "v8" than any V6 I've heard. That's what planted the seed that says that it could be done...lol...just ignore the turbo spin-down noise - lol.

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

It is what it is, a V6 has a specific sound, and I don't see how a muffler manufacturer is going to make a 6 sound like an 8. Maybe it is just me, but I appreciate them for what they are.

Did I love the sound coming from the 5.6 V8 in the Titan with a Magnaflow? You bet.
Do I love the sound coming from the 2.0 i4 in the S2000 at 9,000 rpms? You bet!
Are the sounds the same even though they are both Magnaflows? No way in helll, both are unique.

And as we are on it, as much as I want the Magnaflow on the 4.0 V6 Frontier, I'm not going with a non true cat-back system, I'm not cutting up the OEM system. I fail to understand why Magnaflow can't seem to build a proper cat-back for Nissan trucks... :mad:
I agree with you on Magnaflow - cat-back means from the cats on back. What they are doing is a muffler-swap and tailpipe, more like an Axle-back.

I bought a Dynamax, but the more I hear sound clips, the more I didn't care for it...or any of the sounds from the other clips in the huge exhaust thread. That lead to me cancelling my order (it was on backorder anyway), and posting this thread...lol
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One of the best sounding V6 engines/exhaust combos I ever heard is our Altima SE-R, stock exhaust believe it or not.
Sounds like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGWiCHstKvg&feature=related
One of the best sounding V6 engines/exhaust combos I ever heard is our Altima SE-R, stock exhaust believe it or not.
Sounds like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGWiCHstKvg&feature=related
That's pretty aggressive for stock...my Z was quieter for sure.

That was the 2nd performance mod I did - first was Stillen G3 Intakes, sheerly because I got it for something like 20% off directly from Stillen.

With the cat-back, I've NEVER had bolts that tight. I've heard the cats are even harder to swap. I almost bought some long tube headers, but I'm getting nervous that they'll be bringing back vehicle inspections because Tulsa's air quality is crap and the EPA likes making a name for themselves. That and including the coating job and installation (I don't have a lift and probably lack the tools..it's very tight in that engine bay!) - I would have spent upwards of $2000 for a set of headers installed. I can't justify that (right now-lol). $895 to start with, $100 to ship, up to $400 for coating, $500-$600 for install...

If the EPA cracks down on Tulsa, then good-bye motorcycle (I'll trade it in rather than buy the OEM exhaust and put it back on for $800 or so :facepalm: )
The sounds of an engine are not controlled by the number of cylinders but rather firing interval, intake, and exhaust pressure tuning.
Case in point, look to motorcycles such as the Honda VTR1000, and all of the Ducati twins with 90* cylinders.
A 4valve desmo Ducati with a good 2 into1 into 2 exhaust sounds like a built Chevy smallblock. Look to the Chevy/Buick/Pontiac odd fire v-6 used in circle track forever, without 180* tuned exhaust and single plane intake it is very hard to tell it from the v8 cars at idle and on the banking.
Even fuel injection vs carb on same engine will change the exhaust tone.
It is entirely possible through intake and exhaust accoustical tuning to make the Frontier sound like a v-8; but not a pushrod Chevy motor.
The other thing that is difficult IMHO is that a lot of exhaust clips sound about 60% on youtube what they do in real life. My wife put up with my ricer days back in the late 90's, early 2000ish with it on my 240sx and bmw. She says the frontier sounds completely different. I can't stand ricey exhausts now and was really trying to avoid it with the frontier. Even she thinks the truck sounds completely different on youtube videos than when she hears it in the driveway. It's no lopey stock car idle but it is absolutely not buzzy at all. It really does have a solid burble.
The other thing that is difficult IMHO is that a lot of exhaust clips sound about 60% on youtube what they do in real life. My wife put up with my ricer days back in the late 90's, early 2000ish with it on my 240sx and bmw. She says the frontier sounds completely different. I can't stand ricey exhausts now and was really trying to avoid it with the frontier. Even she thinks the truck sounds completely different on youtube videos than when she hears it in the driveway. It's no lopey stock car idle but it is absolutely not buzzy at all. It really does have a solid burble.
I'll have to check into it a bit with the Jardine stuff. Any links to specs or anything?

Is it stainless?
because its how the motor revs you put the same muffler on a v8 and v6 and they will sound totally different.
If that's the case then try a smaller muffler, because I have a Magnaflow on mine and it doesn't sound a thing like the one you posted
JUST GO WITH 5in EXHAUST FROM THE HEADERS BACK LOL
i got that SAME exhaust on my gen 1 and it does NOT sound like that AT ALL, my exhaust sounds pretty good for a small v6. sound isn't about everything, granted we all like a nice sounding exhaust, but its all about how much power can be put down to the ground with that exhaust/engine combo. look at the 10 sec all motor hondas, they sound rediculous but they are fast as sh*t. v8 engines are just v8 engines, they sounded good since day one and always will. americans like that big v8 sound, go to japan or europe or even italy none of their v8's really have that muscle car sound, but they do have good power. we love big block pushrod engines and japan likes small 4 or 6 cylinder cars with turbos (or not), why? i don't know...thats just the way it is.

listen to the buick GN, chevy 4.3, ford v6 engines, all of them have that "rice" sound, just not the japanese trucks.
listen to the buick GN, chevy 4.3, ford v6 engines, all of them have that "rice" sound, just not the japanese trucks.
I have to disagree with this one. I've had 4.3 s10's with flowmasters that sound very close to a V8. If setup right they can be one of the exceptions for V6's sounding ricey. On the 4.3L I think it can sound good because it's basically a 350 with 2 cylinders missing. Same bore, same stroke, same traditional push rod setup.
I have to disagree with this one. I've had 4.3 s10's with flowmasters that sound very close to a V8. If setup right they can be one of the exceptions for V6's sounding ricey. On the 4.3L I think it can sound good because it's basically a 350 with 2 cylinders missing. Same bore, same stroke, same traditional push rod setup.
X2 I've heard some mean sounding 4.3L
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