BamaBird22

Hey guys. I have an 01 v6 firebird. (No cats) a few years ago I had to replace the muffler because it rusted or got baked and broke on the inside. It got so bad that the whole bottom of the muffler fell out and there was this huge hole. So 6 months ago I bought a hooker aerochamber from summit. I heard a lot of good things about it and figured I'd try it out. Well I removed the straight pipe where the cat use to be and put a glass pack there and put on the new muffler. Well 6 months down the road this muffler is broken from the inside. When you hit it you can hear it rattle. Wth is going on? I've searched everywhere and can't figure this one out for the life of me. I don't wanna go spend 100 bucks for a new muffler just to have it ruined 6 months down the road.

JD_AMG

Is your exhaust all rusted up? Are you possibly getting water down the tail pipes and going into the muffler to cause it to rust and break up on the inside?

BamaBird22

Nothing else breaks. I've had the same piping on it since I got it and it all holds up just fine.

RockinWs6

I don't think those Aero mufflers are very well made. I'd get a Stainless Flowmaster muffler.

8.Lug

They're mad you bought a V6.

BamaBird22

My next muffler will be a flowmaster or magnaflow. But my last muffler was a flow master, granted it was probably over 10 years old. Could the heat from the engine be baking the muffler? If not then could moisture be the issue and if so how would enough moisture find its way into the exhaust that it could cause THAT amount of damage in just 4 to 6 months?

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

It keeps breaking because there's supposed to be an STS Rear Mount Turbo in that spot! Not a muffler *slaps face* - the stock muffler was just a place holder until you installed the turbo and the new muffler can't handle the heat build up from the lack of pressure to push out the exhaust fast enough!

j/k lol

Just wondering if running rich may cause this sort of an issue? Have you looked into that possibility?

Chevyguy2001

SLP Loudmouth = No muffler.....problem solved.

BamaBird22

lol your logic is undeniable! But I was wondering if running rich could be a problem but I've searched around everywhere and can't find a soul on this earth with same issue

RixTrix

Short trips not getting the motor fully warmed up will cause condensate to accumulate....

BamaBird22

Well I live in bfe so nowhere is ever a "short trip" lol

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

There was a problem reported several years ago after Aerochamber production moved from Mississippi to Mexico of internal welds failing and producing bad rattles.

If a single outlet muffler works for your car, I'd replace it with a Hooker Maxflow and not look back. Better sound, better flow, and nothing in it that will ever rattle.

BamaBird22

That's an awesome bit of info. You think if I contacted hooker that they might give me a refund. Hate to see a 6 month old muffler go down the toilet. My 100 buck too, because of something hooker did. But no i do not have single outlet.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I doubt it, but no harm in trying ...

SlasherVRGR

iTrader: (1)

I had a flow master on my 3800 car.. it sounded like an angry cow being chased by bees.. I'd go for the magnaflow, those tend to sound decent on the sixxers.

Austin Phil

Is your engine running cold? Do you have a bad thermostat? Did you put in a 160 or 165 Degree thermostat. A cold engine will generate much more condensation in the exhaust. Also the fuel injection system will stay in cold engine (rich) mode aggravating the situation. Not to mention reducing fuel mileage significantly.

BamaBird22

I did have a bad thermostat I just replaced it two weeks ago and then the radiator just last weekend.