Jscotty

I've always wondered and never asked. What makes the older maodel cars sound so much deeper (in pitch) than our newer cars? Is it the cam? Most people prefer the "old" sound from what I understand. What could make a LS1 sound more like that?

I'm not too new on here but it's definitely a Newbie Question.

Sgt Drags

If I recall, there are a few reasons why they sound different. First, the LSx blocks are aluminum and the older SBC style's are Iron. I believe that the sounds within the engine resonate differently between the two metals.

I also believe that the firing order of the engines play a part in how the motor "sounds". For example, the LT1 sounds deeper than an LS1 because the LT1 is an Iron block and the firing order is different IIRC

Dan Stewart

Mufflers, Cams, Carburation vs. FI, Computer controlled timing vs. vacuum advance. All can effect exhaust note.

My magnaflow with my cam makes it sound like the four horsemen of the apocalypse are stomping through the neighborhood when I start it up.

ByeByeRiceBoy317

have a sound clip?

Dan Stewart

Yes, firing order makes a huge difference and the LS1 is different than old small blocks. But, that is why I listed cam. Cam determines firing order. You can't change firing order without changing the cam. Semantics, really.

Needless to say, that is why Ford V8's sound so nice. 5/7 swap.

Also, number of cylinders on a bank effect it too.

Odd numbers sound raspy, where even numbers sound lower. Take, for instance, a V10 vs. a V8 or a V8 vs. a V6. You get the idea.

I guess what I'm basically getting at is there are many factors that effect exhaust note.

Dan Stewart

You know what? I never actually took the time to make a clip. I tell you what, tomorrow is my day off. I'll go ahead and do that. I need to take some more pics of the progress I've made with the restomod. Since the weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow, I'll go ahead and do that.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Don't forget cubic inches. There's no way to make an LS1 sound like my 428 Pontiac.

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

my car sounds deeper and more rumble with the ls1 than my old 350 (same exhaust)...I was very suprised

1: y pipe setups sound like poo to me so get duals
2: muffler choice
3: for extra "low rumble" dump the exhaust down (this will cause dust and crap to be blown up around the car though which I don't like) so I ran mine out back

type of muffler is the biggest things, some flowmasters make old engines sound just as high pitch and raspy as lots of fbody ls1 setups

Daryn

iTrader: (19)

true dual with a h pipe and borla XR1's and nice turndowns make a car sound sweet

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

And not many TD setups on these cars to listen because of undercarriage design. I think FO is the next culprit though it makes for a smoother idling car,A Mustang GT and F-body share the same firing order but no comparison in sound cause the GT has TD's

Dan Stewart

LS1 Firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Mustang 4.6 firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
GM Gen 1 Small block firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Ford Gen 1 302 firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

mrburnout81

iTrader: (8)

+1
Have you heard the saying, No Replacement For Displacement?? Hands down that is your answer. listen to the nhra pro stocks cars, thats almost 500 cubic inches, then listen to the ihra pro stock cars, somewhere around 700-800 cubic inches. Those motors have a sound like nothing else.

406malibu

cam doesnt change firing order at all. cam changes the duration and time which intake and exhaust ports open. If you want to change firing order, you need to change the crank, it determines when the pistons go up and in what order. Also you'd have to change to a different cam made for that firing order, and you'd have to change when each spark plug fires. To change firing order is extremely impractical.

Dan Stewart

Actually, there are cams out there specifically for changing firing order.

Lunati and Crane make 4/7 swap cams.

You do not have to change the crank as the phasing of piston strokes remain the same.

As for the spark plugs, all you have to do is swap the wire from one plug over to the other and vice versa.

And if you are doing it on a port injection FI setup, you just swap wires from the two injectors.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

This is about the dumbest post I've seen you uh post.
Do some thinking and get back with us. The cam does change the firing order. Of course you need to also swap the plug wires to match the new firing order.

1994Z28Lt1

iTrader: (1)

the only problem with comparing firing orders between ford and chevy is that ford numbers their cylinders differently when compared with chevy and dodge

lets pretend that ford numbered their cylinders the same as chevy then their firing orders would be

4.6: 2-6-5-4-3-1-8-7
302: 2-1-8-4-3-6-5-7

im not sure where the myth originated that the 4.6 and the ls1 had the same firing order but they most certainly do not. im not saying you said that their firing orders were the same but i saw it a few posts up and felt the need to break that myth

teke184

iTrader: (5)

true duals on an LS1 makes them sound VERY NICE.

better than any catback setup.

its a start

406malibu

wow... so I was actually wrong. Next time i'll do a bit more research

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

I'm just saying.
You seem to post some knowledgeable stuff, but I don't know about this one.
They make 5/7 cam swaps for gen 1's and older big blocks. Just slide in the cam and put the plug wires in the new spots and run.

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

I stand corrected..........I thought I read about this on Reher-Morrisons website or some other engine builders site

Thanks for the info