After reading a recent post and conducting a search through some old ones, I'm starting to sweat like a ***** in church. My girlfriend just ordered me a flowmaster muffler for valentine's day. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> I talked at length with a guy from flowmaster and he said that the new crossflow muffler model #53083 is larger(5" thick body) and better flowing/better sounding than the previous model #43083 (4" thick body) which was "nasty sounding" (his words). I did not know that people had that kind of power loss with the mufflers, do you think that the improvements will correct the problem? I'm going to cut my cats off, and that's where I expect to get the real power gains, but I don't want to LOSE power from my muffler. I want a good deep sound, and loud but not too loud. Should I look into a different muffler before the ordered one gets to me? I love the Flowmaster sound. Sorry for the long post.

 

Don't break her heart just act suprised and trade it for another muff if you decide you don't want it, btw it will save you alot of headache if she finds out you don't want her gift that she evidently spent her hard earned money to get you. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

I used to have the 53083 muffler on my T/A. It's not really new, it's been around since at least the summer of '00 when I bought mine. It was the muffler used in my American Thunder catback (and yes I am 100% sure that this was the part number of the muffler). I know this to be the number because I did a lot of investigating as well when I first heard about power loss issues with flowmaster crossflow mufflers.

I was unable to find anything positive about this muffler (other than the fact it sounded nice and deep), so when I went to an ORY I ditched it for a better flowing catback (SLP 2OTL). Then, I decided that 2OTL looked <img border="0" alt="[rainbow]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_rainbow.gif" /> on a T/A (two pipes just out the left side of the bumper when there is a tailpipe cut-out on both sides of a T/A bumper) so I went with Bassani. Perfect choice, IMO. Sounds great with an ORY, fits great (very solid and mounts straight), and you know it's gotta flow well cause you can see right through the muffler. Sure, it's pricy, but I was willing to pay to have (what I felt) was the best for my car/application, IMO of course. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

I would not buy a flowmaster crossflow muffler if you are looking to make more power. It will sound nice, but that's it. The race series single in/out mufflers (like 30 and 40 series) seem to flow well though...

 

She would understand, she'd just make me buy her something <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> So you say just try it out and if it sux then get something else? I suppose I could just get an electric cutout for racing, but I wanted a more permenant solution. That seems like a band-aid fix to me. Anyone have a setup like that and happy with it?

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by RPM WS6:
<strong> I used to have the 53083 muffler on my T/A. It's not really new, it's been around since at least the summer of '00 </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Bastard flowmaster guy lied to me!!!!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Thanks for the input

 

I agree with pony. Just act happy and when she leaves trade it for something else. She isn't going to crawl under the car and if she did she probably wouldn't know the difference. Good luck with whatever you do.

 

Very true <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Thanks for the input <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

 

Latest style Flow master makes great power, dont fall for this follow the sheep herd mentality.
I run Flowmaster and it sounds like a old school big block muscle car, at the track i didnt gain dropping stock y pipe, so it cant flow that bad. Go your own way and let every one else spend $1200 bucks on there"big power" exhausts. I have better uses for that extra money! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

I agree with the last comment. I have the 53083 muffler, which is new from Flowmaster. Sounds great and makes torque and power, imop.

 

I personally witnessed an automatic T/A go from 300 to 312 rwhp by simply bypassing his Flowmaster muffler with a cutout.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Vic's, 02, WS6:
<strong> I agree with the last comment. I have the 53083 muffler, which is new from Flowmaster. Sounds great and makes torque and power, imop. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry, this muffler is NOT new. Just to back up my claim I went and found the paperwork that came with my American Thunder Catback that I bought in the summer of '00 (yes I keep every record of car parts <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> ). The part number on the catback is #17199 Description is for 1998 Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird V8 engines. Here are the list of part numbers contained in the kit:

#26087 Intermediate Pipe
#53083 Muffler
#26098 Tailpipe (L)
#26097 Tailpipe (R)
#PK320 Parts kit
#MC300G 3" clamp (qty. 3)
#MC2345 2 3/4" clamp (qty. 1)

As you can see, the 53083 muffler has been around for AT LEAST 2.5 years in the 17199 American Thunder catback. I used to be a BIG fan of Flowmaster mufflers (yes they do sound great <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> ), but I've just seen too many gains from people ditching them over the years. As I said, my comments pertain to the crossflow series mufflers, as the regular single in/single out have shown over the years to actually perform great.

Here is how a Flowmaster muffler part number works:

Example part # of 5-3-0-8-3
First number = case thickness (in this case 5")
Second & third numbers = Inlet/Outlet diameter (in this case 3.0")
Fourth number = Series designation (in this case 80 series crossflow)
Fifth number = Inlet/Outlet locations (in this case, offset inlet/opposing offset outlets)

Maybe the reason that Flowmaster is marketing this as a "new" muffler is because they are now selling it as a muffler-only replacement unit instead of full catback issue only... I don't know. All I do know is, #53083 is NOT a new muffler.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Vic's, 02, WS6:
<strong> I agree with the last comment. I have the 53083 muffler, which is new from Flowmaster. Sounds great and makes torque and power, imop. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Your opinion doesn't count here. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" /> We are talking facts. Do you have the dyno sheets or time slips to back up your "opinion?"

My t/a had the Flowcrapster on it when I bought it. Junked it for a Hooker <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

Wow! Thanks for all the input, guys, especially the opposing viewpoints. <img border="0" alt="[shoot]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_guns.gif" /> After hearing all of this, I've put a lot of though into it, and I think that I am going to stick with the flowmaster, and get a cutout for when I need the extra power. I drive the car a lot, and the sound is very important to me. I think this setup will work pretty well. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />