beanx

iTrader: (1)

I bought a hooker aero chamber muffler from summit. Took the muffler to a local exhaust shot had him weld and bend me a full exhaust system from the cat's all the way back usuing the stock tips and spent a total of 150bucks. My buddy has a flowmaster catback on his Z28 3inch just like mine and my car by far is atleast 2xlouder that is just sitting in park revving. When your actually driving and hit WOT this hooker opens up and ROARS id bet its atleast 4-6x louder than my buddys flowmaster. I dont have headers and i am still running my cats ( all about to change here very soon though) Here is a sound clip of my car right after it was done in my driveway revving, the muffler has since broken in and is about 2x louder now. Car as it sits right now is completly stock other than an airlid, smooth bellows, tune and the exhaust.
http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/f...t=MOV01538.flv

all in all
loudness: hooker > flowmaster
tone: hooker > flowmaster
flow: hooker > flowmaster
price: hooker > flowmaster

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

But those bends are probly compression bends and not mendrel(spelling) Why would it be louder then the catback version? Is it a crossflow muffler are just a different aerochamber welded up to some pipes? I dont trust Cole Muffler, or most other franchise muffler shops, they just deal with probly crappy stock cars rusted out around my area.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

That is strange ... a friend swapped Hooker and Flowmaster on his car and the Hooker was MUCH quieter.

beanx

iTrader: (1)

no its all mandrel bent 3". Its just the hooker aerochamber muffler from summit, i think it runs like 85bucks. 3" single inlet 3"dual outlet.

skewba98z28

iTrader: (14)

Hooker hands down!

beanx

iTrader: (1)

you really cant beat a hooker, its quiet when you want it to be and loud as ***** when you want it to be. Plus IMO flowmaster sounds like complete *** on anything but a ford.

Z ROADSTER

x2

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

Well i guess it depends what sound you like, I beleave rasp is when you let off the gas and the exhaust sounds like almost backfiring. Now Those videos i posted showed the best flowing catbacks are a bit raspy. I dont know i guess it just reminds me a little of rice burners, now I do like the way all of those sound until people shift cars and let off the gas, i dunno. this is just my opinion, i do like the hooker sound a little but its too quiet. Seems like the people who have the flowmasters are happy with them and dont care about the loss in power over the free'er flowing catbacks. Im starting to lean again towards flowmaster, inless there is another catback people have sounds of which is better then flowmaster but doesnt Rasp. Remember i dont want to get pulled over by cops and i would like to be able to have a conversation in the car with people.( does flowmaster get in the way of that?)

rocksws6

iTrader: (4)

I have never seen such a one sided poll before 90% to 10% and I'm guessing you voted Flowmaster OP?

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

Its amazing i dont no if i should of put this in the LS1 Newbie spot of the forums because when i posted about muffler or whole catback people seemed to like flowmaster a lil more over there. this isnt that easy of a decision for me i take forever to make up my mind good thing theres awhile til spring. Can you really feel the difference with a Hooker catback over stock? Anyone dyno this? thanks.

02 z/28

iTrader: (19)

hooker for the win.

rocksws6

iTrader: (4)

That's because they're new and they don't know any better. In all seriousness it probably doesn't add up to a big loss going with a flowmaster but that the fact that it makes less (no matter how minute) and costs about the same as the rest of them rules it out of most people's book. But do what you want man don't let anybody talk you out of it. I just wanted you to know that it does make less than most others. Not much but if you got smooth bellows it sounds like your after all you can get anyways.

85firebird

i think this sounds the best i love flowmaster but i'm about there single chamber, this sounds almost like a mustang but better!, if it has some LT's it would sound even better! i can't tell if its true duals or how it was setup thought i'd like to find out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w_1f...eature=related

rocksws6

iTrader: (4)

He said it was a y-pipe setup so it likely y's into one and then has one single chamber Flow in the I-pipe and then y's back out into dual tips.

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

That sound good, now would those 1 chamber flowmaster mufflers flow good?

jrfango8

^ hahaha, i have a slowmaster catback on my 2000 m6, no idea what model or year, came with the vehicle, built dart heads, mild cam, roller rockers, slp longtubes, slp high flows, 3" to the back, hardened pushrods, expensive knn intake, and a good tuning. sounds mean and is progressivly louder as it rolls above 2000 revvs. but ive had 6 tickets since october, i just cant help it. i should have alot moor over the years, but my car is alot faster than, impalas, chargers, and vics. and ive also been pulled over 3 times this year while i was driving casually at the speed limit, all at night. each time i got a warning and was told not to be so loud while driving. **** i was in 4th at 40, or 3rd at 35 every time, i hate cops
but thanks to the county i live in now, no emissions, im takin the whole exhaust off, building it moor, and its gonna be wild, only after i get my honda or whatever i can find for CHEAP.

Rob Hood

I've run FM mufflers for 20 years. I haven't seen a definitive performance test showing the FM mufflers being inferior to another brand. The tests I've seen had too many variables, and ideally the only thing that should be changed is the muffler on one test car and run in back-to-back dyno comparisons.

A 5 rwhp difference can be made up in chassis adjustment (usually tire pressures) or by simple driving skill, if quarter-mile times are of concern. Five rwhp is also what an SLP y-pipe is worth performance-wise.

Now, interior db is something to consider. Go to radio shack and get a db meter and compare interior noise levels before and after you swap mufflers/exhaust systems. FMs are known for their "drone" and that would be my only complaint. But the times I've tried a different brand (Midas' Ravin brand) I could immediately feel the loss in power (it was significant) and the increase in backpressure, so I went back to the FM. I have not tried the Hooker muffler but was considering it due to many people stating it was quieter when cruising. I just haven't seen a performance comparison showing which muffler made more HP. I'm considering a muffler change on my truck because the drone has become unbearable, but I don't want to lose any power like I did the last time.

85firebird

yes single chamber flow masters are more of a race muffler but they sounds awesome! they flow very well, many people use them in true dual setups and have it dumped at the axle and it sounds like a 5.0 with dumps but better! its one of my favorite so far

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

What he said is the bottom line to this whole discussion. Most of us would never run a FM because we won't knowingly buy something that's going to give us less hp than a compararable equivalent. But it's not going to make a huge difference. If the main thing you're after is the sound, and you like the FM, go for it.

I think there's a significant chance you'll find the Hooker too quiet. I had one on my car for a while and that was my reaction - and that of my wife and friends. So I ended up re-installing my GMMG and solving my rasp problems with it.

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

I have a feeling i will go with the hooker, maybe if i get a girlfriend it wont bother her cuz it wont be too loud, so i can took to her and ****, plus flows good.