Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

Collapse
X
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

    Here's our first Sound Test videos. Was waiting on the new Sony HD video camera to arrive - it just got here a couple of hours ago. These two are the baseline sound tests with the 3" Flowmaster Series 50 I've had on my M3 for a few years. It tested louder than I thought at both WOT and 40 mph steady speed.
    • Sound Meter was Radio Shack 330-2055 set at 90-110 dB range, tripod mounted, perpendictular to road, approx 10' from car driving by (maybe closer than SCCA tests?)
    • Video camera is Sony HDR-CX110 at 1080P
    • Car is a 1997 BMW E36 M3 with custom 3" exhaust and a cold-air intake


    Sound Test 1
    - 1997 E36 M3, Flowmaster Series 50 Muffler, 3" in/out. Test was done Wide Open Throttle in 1st-3rd gears with a max sound reading of 103 dB.


    Sound Test 2
    - 1997 E36 M3, Flowmaster Series 50 Muffler, 3" in/out. Test was done at constant cruising in 5th gear @ 40 mph with a max sound reading of 90 dB

    This weekend I'm finally cutting off this old muffler and adding a new Flowmaster Hushpower 3" muffler, to try to quiet down the car. We'll do another sound test after that is on.

    Does anyone know how close you're supposed to put the sound meter for testing? I'm sure that has a massive affect on the sound test.
    Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
    2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
    EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

  • #2
    Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

    Our E36 M3 (our old STU autocross car, that Amy still uses for daily driving and HPDE use, so it needs to meet sound regs at certain tracks) has a 3" Flowmaster Series 50 muffler that has seen better days. Its been on the car for a few years now and it has a helluva drone, which has progressively gotten worse over the years. Most racers like the sound it makes, but its a bit much for daily driving, to me.


    Dual 3" into a single 3" system, made with mandrel bent tubing spliced together



    We just noticed that my weld-on mount pulled free on one side and it has a big hole in the case, so its going to come off and get replaced. Since its a rusty, holed mess it will likely go on our $2010 E30 V8.



    We just ordered a Hushpower 3" muffler similar to the one shown above ($179; they were out of the one with the integral turndown, so we'll add our own), and it should arrive tomorrow. Before we slap it on I'll go borrow/buy a sound meter and do some drive-by tests at WOT (with video) to test the Flowmaster and the Hushpower dB levels. If the Hushpower is indeed quieter, I'll get another one for my DSP BMW E46 330, as its about to get a header a full 3" exhaust.
    Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
    2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
    EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

      Just some quick tech on the Hushpower 3"...



      That weight is better than I thought it would be, and compares to the 4" in/out Flowmaster Series 10/race muffler. Its no 3 pound Burns race muffler, but it might actually muffle some exhaust sound, so its potentially worth the 10 pound hit.

      I'll post up more when its welded on and sound tested.
      Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
      2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
      EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

        The Hushpower muffler went on fairly easily...





        This new muffler made a good improvement in sound reduction. Knocked a solid 5 dB off the WOT Sound Test (Test 3) and 4 dB off the 40 mph constant speed test (Test 4):


        Sound Test 3 - WOT 1st-3rd gears = 98 dB



        Sound Test 4 - 40 mph = 86 dB


        It sounds good, too. I'm using these on everything that has to meet sound regs from now on.

        That is all.
        Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
        2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
        EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

          The car sounds really good with the Hushpower Pro on it. My '99 M Coupe has Hushpower (prototype) dbx mufflers on it, and it's at least somewhat louder.
          Typically, a race track will measure from either 50' or (sometimes) 100'. They'll try to test in an open area with no stands, buildings, walls, trees, etc., and they'll set up where the cars are at full throttle. Track requirements may vary between 92db @ 50 feet (Laguna Seca- one of the worst) to 100+ @ 50 feet.
          A little late... My name's Jeff, and I work at Flowmaster. If I can answer any questions about our products, please post 'em up, PM me, or call our tech line. My extension there is 456. Always happy to answer questions!
          Jeff Thomas
          FLOWMASTER, Inc.
          Santa Rosa, CA

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

            Originally posted by jbt56 View Post
            The car sounds really good with the Hushpower Pro on it. My '99 M Coupe has Hushpower (prototype) dbx mufflers on it, and it's at least somewhat louder.
            Typically, a race track will measure from either 50' or (sometimes) 100'. They'll try to test in an open area with no stands, buildings, walls, trees, etc., and they'll set up where the cars are at full throttle. Track requirements may vary between 92db @ 50 feet (Laguna Seca- one of the worst) to 100+ @ 50 feet.
            A little late... My name's Jeff, and I work at Flowmaster. If I can answer any questions about our products, please post 'em up, PM me, or call our tech line. My extension there is 456. Always happy to answer questions!
            Thanks for the post Jeff. I, too, just ordered a Hushpower HP-2 muffler for my 318is. With the current Magnaflow it registered 95 db @ the last SCCA National Tour, which is right at the limit. I hope the HP-2 provides me with similar results that Fair obtained. Depending on timing and availablity, I might try to replicate his sound test.
            McCall

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

              Originally posted by jbt56 View Post
              The car sounds really good with the Hushpower Pro on it. My '99 M Coupe has Hushpower (prototype) dbx mufflers on it, and it's at least somewhat louder.
              Typically, a race track will measure from either 50' or (sometimes) 100'. They'll try to test in an open area with no stands, buildings, walls, trees, etc., and they'll set up where the cars are at full throttle. Track requirements may vary between 92db @ 50 feet (Laguna Seca- one of the worst) to 100+ @ 50 feet.
              A little late... My name's Jeff, and I work at Flowmaster. If I can answer any questions about our products, please post 'em up, PM me, or call our tech line. My extension there is 456. Always happy to answer questions!
              Nice! Thanks for the post Jeff.



              I should have prefaced above that I figured this wasn't how the racing bodies perform their sound testing, but we didn't have an area big enough near the shop to put the sound meter that far away from the road. Our sound meter was too close to the car... it was only about 10' from the passing car, which was tested at Wide Open Throttle, and the sound meter took a 30 second sample and we just posted the highest dB, with "A" weighting set. We did it this way because of the road behind the shop and so we can perform before and after testing using the same format.



              We do autocross and track our cars locally and Nationally and I'll test our sound numbers vs the SCCA and NASA readings on the same cars. You work at Flowmaster, eh? Very cool! I've been using Flowmaster mufflers almost exclusively for I guess since about 1988? Over two decades. Every time I've tried another brand of muffler its been a disappointment - I keep going back to Flowmaster. Series 10, Series 40, Series 50... and now the Hushpower. A great variety of kick ass exhaust mufflers!
              Last edited by Fair!; 07-16-2010, 11:20 AM.
              Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
              2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
              EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

                Originally posted by McCall View Post
                Thanks for the post Jeff. I, too, just ordered a Hushpower HP-2 muffler for my 318is. With the current Magnaflow it registered 95 db @ the last SCCA National Tour, which is right at the limit. I hope the HP-2 provides me with similar results that Fair obtained. Depending on timing and availablity, I might try to replicate his sound test.
                You should drive the E30 over here before you swap mufflers... we will do the same before and after tests on the same road with the same sound meter. Costas has my new Sony 1080P vidcam for use in his GT1 car this weekend, but the iPhone4 does some pretty nice video (720P), I must say.
                Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
                2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
                EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

                  10 feet from the car is pretty darn close! At that distance, you're probably even picking up tire noise in addition to the exhaust sound. It sounds like you have a good test location, though; like dynos, repeatability is the key. That's the only way to be sure something has an effect.
                  Working here is fun. I've been here just over 10 years, now, and I'm still learning the ins-and-outs of exhaust.
                  For some of the BMW engines, 2 mufflers inline may be required, depending on the individual engine and sound requirements. We did an exhaust on a 2002tii, which is basically a track-day car, but is driven to and from. He wanted it more civilized, so we put two Hushpowers on it, which brought it down to the high 80s in db, with no less power than he had at 95-98db. We work with Bill Watson at Road Rockets (at Infineon) on various projects, and are looking at putting mufflers (possibly) on the #58 CSL car.
                  Jeff Thomas
                  FLOWMASTER, Inc.
                  Santa Rosa, CA

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

                    Jeff - the M Coupe looks good! Love those little cars.

                    McCall is coming by Thursday so we'll test sound on it again before he pulls the old exhaust (some Walker muffler I had put on there years ago) and he has the Hushpower installed.
                    Terry Fair - www.vorshlag.com
                    2018 GT / S550 Dev + 2013 FR-S / 86 Dev + 2011 GT / S197 Dev + C4 Corvette Dev
                    EVO X Dev + 2007 Z06 / C6 Dev + BMW E46 Dev + C5 Corvette Dev

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

                      Thanks! I've loved these little 'Gremlins' (as my dad calls it!) since they came out. A few years ago, I had an E36 M3 sedan, which was my first BMW. This one I picked up almost 3 years ago, now. Still completely stock except for the exhaust, but these really don't need much extra, for street driving.

                      I'm curious as to the before/after on the E30. Should be interesting!
                      Jeff Thomas
                      FLOWMASTER, Inc.
                      Santa Rosa, CA

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Sound Testing performed @ Vorshlag

                        Hey Terry -

                        I'm ordering a Hushpower 13016100 today for my STX RX-8, to quiet it down after I added the hi-flow cat this past weekend. With the new cat and the current 6+ year-old custom Borla single exhaust it sounds great for racing, but it's a little too loud for my tastes on the street. Since I still drive the car daily, I need something a little quieter.

                        Anyone have any recommendations on a local shop to fab up the rest of the exhaust? Preferably someone who has stock mandrel bent 3" pipe or a bender. I'd like to get it done this coming weekend. Thanks for any advice!
                        Iain

                        '01 Honda S2000 - extra crispy
                        '05 Honda CR-V EX AWD - alphabet soup family truckster
                        Always looking for a co-drive...

                        "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X