What is the most popular exhaust that is used on the 4.2 V6? I'm looking for something that has a clean sound.

 

it was Yed off after the convertors with three chamber flowmasters and 18 inch tips straight out the back but when they got on it the truck kinda sounded like a rice car

 

i have a gibson dual exhaust that shoots out the back, has a clean sound, and improved high end, but with a reduced low end

on the v6 forums most of the guys and girls there use a flowmaster series 40 single inlet dual outlet muffler, with a custom bent pipes!!


moose

 

A muffler specialist (from the Ford Truck World) that has been in the business for quite some time recommends the following for the 4.2L engine.

to maintain your your low end torque, use:

2.25" piping for duals and true dual exhaust systems

2.50" for single systems


No dyno numbers, just experience.

Hope this helps.

-Mike

 

The size of the pipe used is very important. If you open up the exhaust too much, you lose low end power.

Most V-6 owners do seem to use the Flowmaster muffler. I hear that Borla sounds and performs very well on the V-6 also though.

I went with a SI/DO Dynomax SuperTurbo muffler. The muffler itself is fairly large at 24"x12"x6". The pipes are 2.25" and the tips are 12"x3.5". I found a definite increase in power. The simplest way to describe it is that the truck feels lighter. As though it doesn't have to work as hard to accelerate.

Dynomax SuperTurbo wav

This is a fairly accurate real world representation of how the system actually sounds. It was recoded in my garage using a studio quality microphone, placed about 3' back, between the 2 pipes. The exhaust sounds very rich at idle and at light throttle, then really opens up when you accelerate hard. The revs in the wav are only up to 3,000RPMs.

You may need to right-click and "Save Target As..." to download.

 

Just my own personal opinion here, so nobody get mad at me: I've heard the original 40 series Flowmaster and a Magnaflow (not sure which one) on the 4.2L. I really don't think it sounds good. If you've ever heard a V6 with a broken air pipe, that is very similar to what it sounds like to me, just not quite as loud.

On a different note, I just listened to AJRagno's dynomax and I think that actually sounds great. A much more aggressive tone, similar to a small V8. If I ever upgrade my stock exhaust, I think I'd go with something like this.

 

I used a Magnaflow 7-inch round XL truck muffler that was about 33-inches long, with 2 1/2 inlet and outlet. About $75 with shipping and installed myself. This allowed me to just cut out the stock muffler and install this in it's place, kept the stock stainless steel pipes. I like the way it sounds, kind of low and deep, but not very loud. I had all so done the homemade intake with a S&B filter at the same time so I can't say what anyone thing accomplished alone. Together they have shown a .5 mpg increase in two tanks of gas and I do feel that it picked up a few hp, maybe 10 all together. Glenn Taylor.

 

Hey, I just installed a Dynaflow catback system on my 2000 F150 w/4.2L engine. It has a Dynaflow turbo muffler and sounds pretty good, but still sounds six-cylinderish. However, there is a noticable increase in horsepower and about a 1 1/2 MPG increase in gas. Have fun!

Stephen

 

I have the Ravin' Exhaust on my truck a Z-33 with SI/DO and it sounds really well. I'm not sure about performance, but it has a unique sound so that all my friends and family can reconize my truck by the sound

 

I have the 4.2L and I took the hack saw to my original muffler and replaced it with a single Cherry Bomb glasspack ($20) then I reinstalled the stock tailpipe. I did this originally to find out if I like the sound without too much invested. It has been on my truck 2 years and I love it. Nice sound most people don't even know I have the v6 and not very much highway drone - you do hear it but it isn't loud and the best part only $25.

 

Do you have any sound clips or pictures of this?? I'm planning on doing the same thing with the Cherry Bomb on my 2002. Some people have said that the glass packs can sound like a boat, what does your truck sound like?

 

I like the wav file AJ, sounds really good. I just recently posted about my bad experience on the magnaflow. I dove it one mile and put a 24 inch Cherry Bomb on it for 14.99 from auto-zone, it sounds a lot better and even rapps off a little bit, maybe will get better with age. I used the slock tailpipe and added a short piece. this was the ebay name of the magnaflow that i didnot like ...MagnaFlow Muffler 4" x 9" 18" Body 2-1/2" O/O 11266.

MArk and Godspeed to you.