I have a Magnaflow bolt-on cat-back system (15749) that uses an 18" SIDO muffler. I like the sound but am looking for it to be louder, ideally about twice as loud as it is now. I have considered swapping mufflers, but am now considering swapping the 4 stock cats for 2 high-flow converters. Would this give me noticably more sound or would it not make much of a difference? Any input is appreciated.
Brian

 

I don't know if this will help, but I had a 96 Ram that I put a high flow cat and ran straight pipes and it made the truck alot louder. The original cat was toast and after the new one was put on it really made it sound better. I don't see why a ford would be any different.

Kyle

 

Anyone done this on their 5.4 with good results? I'm having an unusually hard time getting much sound out of my 2v 5.4.

 

How loud do you want it?
top fuel dragster/ train / hearing damage loud?

 

I just want it loud enough to turn some heads. I have a friend with a 5.3 Chevy and the same muffler as me. His truck is easily twice as loud. Not obnoxious, just as loud as most other V-8 trucks with aftermarket exhaust that are on the road. The 4.6s sound good, and so do the 3V 5.4s, but the 2-valvers are left out? Just looking for some more sound is all.

 

No one has done high-flow cats on their 2v 5.4?

 

I have, but I also added two tiny Magnaflow mufflers at the same time.

It's too loud for passengers riding in the back of my Expy right now.

IMHO swapping cats just for sound isn't really the best way to go about making it louder, I'd try different mufflers.

 

The problem you're having is with the magnaflows...Get some flowmaster 40 series mufflers....that'll turn them heads..._motes

 

Yes it will become louder, but you also might want to look into a Flowmaster 40 series. My 4.6 with all 4 cats and a Flowmaster 40 series turns heads, but not enough. I'm going to put hiflows on one of these days.

 

I wish my truck sounded like a 4.6! The 2v 5.4s just don't have the sound the smalller V8 does. I've looked into swapping mufflers, but I hate to hack up my nice polished stainless system with a cheper aluminized muffler. As long as I would have a noticeable gain, the high-flow converters is something I'd like to do. If that proves too quiet still, I'll go from there...

 

I have a 2V 5.4. I have swapped out my muffler 6 different times, cut two, then four cats off, had two different sets of pipes... etc. I ran a SI/DO Magnaflow 18" just like yours without any cats. I didnt like the sound. Probably cause I dont like the Maggie sound but it wasnt all that loud. But then again, I was coming from no cats and a IMCO one chamber, now thats freakin loud!!! The two best sounds Ive heard from my or my friends' 2V 5.4 are these. 1. All cats and a 1 chamber IMCO. I loved that sound so much. 2. Hi flow cats with a FM40 dumped. This sounded so deep and defined. Loved that also.

What I suggest for you is swap the muffler either to a FM40 or an IMCO. This will be cheaper and they both sound good. I wouldnt want to spend 150 for hiflow cats+ installation and run the risk of it being too loud. But then again you are runnin an extremely quiet muffler, so, it might be just what you are lookin for

By the way, the 2V 5.4 can be extremely loud if you have the right setup.

 

Just gut your existing cats. It'll look legal and sound like a raped ape.

 

And be a stupid illegal thing to do.

 

So by your argument, o/r x, h pipes are stupid?

 

I have a flowmaster40 series on my 5.4 2v and it is still quiet it is siso and dumps out about 1ft after the muffler. everything else is stock on the truck. I got it expecting it to be as loud as my friends 5.9 dodge but his is twice as loud.