Mac vs. Flowmaster

[Immortal LuD]

Hey guys.

About six months ago I purchased a Mac catback to go along with my Mac o/r h-pipe. I took my Flowmasters off, and bolted the Mac right up there.

It looked great! One thing though, it didn't sound good... At all. I actually had it brought to a mechanic, we put it on a lift and tightened everything down real good as well.

So when the cold weather hit us down here a few weeks ago, starting the car up I heard rattling around in the rear... Bad rattling. It goes away after about a minute or so.

It led me to believe that either something in the muffler was bad, or I had a leak somewhere. So I got under my car the other day, just took the whole system off, and bolted my Flowmasters back up. Miraculously, the issue went away, the car instantly had more power, better feel, and is sounding MUCH better. I just don't know how to explain it!

But really, I've owned Mac on numerous Stangs, from '86, '96 V6, '95 Cobra, '03 Mach 1, and now this car...

I know Mac sounds better than Flowmaster, and it seems they always fix whatever problem the flows have had. Should I give it another chance, and bolt the Mac catback back up there, and double check everything?

I'm hoping someone who has used these two systems on their SN-95 can give me some input if the Mac should sound close to the Flowmasters like the usually do.

Any input would help guys.

 

[foxman92]

keep it off and sell it to me..:??:

but all jokes aside, i had a mac catback that did rattle, i would say.. when i first installed it, but after a week or so, it all went away.. so idk? i have flows now, and ready for a change..

 

[mystical]

That's strange, are you sure it was the exhaust that was rattling?

I run both Mac and Flows, they sound very similar.

 

[Wynn]

I had Flows, but they were rusted out. IMO Macs sound better than flows. Macs sound a little deeper, and mine don't rattle at all. Maybe there was some slag or something in it from when it was welded from the factory?

 

[HandsomeRob]

i have mac and no rattles here
Macs sound way better than flows

 

[Turbo96]

i know the black duracoated mac catback had issues with rotting out and the baffles rattling around but yours is new. shake the mufflers and see if you hear anything inside. run it with the mufflers on and tailpipes off and see if the rattle is still there. i think mac is one of the best sounding exhausts for the 4.6 cobras.

 

[whtcobra1998]

I had macs but they were 3 inch pipes and hit the floorboard before the muffler until i dented the pipes

 

[97cobraheaven]

did you put them on backards! call MAC and tell them they are defective and maybe they will send out a new set

 

[crash549]

i have mac mufflers and a bbk x. it's a little loud but no rattling and i've had the macs for two years.

 

[TuxedoCobra]

i also have a bbk o/r x with MAC catback it sounds good just really raspy but no rattling

 

[Immortal LuD]

OMG! Never got a PM for this thread... Thought nobody has responded yet! Haha.

Sooo... I definately got a newer setup from them, with the stainless steel pipes, which are just pure sexiness with rolled tips! My favorite! I don't think I've ever had an issue with their non-chrome tips.

My main thought was the way they sounded compared to the Flowmasters. And that was when I FIRST installed them a while back. I should have known, but the killer part is that my mechanic and myself, loosened everything, and tightened everything h-pipe back, to get the tips aligned correctly. It was annoying that the tips just couldn't get perfectly straight together!

Here, I gotta a pic to prove it!

So I'm thinking that it ended up being the connection that you see here...

That black smudge before the tip has GOT to be some sort of exhaust leak. Otherwise it wouldn't be nasty black, and after I took the Mac catback off, it was much worse... So maybe I'll just bolt the Mac BACK up there tomorrow.. I'm tired of my back being sore from being under my car.

So just tell me I'm crazy thinking that the Flows sound 100 times better than the Mac. :cryying: It'll definately make me put the Mac back on one more time!

Oh just for kickers...

 

[Wynn]

Okay one more time... Macs sound WAY better than flows... More deep and tough sounding!

And get some chrome Saleens on that poor Mystic!

 

[mystical]

Those tails look great from the side profile. I just wish they weren't rolled and MAC still made the one-piece tails from the muffler back.

 

[Immortal LuD]

Nah. I actually like these better than chrome Saleen's. My friend is selling them with new tires for around $500... I think they're too much work to keep clean anyway. These require Windex and a rag. :coolman:

I haven't found any Mac o/r h-pipe & Mac catback 4.6L 4V videos on YouTube or Streetfire... Tons of Mac h & Flows though! I have enough of those myself, but for some reason I never took any videos of the Mac catback, and now I'm wishing I had so I could let you guys hear how raspy and crappy they sounded... UGH.

I'm so anxious to get back under the car and swap them again, but you guys know how that is. :bash:

 

[Turbo96]

of course it will sound horrible. i didnt see that you had an h pipe. those to me are a nono on modular motor cars because they really have no tone. the best sound is a true x pipe like upr, pypes, dr.gas, etc. i have bbk and its loud and raspy and sort of mixes the sounds of an h pipe and x pipe together but if i were to do it again i'd get a better style x pipe. this is what you want [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqomJAm-uic"]YouTube- 2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Pypes/Mac Exhaust[/ame]

 

[DVJ38]

^Love how that sounds

 

[Immortal LuD]

of course it will sound horrible. i didnt see that you had an h pipe. those to me are a nono on modular motor cars because they really have no tone. the best sound is a true x pipe like upr, pypes, dr.gas, etc. i have bbk and its loud and raspy and sort of mixes the sounds of an h pipe and x pipe together but if i were to do it again i'd get a better style x pipe. this is what you want YouTube- 2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Pypes/Mac Exhaust

Are you on crack? An h-pipe have no tone on a modular? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I've already HAD a Bassani o/r x-pipe on my Cobra, with TWO different catback systems. Same goes for my '03 Mach 1, that I put an x-pipe on, to only take off for a ProChamber...

X-pipes have their pro's, but the sound is definately not one of them for me... I like the rumble and non-raspiness of the H-pipe.

My friend and I were standing around at work just a few minutes ago before we left, and he has a 40K mile '97 Cobra with long tube headers, BBK o/r x-pipe, and Mac catback. Sounds good for sure, but it's just a completely different sound.

You don't have to show me his Mach 1, I've already watched all of his videos from the beginning when I had my Mach 1... I know how they sound.

[ame=http://videos.streetfire.net/video/1996-Mystic-Cobra-1810_197918.htm]1996 Mystic Cobra #1810 - Car Videos on StreetFire[/ame]

Video if you haven't seen it... It gives you an idea of what it sounds like now... H-pipes rock. Oh, and excust my granny shifting, and low RPM shifts... I baby my cars...

 

[Wynn]

Haha you have some weird tastes, man... H pipe over X pipe... Stocker machined wheels on a Mystic instead of some kind of chrome rims (Saleen, FR500, Chrome 03s, ect)...

Just bustin your balls man. Do what YOU like, because it's YOUR car.

 

[Turbo96]

i've never heard a good toned mod motor car with an h pipe. every good sounding exhaust i have heard is courtesy of a true x pipe. and i dont know why you are saying x pipes are raspy. only the bbk/basssani stamped x are raspy. all the better designed x pipes have a nice smooth tone to them. i like x pipes because they produce different tones as the rpms increase and they make slightly better top end power. plus x pipes make it sound more like a mustang.

 

[LDC2335]

some times i miss the sound of the stock h with the flows i had.

then i drive under a bridge, tunnel, or next to some concrete barricades at high rpms and forget all about it. I love my current setup. Not obnoxious, but still means business.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VE0L4ycnEA"]YouTube- 96 cobra Borla Pro xs cat back[/ame]