ArmoE55

When my car was bone stock, it was TOO quiet. I swapped with Mike's H pipe and deleted the resonator. For about two weeks, car was mean and nasty.

Maybe it's in my head or the sound deadening in these cars is just extremely well done, but I noticed the last two times that the car seems a bit more tame on accelerations than before.

Would the 85+ summer days have anything to do with this? Anything else that could cause the car to seem "quieter"? I thought it was in my head, but it definitely feels significantly more quiet.
Startups are still awesome, but once warmed up in this heat, car seems substantially more quiet - don't get me wrong, still loud, but not like before.


(PS: This is not an attempt for me to justify getting long tubes...yet honest )

chrisridebike8

Nah I've thought that about all my cars. I just figured it was the seals all expanding more in the heat and sealing things off more. Plus I figured the rubber on the tires was harder in the winter and made more noise. I have no data to confirm this though. It would be interesting to measure sound levels during different times of the year

ZephyrAMG

It's disgusting. Each time I start the car in the morning this summer it sounded like the car had been driven for hours before. When I lived in colder whether, the cold start was absolutely amazing.

The car sounds like a regular C class right now....

ArmoE55

^ Thanks, Chris.

Zephr - Not sure if you're serious haha. But that's exactly what I mean ... am I going crazy?!?!

chrisridebike8

No zeph is serious. I miss winter cold starts too! Although now with headers I feel like "that guy" and start the car with the garage door shut until the initial lightoff is done.

ZephyrAMG

No I'm serious. It's not thrilling from a car that is so fun to drive and own. This summer has been hot and my garage is sweltering. The car just bakes...

ZephyrAMG

Without headers I used to have SUCH a wicked cold start in Chicago winters it was magnificent! Waking up neighbors, my girlfriend sleeping upstairs....lol

A part of me likes the car loud just for me and cold starts, and a part likes the car being so tolerable around small downtowns that are fun through walk through or going out to dinner in it and not having this ***** "look at me everyone" presence...

That's why I have been hesitant to get headers. The car is just all around perfect...

ArmoE55

Word for word, my issue and dilemma with the car's current state, loudness, and just about everything else you stated!

If I add headers with the current setup, I can forget starting any time before 9 a.m., weekdays nor weekends!

ZephyrAMG

Agree! ^^^

worldofcars

headers don't make the car that loud ..just add an x-pipe or something so it doesn't sound like old man coughing

hachiroku

in the summer i feel as though all my cars with exhausts become quieter...maybe has to do with temperature and steel expansion? who knows...a question for the heavens maybe.

wintertime, loud!

roadkillrob

We need a tune that turns on cold start at any temp!

realjones88

Pretty much every car is going to be loud on a super cold start and this has to due with warming the cats up. I couldn't find a perfect answer, but here's an ok one that sounds reasonable:

"The ignition timing is retarded for a short time after startup. This is done to get the cats up to temp much sooner as the OEM's must have the car in closed loop and running clean in a specified amount of time to meet emissions standards."

As for the exhaust being quieter on hot days, I think it has to do with the expansion of the exhaust and for start ups the cats are already hot.

chrisridebike8

You're joking right? I have ARH LTHs and a catless x-pipe. My car has literally knocked a picture off the wall in my house on cold start. Headers make the car LOUD. Like nascar loud. Unless you have an Akrapovic exhaust, don't believe for one second your car will be remotely quiet. Don't get me wrong. I love it. But it's definitely loud. At the same time I understand it's not for everyone and is not necessarily socially acceptable, especially with my neighbors and all their newborns.

betrezra

I've thought about this variation in ex note as well.... Ive wondered if there is an effect on exhaust flow and sound from ambient temperature.

I am Jeff

Really? I must be the only one who thinks my setup is too quiet. A lot of it is the heat/humidity, but some of the "quietness" is due to our ears getting used to the sound.

talkinghamster

+1 my headers are crazy loud on start ups. Legit sounds like a NASCAR. it makes people jump and even hurts my ears sometimes. Especially if a window is open on a cold start in the garage.

that being said i absolute love the sound of the car with headers and wouldnt have it any other way!!

chrisridebike8

I would definitely agree with becoming acclimated to the sound. The first 2 weeks I was so sad. My gas mileage went up 3 mpg. I tried to stay off the gas. It was just so loud for me. I just felt like "that guy" any time I touched the throttle. I thought I ruined the car. 2 months later, I am back to myself and driving harder than ever. I love the theater of the headers now. I just wish there was a little less rasp between 2,500-3,000 rpm.

hachiroku

the sound of a symphony under your right foot...YES MOAR

ArmoE55

Thanks, guys. At least now I verified I'm not going crazy.

Also, I was referring to driving around as well, not just the starts. Driving around, definitely seems quieter on these hot, baking days of 95+. I can't wait for the fall and the below 60 days and especially the winter months (with no snow).