Seeking Exhaust opinions

My engine is a bored out, weber with a peco exhaust - complete.

Originally, I had a canon header and the rest was peco. Was pretty happy with it but it was a little loud at 3000 rpm for me (getting older now :) )

Recently, I replaced the canon with a peco header (the peco is a great piece of hardware and worth the price). Anyway, the sound changed a whole pile. Startup/idle sounds different and louder on the highway. Groan! Summary, I am not happy with the tone - sounds hollow and louder.

So, I am seaking opinions about what to do. I want to avoid as much buy and try as I can but I know this is all very subjective and am expecting the worse. BTW, performance is not a big issue as long as it doesn't go completely to hell.

I am also expecting or thinking that I'll have to downsize the pipe at the muffler as the peco is 2" I think.

Thank you all. Isn't it great to have such a great forum?

-Ernie

P.S. I am also wondering if the muffler is damaged. Its not that old (2 years maybe at the most). The reason I say this is that I used to have heat wrap on the exahust and am wondering it it got over heated.

Depending on what else you've done to the engine, the header might not be doing much at all. Have you thought about going back to the stock exhaust manifold? Basil

Older, you say? As in real adult?

Not absolutely consumed by the last ounce of high rev performance, you say?

IMHO the most bang for the buck is a clean shot without a center muffler to a standard ( good quality ) rear muffler.

Make sure that the tip of the tail pipe is even with or slightly beyond the rear bumper. That reduces certain resonance and makes things sound good to the rest of the world while keeping what is left of your hearing intact.

Header? You could still use it if you like but it will just add to the "tinny" sounds coming from the front of the car. The OEM iron manifold is quiet and flows very well for normal and "normally above normal" road work.

Jack

Thank you... Can't go back to stock with a Weber - and wouldn't want to. Jack... there is really no noise at all from the front. The sound is like a slightly over powered VW :) When you said good quality standard muffler... what did you have in mind or have experience with? I really dont want the resonator either - if I don't have to.

By going back to the stock iron manifold, Basil was referring to the ones used with SUs, pre rubber bumper. These are much quieter than a header.