3.3TT Kia Stinger Aftermarket Exhaust Information and Discussion

[StungBlueGT2]

So would the best way to install this be wrapping it before installing the exhaust or removing the tips to install it after the exhaust is installed? I wonder how hard it will be to get the ends of the exhaust into the tips with the wrap on during install? I guess the tape is soft and looks like it compresses where it needs to since the tips are an oval shape correct?

I did it while the exhaust was already on the car, but I believe ascidiic suggested dropping the exhaust first to wrap it.

It maybe best to pull the tips out, then wrap the ends of the pipes/resonators and finally put the tips & piping into each other so it secures the wrap between the two. May take a little maneuvering of each piece to fit them together properly but in theory that makes sense.

Yes the wrap material is soft so I actually wrapped a separate 2.25” pipe to form the wrap to the width of the backside of the tip(yes oval but slightly more round from the backside). Then I pushed the wrap through the front of the tips until it fit over the pipes. That didn’t seal it completely, so on the other tip I just wrapped it directly on the pipe itself until it completely filled the backside of the tip and then secured it in place. That second attempt filled the tips better and was the best I could figure out while everything was attached.

Either way it works and was well worth the effort. I’m still shocked on how well it eliminates the drone and can’t thank ascidiic enough for the easy fix!

 

[Gtecko]

@StungBlueGT2 - you would say now with couple of days of this on that you have no drone ?

 

[StungBlueGT2]

@StungBlueGT2 - you would say now with couple of days of this on that you have no drone ?

Never said completely no drone, since any aftermarket exhaust will have some. But it did eliminate most of it and I did an amateur job without the tips being completely sealed.

Now that I have experience I will do it again and make sure it fills the back of the tips altogether. I’m just trying to decide if I should go back to the straight muffler deletes, which I loved besides the drone, or remove the secondary cats(basically 2ndDPs) for about $150. Decisions, decisions...

 

[asciidic]

I still have the constant low hum cruising at 50+ in comfort/eco but it's not loud enough to be annoying. Then again I haven't taken a 7 hour drive on the interstate since I've installed the exhaust so we'll see. What I don't have is vibration, deafening humming noise and what I can only describe as ear pressure when applying load at low RPMs like when going up a hill with cruise control on.

And yes I took the mufflers off before wrapping but if you're patient and nimble you can wrap them while they're on the car. You want to pack the exhaust tips tightly so there's no gap and push the muffler clamps up against the wrap snugly to hold it in place. Make sure the muffler clamps are on there tight because one of mine lost a nut last week. My 140 lb helper tightened that one I'm sure so I replaced the muffler clamp nuts with locking nuts and hopefully won't be hearing the sound of vibrating metal from under the car again.

 

[17th_Letter]

i wonder if to cancel drone this is why Thermal has the plates at the end of the exhaust tips.

 

[MrSmoofy]

Based on what others are doing and it works I would say that's probably the exact reason for it.

 

[robz32]

i wonder if to cancel drone this is why Thermal has the plates at the end of the exhaust tips.
View attachment 27094

The plates are just for aesthetics. If they were to cancel any drone they will need to be weighted/heavier

 

[terrelltechsup]

The plates are just for aesthetics. If they were to cancel any drone they will need to be weighted/heavier

Partially disagree, The point is to stop the pressure waves from reflecting back into the muffler cavity. Those plates may not do the best job, but they will do more than having nothing there. There is a chance that the fiberglass wrap is performing double duty, both reflecting and absorbing the pressure wave and that is why it makes such a big difference. Remember that a lot of the resonator tubes are packed with fiberglass.

 

[MrSmoofy]

The plates are just for aesthetics. If they were to cancel any drone they will need to be weighted/heavier

aesthetics would mean you could see them which you can't you don't even know they are there unless you are looking for them.

 

[StungBlueGT2]

i wonder if to cancel drone this is why Thermal has the plates at the end of the exhaust tips.
View attachment 27094

Yes, creating a barrier to prevent reverberation from going back towards the cabin is why the stock exhaust has the plates too. That will stop a lot of the drone overall and the helmholtz resonators take care of the rest. The resonators only help at specific frequency ranges, but sure they are built specifically to our 1500-2500rpm problem area for drone.

 

[Andimal]

Anyone else here running SSR mid's and Thermal Catback? There is a good amount of drone. Doesn't bother me too much because I have my music turned up when it's just me, but bothers passengers. Wonder if anyone else has this issue. I'm planning on trying this tip wrap idea to see if that helps.

 

[Kamauxx]

Anyone else here running SSR mid's and Thermal Catback? There is a good amount of drone. Doesn't bother me too much because I have my music turned up when it's just me, but bothers passengers. Wonder if anyone else has this issue. I'm planning on trying this tip wrap idea to see if that helps.

I have SSR MPs and Thermal catback with zero drone.

 

[Andimal]

I have SSR MPs and Thermal catback with zero drone.

Hmmm... I wonder what the difference is? DO you have intakes? Had an some good ole' boys install all the pipes several months ago. Maybe something isn't sitting right.

 

[Jonathan]

Yes, creating a barrier to prevent reverberation from going back towards the cabin is why the stock exhaust has the plates too. That will stop a lot of the drone overall and the helmholtz resonators take care of the rest. The resonators only help at specific frequency ranges, but sure they are built specifically to our 1500-2500rpm problem area for drone.

Okay, wow. The wrap may be a little too good. I can't hear my exhaust note inside the cabin anymore.

 

[Gtecko]

I have SSR MPs and Thermal catback with zero drone.

Wrapped tips??

 

[Kamauxx]

Hmmm... I wonder what the difference is? DO you have intakes? Had an some good ole' boys install all the pipes several months ago. Maybe something isn't sitting right.

I do have intakes.

I think it's probably simply a difference in opinion of what the word "drone" means.

 

[Kamauxx]

Wrapped tips??

Negative.

 

[Andimal]

I do have intakes.

I think it's probably simply a difference in opinion of what the word "drone" means.

A low, deep, resonation inside the cabin when the car is under load through a certain RPM range. Worst at 1800-2200 for me.

 

[Kamauxx]

A low, deep, resonation inside the cabin when the car is under load through a certain RPM range. Worst at 1800-2200 for me.

For me drone is something that continues (or "drones on") while the car is at cruising RPMs. I don't think of any noises made by the exhaust while the RPMs are climbing as drone.

If I'm on level terrain with the cruise control activated and get a steady hum/vibration I have drone.

If I'm accelerating through the gears/up an incline on the highway and get some throaty feedback from the exhaust I just consider it a part of the exhaust's note.

When I reach cruising RPMs the only noises I hear are from wind, tires, and the radio. In my GTO and Camaros with dumped bullet "mufflers" I had a constant hum at any cruising RPM that made it impossible to have a normal volume conversation or listen to the radio at a civilized level.

I think this is why so many people and companies make varying claims about exhaust drone--there is no standard definition for exactly what it is.

 

[Andimal]

For me drone is something that continues (or "drones on") while the car is at cruising RPMs. I don't think of any noises made by the exhaust while the RPMs are climbing as drone.

If I'm on level terrain with the cruise control activated and get a steady hum/vibration I have drone.

I'm I'm accelerating through the gears/up an incline on the highway and get some throaty feedback from the exhaust I just consider it a part of the exhaust's note.

I think this is why so many people and companies make varying claims about exhaust drone--there is no standard definition for exactly what it is.

Never heard of the term "drone on", so I guess I don't get that part. I agree, while rpm is rising and I'm accelerating, I don't care what sound it makes. Depending on the speed I'm going on level ground will get "hum" - what I call drone.

My terrain is pretty hilly around here, even on the highway. If i'm going 75 on level ground it's pretty quiet. If i'm going downhill, it's dead quiet, if I'm going up any sort of grade, as slight as it may be, it's loud, because it's under load, even though it's in the same gear and similar RPM as the other two scenarios. If I downshift to get the RPM above 3k, it's not nearly as loud. It's just worst right at highway speeds. I'd say we prob have the same sounds coming from our vehicles, just have a different definition of drone. I have had a buddy ride with me who's a big car guy and has done several projects, he said it's definitely drone.