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How do I make my small block sound cool?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by wayfarer, Feb 21, 2007.

  1. wayfarer
    Joined: Oct 17, 2003
    Posts: 1,790

    wayfarer
    Member

    I have the cheap GM crate motor in my truck. It has an edelbrock performer intake and carb on it and factory HEI. Is there a way to make it sound cooler through adjusting the timing, or would I have to swich the cam? I know I can do it somewhat with exhaust but was just looking for some tuning tips from the experts.
     
  2. pitman
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,148

    pitman

    A 340hp or 365hp GM cam for the 327ci will improve the sound, as will compression.
     
  3. upzndownz
    Joined: May 26, 2006
    Posts: 297

    upzndownz
    Member

    geet about 10thousand dollars of speed equipment and not only will it sound cool it will be cool
     
  4. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,479

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    My bone stock 305 in a '91 Caprice has no cat, 2 1/2 inch single exhaust and a two chamber Flowmaster. Sounds tuff.
     

  5. twofosho
    Joined: Nov 10, 2005
    Posts: 1,153

    twofosho
    Member

    Put a flat motor in it!
     
  6. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    changing the timing to make it sound like a harley will make it run like shit, like a harley. higher lift, short duration cam and 2 1/2" exhaust, flowmasters with no crossover and it will have lumpy idle, if that is what you're after. but compression ratio, stall converter and proper gears will be required for it to run as good as it sounds. you don't want to sound like a race car and get spanked by a civic, do ya?
     
  7. bwiencek
    Joined: Aug 30, 2005
    Posts: 325

    bwiencek
    Member

    Depends on what you are meaning by "sound cooler" - Lopey idle? Louder? Exhaust popping? Chest pounding thumpy idle?
     
  8. SinisterCustom
    Joined: Feb 18, 2004
    Posts: 8,277

    SinisterCustom
    Member

    The 3 C's....
    Cam
    Carb
    Compression
    A big cam, with lots of compression and a nice carb will sound tuff.....even with crap mufflers.....
     
  9. revkev6
    Joined: Jun 13, 2006
    Posts: 3,352

    revkev6
    Member
    from ma

    easiest way to make a smallblock chevy sound cool is to take it out of the car and replace it with a flathead ;)
     
  10. Gear drive and a GMC blower.
     
  11. raffman
    Joined: Sep 28, 2005
    Posts: 658

    raffman
    Member

    Other than a lopey idle those low compression small blocks sound good with a H pipe with no mufflers but tail pipes all the way to the rear of the truck. If that blats too much for ya put a small resonator at the end.
     
  12. 53dodgekustom
    Joined: Jun 18, 2006
    Posts: 880

    53dodgekustom
    Member


    Ha. Ha. I like the comment on the Harley's.
     
  13. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    The cheapest way is to put an 1965 L79 327/350 hydraulic cam in it. I think several cam companys make a clone of this grind. They sound good, run good and are very streetable. Oh yeah cheap too.

    H pipes tend to quiet the uneven pulses from the exhaust. Good for low end but not for sounds.
     
  14. RacerRick
    Joined: May 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,756

    RacerRick
    Member

    Replace the muffs with Purple Hornies! It will sounds like a race car.

    For a more mellow sound, smittys or long cherry bombs.
     
  15. Machobuck
    Joined: Aug 1, 2006
    Posts: 221

    Machobuck
    Member

    poke holes in your muffler :)

    Your question is pretty vague, "cool" can mean anything
     
  16. jchav62
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,932

    jchav62
    Member

    Drive it....They sound pretty cool when you drive em....
     
  17. rsg2506
    Joined: Mar 6, 2005
    Posts: 360

    rsg2506
    Member

    and go slower.....:D
     
  18. SinisterCustom
    Joined: Feb 18, 2004
    Posts: 8,277

    SinisterCustom
    Member

    Whatever you do.....DO NOT just go throwing a bigger cam in it. You may just bend all the pushrods.....or worse, break pistons and valves....
     
  19. revkev6
    Joined: Jun 13, 2006
    Posts: 3,352

    revkev6
    Member
    from ma

    more girls get to see you that way:cool:
     
  20. wayfarer
    Joined: Oct 17, 2003
    Posts: 1,790

    wayfarer
    Member

    I just wanted more of a lopey sound, it doesn't need a flatmotor, it's an old chevy pickup and my wife wouldn't like girls looking at me anyway. I was just looking for some exhaust and timing suggestions. It's just a daily driver parts hauler, but I still want it to be cool.
     
  21. MikeRose
    Joined: Oct 7, 2004
    Posts: 1,583

    MikeRose
    Member
    from Yuma, AZ

    Probably cant get a real lopey sound with that cam. Some good mufflers on dual exhaust and headers would improve it though.

    We put some of Hooker's mufflers and 4 into 1 headers on my brothers 305 with stock cam, and it sounded ok.
     
  22. ...here's a trick no one has mentioned....a friend of mine loosened up the intake manifold, slid some thin peices of stanless sheetmetal in to cover the ports that supply heat to the base of your carb,...the truck had dual glasspacks and full tailpipes. You wouldn't believe the difference in the rap on those pipes. Only problem is it doesn't warm up as quickly cuz no heat is getting to carb when engine is cold to help the fuel atomize.
    Anybody ever heard of this before?
     
  23. kwiksilver
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 279

    kwiksilver
    Member

    richen up the Idle and cut the tail pipes just behind the muffler. It will sound best when its cold. messing with the timing will make it run like crap. Or put some stacks on it with flappers. thatl sound cooler than the exhaust going through it. ting ta ting ting. sweeet
     
  24. MikeRose
    Joined: Oct 7, 2004
    Posts: 1,583

    MikeRose
    Member
    from Yuma, AZ

    Everyone seems to be against adjusting the timing... as far as sound goes, it wont change much, but you can really improve performance by getting your timing right. Dial back timing lights are nice.

    Adjusting your idle so its as low as it can be without dieing while in stopped and in gear, will get the sound a little cooler, and save on gas.
     
  25. Wesley
    Joined: Aug 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,670

    Wesley
    Member

    I have blocked off the crossover on the intake many times, never as the only change so I couldnt speak to the difference on sound. General rule of thumb on exhaust note. small pipes will have more of a raspy sound, large pipes will have more of a deep mellow sound. Muffler placement has alot to do with sound. Think about the difference between a Z28 camaro and a vette. Essentially the same engine, completely different sound if the same muffler is used. I tend to like large pipes with the muffler as far away from the engine as practical with short tail pipes, nice low rumble at idle and cruising speeds, big throaty sound when on the gas. Dont listen to me though, there are way too many court documents and medical professionals that say I am nuts.
     
  26. Rande
    Joined: Oct 16, 2004
    Posts: 349

    Rande
    Member

    Lots of comptession, lots of cam, big exhuast with glasspacks, avoid Flowmasters like the plague (unless you like the sound of empty garbage cans).
     
  27. Mozes
    Joined: Nov 16, 2006
    Posts: 155

    Mozes
    Member

    Have Sex With It, A Satisfied Motor Always Sounds Better, Or Put On Some Cherry Bombs Or Smithy's. Cheap Satisfaction, Like Malt Liquer.
     
  28. beetlejuice55
    Joined: Feb 18, 2007
    Posts: 738

    beetlejuice55
    Member

    there's nothing you can do to get lope, without putting a bigger cam in it. if you're gonna do that, you might as well go through the whole motor and put stuff in it that will live with a bigger cam. valve springs, roller rockers, higher compression pistons, a better intake, bigger carb, long tube headers, better ignition, a stall converter, and a set of gears in the rearend. there's alot involved to get cam lope the right way.
     
  29. Blair
    Joined: Jul 28, 2005
    Posts: 361

    Blair
    Member
    from xx

    I have a set of flowmasters that I am very happy with, but they are the 3 chamber type that are also larger than normal. They are the quietest flowmaster made for individual mufflers (not one muffler with two inlets/outlets). I personally think that a stock engine with loud exhaust sounds like shit, and screams look at me i'm a big fucking idiot. If I wanted that I would have bought a 74 nova with a stock 350/350 and some turbo mufflers from kragens that bolted right on the headers for the "look" and "sound" of a real race car. But instead I like cool cars with real engines that actually go fast.

    Buy a cam/lifters/springs and put a decent (still fairly quiet) exhaust on it and anyone who really knows will think it is cool.
     
  30. 51Gringo
    Joined: Jul 22, 2006
    Posts: 652

    51Gringo
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    This is so simple, yet it's getting complicated....
    2"straight pipes..straight back, no nothing, bithchin' sound.
     

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