Installed my Borla S and first impressions

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Wizo

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I got it installed today at 4wd parts along side installing my wheels.

My immediate first impressions:

1. Outside vehicle when turned on - not bad at all. At idle it sounds pretty good and mostly that grumble I was hoping for. Throaty V6 sound, a little flat but more improved from stock.
2. Reved up - you hear the turbo for sure. All the mechanics wee commenting that you can finally hear some real potential there.
To describe it I would say it sounded very dry and had some rasp to it. Still it sound good and overall you hear more truck now than anything l.
3. Quick test drive: this was where and I am still am confused. Windows up I could hear it clearly - in fact at around 2k rpm it seems to drone a little. Not the typical drone frequency but a redundant type of gurgle/ it's not quiet anymore. Started to worry what wife would think!!!
At higher rpms you don't hear it so much but when you gas it - watch out. I was hoping not to hear it at all till I jumped on it. Not the case...

It's hard now to remember the real sound vs new artificial sound. Going to take it to another Shop to get a second option. Hopefully they can clear up my issues.
 

chi_weezy

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It's just the catback correct? And what to you mean take it to another shop to clear up your issues?
 
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Wizo

Wizo

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Sorry - wrote that rant after a few scotchs and had to read it twice myself to remember where I was going with it.

Thinking that if it bothered me too much I would add a resonator to the system. That should bring down the noise a bit.

I also wanted to make sure it was on right as in the past I have had some areas that were loose on other systems and they didn't sound right until I had it all tightened.

I am going to drive it some more today and get a better feel for it. I only put 10 miles on it last night when I got home - mostly in traffic.

The tech even mentioned it takes about 100 miles for it to settle in a bit as well.
 

thump4863

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Did you turn off the fake exhaust note through Forscan? If not I'd recommend doing that before you do anything else. I haven't installed mine yet, but I've heard it makes a huge difference after putting the Borla on.
 

Guy

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Thanks for the honest review.

I think the bottom line... no matter how much you mess with the exhaust.... it's always going to have some ups and Downs over stock.

I went with the FOMOCO touring exhaust with the hope that it is literally just a dash louder and drone free. That for me would be the best compromise.

I'll let you all know soon.

Sorry - wrote that rant after a few scotchs and had to read it twice myself to remember where I was going with it.

Thinking that if it bothered me too much I would add a resonator to the system. That should bring down the noise a bit.

I also wanted to make sure it was on right as in the past I have had some areas that were loose on other systems and they didn't sound right until I had it all tightened.

I am going to drive it some more today and get a better feel for it. I only put 10 miles on it last night when I got home - mostly in traffic.

The tech even mentioned it takes about 100 miles for it to settle in a bit as well.
 
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Wizo

Wizo

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What would turning off the factory exhaust inside the truck with Forscan help me with? I would definetly look at doing this if it would help me.

Its loud. People in my office when I left said I sound like a dune buggy.
 

Guy

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That's because you DO sound like a dune buggy.

Lol... I had people running to their windows and peering out when I drove through my neighborhood with the Gibson exhaust system installed.... but that wouldn't have even been so bad if it didn't drone like a beast.

Look at how much engineering Ford put into their stock exhaust... they used heavier than normal gauge stainless steel. Why? Certainly not for cost savings... certainly not for weight savings... unlikely for longevity.... as the quality of the stainless is what determines if and how much it'll decay over time.... but for accoustic dampening. They then used a fairly complex resonator, muffler design with fairly large rubber sound dampeners welded to each side of the exhaust. I'm sure this was all done to smooth out the sound and decrease the vibration.

None of the aftermarket exhausts possess all of these engineering elements. The in-house Borla s-type and ATAK use an x pipe with a dual muffler setup.... which in truth is a small quasi-resonator/muffler combo.... they do an awesome job of making more sound and avoid most of the drone at the most common frequencies from everything I've seen, heard and read. You may pick up a little bit here and there but it probably isn't at the RPM ranges that you consistently cruise and so it isn't going to break you.

Now the FOMOCO Performance touring by Borla is Fords design and uses a passive 3 inch exhaust valve inside the resonator to make it a straight through design when you punch it, but it quiets down when you're easy on the Throttle and/or are cruising. This was their solution to get a bit more sound and a bit more power (around 12 ponies) out of the exhaust.... but this setup doesn't possess the heavier gauge steel and it doesn't have dampeners welded to it. So it's not going to be as clean of a sound.... I'm sure of it... what I'm hoping is that it is close enough to stock that it isn't annoying and I get the cool tips and the 12 horsepower out of it. I'll be happy if it's just a small notch over stock.

It's all what you like. If you want to quiet down your S-type, I would cut out the x-pipe and weld something in its place. Before you put your stock resonator back, I would talk to Borla and see if they have an in-house resonator that may be a better "tune" for the Borla exhaust.

Your best bet may be to weld in a muffler with a built in crossover and elimate the x-pipe. As much as I hate Gibson, one of their MWA mufflers would probably do the job and wouldn't introduce any new resonance or kill the performance.

Just my two cents.
 

Bombsquad68

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That's because you DO sound like a dune buggy.

Lol... I had people running to their windows and peering out when I drove through my neighborhood with the Gibson exhaust system installed.... but that wouldn't have even been so bad if it didn't drone like a beast.

Look at how much engineering Ford put into their stock exhaust... they used heavier than normal gauge stainless steel. Why? Certainly not for cost savings... certainly not for weight savings... unlikely for longevity.... as the quality of the stainless is what determines if and how much it'll decay over time.... but for accoustic dampening. They then used a fairly complex resonator, muffler design with fairly large rubber sound dampeners welded to each side of the exhaust. I'm sure this was all done to smooth out the sound and decrease the vibration.

None of the aftermarket exhausts possess all of these engineering elements. The in-house Borla s-type and ATAK use an x pipe with a dual muffler setup.... which in truth is a small quasi-resonator/muffler combo.... they do an awesome job of making more sound and avoid most of the drone at the most common frequencies from everything I've seen, heard and read. You may pick up a little bit here and there but it probably isn't at the RPM ranges that you consistently cruise and so it isn't going to break you.

Now the FOMOCO Performance touring by Borla is Fords design and uses a passive 3 inch exhaust valve inside the resonator to make it a straight through design when you punch it, but it quiets down when you're easy on the Throttle and/or are cruising. This was their solution to get a bit more sound and a bit more power (around 12 ponies) out of the exhaust.... but this setup doesn't possess the heavier gauge steel and it doesn't have dampeners welded to it. So it's not going to be as clean of a sound.... I'm sure of it... what I'm hoping is that it is close enough to stock that it isn't annoying and I get the cool tips and the 12 horsepower out of it. I'll be happy if it's just a small notch over stock.

It's all what you like. If you want to quiet down your S-type, I would cut out the x-pipe and weld something in its place. Before you put your stock resonator back, I would talk to Borla and see if they have an in-house resonator that may be a better "tune" for the Borla exhaust.

Your best bet may be to weld in a muffler with a built in crossover and elimate the x-pipe. As much as I hate Gibson, one of their MWA mufflers would probably do the job and wouldn't introduce any new resonance or kill the performance.

Just my two cents.

Agreed. Ford did not do an X or H pipe as I believe keeping the banks and frequencies separate with this particular V6 config sounds better. Two inline 3's vs 1 V6.

TBH, I haven't heard an aftermarket system that sounds as nice as factory. The factory tone is deep, no rasp, no ringing. Its as tough as you can expect for a V6 breathing through turbos. It's also loud enough IMO, but I know that some guys like to really be heard so to each their own.
 

thump4863

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What would turning off the factory exhaust inside the truck with Forscan help me with? I would definetly look at doing this if it would help me.

Its loud. People in my office when I left said I sound like a dune buggy.

It can cause you to hear things that aren't there and the different frequencies between the fake exhaust sound and actual exhaust could sound bad.

As far as outside the vehicle it is what it is, but I took it as you didn't like it inside the vehicle.
 
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Wizo

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Spoke to Borla today and their customer support team. With them on the phone/Bluetooth they agreed that mine sounded way loud. There are time with the windows closed you can't hear what I am saying.
The other thing I noticed is I don't hear my turbos anymore. Intially I heard them right after they installed it but I don't hear anything now. Not sure being paranoid but I hear a rattle also near passenger turbo that I never heard before.

I wonder with my tunning or with a defective exhaust my turbos are jacked up. I noticed a weird smell burning which I thought was normal (i have had numerous exhaust installed and they smell for a couple days).

I am hoping Borla will send me a replacement and it will sound much better. I also hope my truck is not messed up.

Should have just kept it stock....
 
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