Re: Exhaust System Roundup

Posted by 55PackardGuy On 2009/11/14 0:32:19

This thread is meant to be open to all opinions on Packard V8 exhaust setups, including experiences and experiments. No one HAS to do anything they don't want to.

One thing for sure, there are no "original" exhaust systems out there (with maybe a very rare exception) so we're talking repair and retrofit. But perhaps there are some "period correct" repros out there for mufflers and resonators?

It would be nice to have some performance comparisons, but unless someone is doing et's, we'd have to stick with gas mileage, IF someone has comparisons between different setups.

I just think those d*mn resonators add a lot of unnecessary weight, but then I don't know how resonators are designed to do what they do. I always thought of them as just an extra expansion chamber to "mellow" the note... do they add any back pressure?

Silent as a V12? Possibly. But never as smooth. nor as smooth as an in-line 8, for that matter.

I really believe that Packard stalled as long as possible before joining the V8 crowd because the new engines would be noticeably rougher at idle or at speed than the straight 8.

I wonder if Packard spent all that money on their fancy engine balancing machine to try to get as close to the smoothness that people had come to expect from the straight 8?
(Shame on me)