Quieter than stock exhaust??

[slapya]

I'm a mid 30 year old, clinging to my youth with this great 2003.5 MSP - just purchased used with only 35000 miles. I love the car as handling is pretty much my top priority in cars.

I want to quiet the stock exhaust on the MSP. I put the stock airbox back in (prev owner had injen) and dropped a k&n filter in. That helped a little but the resonant sound when you are maintaining a speed is too much for this 'old' guy. I'd rather hear the stereo if I'm not accelerating hard.

Looking for suggestions with cost in mind. To me trying a muffler like HKS sounds like a good first try from reading some other exhaust threads. Trying to keep modification to a minimum also.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[SNike05]

putting in the stock ES exhaust will make things relatively quieter. If you want aftermarket I believe the Apexi N1 muffler is not that loud.

 

[jflo]

uhh, the apexi n1 muffler is one of the loudest you can get pretty much. i wouldn't suggest it. i can't really think of an exhaust that can quiet up a stock exhaust, except for maybe what snike05 said, the ES exhaust.

 

[orng1]

Are you sure that it's the stock exhaust, complete with all the cats. I could barely hear my exhaust before I took out the mid pipe and I had a custom 3" axle back to an HKS muffler. Double check that the previous owner didn't replace the mid pipe, the two cats are what hold back most of the noise.

 

[Kansei]

What about the racing beat cat-back? I know it makes the Protege5 no louder stock, and it seems like the muffler is definitely tuned for the RPM range our cars are at while on the highway so it's really quiet unless you get on the throttle to pass someone. I have never been in an MSP though so I don't know how the racing beat axleback they came with compares.

If the MSP is too loud for you as it is right now, I'm thinking that orng1 might be on to something, you might have some replaced piping between the turbo and the muffler.

 

[SNike05]

uhh, the apexi n1 muffler is one of the loudest you can get pretty much. i wouldn't suggest it.

Really, i thought i had read somewhere that it was a good performance muffler that wasn't loud. Must have been another one then.

 

[warrier04]

isn't the greddy sp2 pretty quiet?

 

[Dr.Sound]

^ no

 

[Kansei]

isn't the greddy sp2 pretty quiet?

I think you are thinking of the Evo2, which I thought they just had for the Protege5.

 

[BOOSTR]

I have the SP2, its as quiet under normal driving conditions, but louder when you get on it. Its in no way a loud exhaust like there EVO series.

 

[slapya]

Pics of 'stock'

Only change the seller said on the exhaust was the warranty covered change from the oval tip to the round tip muffler. Pretty sure that wouldn't make a difference. But here is what's on there now - lemme know if it doesn't look stock.

Pics should be in order from engine back..

Thanks.

 

[flat_black]

Ahhh, the round tip says it all... That's not the 'stock' muffler, perse. That's the Mazdaspeed option muffler for the sedan. The super-drone muffler.

Probably should get something like a large capacity Magnaflow muffler, and get some custom piping done up. Should be a bit quieter for ya, if done well.

 

[Kansei]

Oh no that muffler. It's a nice muffler, but yeah it's kinda noisy. Look in the for sale section on here to see if someone is selling an "msp axleback" .. NOT a "mazdaspeed axleback". The one you have is the "mazdaspeed axleback" which was made by Borla if I recall correctly. The MSP axleback is made by Racing Beat.

 

[tekkie]

yeah either buy a used stock one or look for someone to trade, I dont think you will have any problems finding people wanting to trade

 

[SNike05]

That round tip "mazdaspeed" muffler is loud and drones. What you should do is find someone that you know with a true MSP muffler (It says racing beat on the can) and listen to that from inside the car at different speeds. If you like it problem solved. If that one is still loud then the best thing for you, like I said in my first post, is to get the Protege ES stock axle back. You cannot get any quietter then that.

 

[slapya]

That round tip "mazdaspeed" muffler is loud and drones. What you should do is find someone that you know with a true MSP muffler (It says racing beat on the can) and listen to that from inside the car at different speeds. If you like it problem solved. If that one is still loud then the best thing for you, like I said in my first post, is to get the Protege ES stock axle back. You cannot get any quietter then that.

So the original owner said something about a defect with the oval tip MSP muffler. Cracks in the tip or something - it's how he got what's on here now. Is this the older oval's or something.. or would I have to be wary of that?

Thanks great info so far.

 

[SNike05]

As said by the other members the Mazdaspeed muffler is an option by mazda made by mazda as a performance muffler for the Protege5 and Protege sedan it was never meant for the MSP because it already had a performance muffler. The oval ti[ muffler was made by Racing Beat for the 2003.5 MSP they also made a circle tip one for the 2003 MSP which also said Racing Beat on it.

I don't know why they replaced the Racing Beat one with a Mazdaspeed one. But most probably the sound you are not liking is due to the Mazdaspeed axle back which you should replace back with the original Racing Beat one.

 

[Alejo_NIN]

That round tip "mazdaspeed" muffler is loud and drones. What you should do is find someone that you know with a true MSP muffler (It says racing beat on the can) and listen to that from inside the car at different speeds. If you like it problem solved. If that one is still loud then the best thing for you, like I said in my first post, is to get the Protege ES stock axle back. You cannot get any quietter then that.

does it have to be ES?
i have an LX axel back exhaust hanging aorund, gimme 20 bucks and shipping and it's yours

 

[nate0123]

I'd try an 03 MSP muffler

 

[Kansei]

I'd try an 03 MSP muffler

Agreed. It seems like all the people who got "upgraded" to the Mazdaspeed sedan axleback (the loud one) had the 2003.5 MSPs (blue, yellow, silver, titanium) so I'm thinking the wide oval-tipped muffler was the one with some issues.