Discussion
What is it that makes a car mftr produce cars that all have the same exhaust sound. Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos all have a very distinctive note that can't be an accident. What is it about those motors/exhaust systems that causes this? I think it has got to be some combination of piston size vs liters vs # & size of valves vs headers & mufflers. What do you guys think?
Paul
Paul
If by 'the same' you mean they sound sporty, then yes, they do all have this characteristic in common but still remain individual enough to be able to audibly differentiate. I think the exhaust note is largely determined by engine type and displacement ie flat 6 3.2ltr / V12 6.3ltr, two very different engines that work in different ways, both sound the business but have very specific notes.
s
thotfast said:
thotfast said: also firing order of the pistons. My son has a V8 tvr with the buick engine (Rover V8) and my chevy V8 - with a different firing order, sound totally different. The chevy harsh, the buick much smoother and gentle - a nicer note imo.
Which of your engines is running the odd firing order?Both the Rover V8 and the Chevy have the same firing order...1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2.
Steve
Don't agree at all that a ferrari and a porsche sounds the same but anyway.
Firing order changes the note. I use LS1 firing order on my engine. Sounds better in my opinion. The exhaust changes the sound very much. if you go with separate pipes like most do on their ultimas the car will sound like a fishing boat (sorry!) but if you draw the pipes together with a X-pipe you will get a totally different note that sounds much more "sports car". Ferraris and other "exotic" V8 have a 180 degree (called flat crank) crank shaft instead of the regular SBC 90 degree. This makes all the difference to the sound but it also creates much more vibrations.
The nicest thing with modern italian sportscars is that the starter revs up the engine really high before the engine ignites. When the engine starts it is run at very high indle rpm for a couple of seconds and then it falls back to normal cold start idle. This makes the cars sound very very agressive compared to the slow direct ignited SBC's. The LP640 is a very good example of this (even if it is a v12).
Firing order changes the note. I use LS1 firing order on my engine. Sounds better in my opinion. The exhaust changes the sound very much. if you go with separate pipes like most do on their ultimas the car will sound like a fishing boat (sorry!) but if you draw the pipes together with a X-pipe you will get a totally different note that sounds much more "sports car". Ferraris and other "exotic" V8 have a 180 degree (called flat crank) crank shaft instead of the regular SBC 90 degree. This makes all the difference to the sound but it also creates much more vibrations.
The nicest thing with modern italian sportscars is that the starter revs up the engine really high before the engine ignites. When the engine starts it is run at very high indle rpm for a couple of seconds and then it falls back to normal cold start idle. This makes the cars sound very very agressive compared to the slow direct ignited SBC's. The LP640 is a very good example of this (even if it is a v12).
GTR-TT said:
Don't agree at all that a ferrari and a porsche sounds the same but anyway.
What I meant to say is that the family of brands have a similar sound. I can spot a Ferrari or a Porsche or a Lambo well before ever seeing it. I'm sorry if you thought I said Ferrari's and Porsche's sound the same.Great ideas here. My car has separate 3" pipes and sounds like a really powerful fishing boat. A very fast fishing boat. Hahahaha I suspect there is something to the larger diameter of the bore & the exhaust tubing which allows for lower frequency sounds to develop. I followed a F430 in my DD the other day and noticed that they don't have anywhere near the low frequency exhaust notes that a larger motor (meaning larger liters & fewer pistons) will typically have.
Thanks for all the great ideas!
Paul
I hear that TVR used to include into the design of the, to give the best exhaust sound/note, I’m sure other manufactures do this too.
Is there a program that you can use to tune for pitch and volume???
I know it is really superficial, but I have been looking in to building a V10 or V12 car and one of the main reasons is I hate the sound of a V8 Chevy engine, it sounds like an American NASCAR to me.
A Ferrari 355, 360 sound lovely, how do super cars get that tropical engine noise?
How can I get the most glorious sounding engine without having to spending an astronomical amount of money?
What is the best sounding engine??
Is there a program that you can use to tune for pitch and volume???
I know it is really superficial, but I have been looking in to building a V10 or V12 car and one of the main reasons is I hate the sound of a V8 Chevy engine, it sounds like an American NASCAR to me.
A Ferrari 355, 360 sound lovely, how do super cars get that tropical engine noise?
How can I get the most glorious sounding engine without having to spending an astronomical amount of money?
What is the best sounding engine??
Pilot Pete said:
What is the best sounding engine??
Slightly biased opinion....single exit LS engine>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COZYdldOPgs
Tuning the exhaust note seems to high up on the prioritoes of some of the more expensive exotica. I'm with the Prof on Ferrari, too much of a manufactured howl/scream for me. The Challenge Stradalle and the Scuderia have to be appreciated for going that bit extra - and noone can deny they sound like the Devil having root canal.
I had a Mazza 3200GT once (or about once a month when it was out of the shop
) and I'm guilty as charged for changing the deep rumbling OE exhaust to a raspier little Larini number.
Personally I could never tire of the Ultima's deep boom on idle and the roaring machine gun at full load over 4,000. Seems to me more of a gentleman's note rather than a the rip of an italian hooligan!!
Favourite exhaust of the moment is still the spitfiresque Mclaren SLR on a fly past!!!
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/McLaren-SLR-722...
I had a Mazza 3200GT once (or about once a month when it was out of the shop
) and I'm guilty as charged for changing the deep rumbling OE exhaust to a raspier little Larini number.Personally I could never tire of the Ultima's deep boom on idle and the roaring machine gun at full load over 4,000. Seems to me more of a gentleman's note rather than a the rip of an italian hooligan!!
Favourite exhaust of the moment is still the spitfiresque Mclaren SLR on a fly past!!!
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/McLaren-SLR-722...
GTWayne said:
Pilot Pete said:
....tropical....
I thought I had some crazy stipulations and requirements but 'tropical'? What the hell does that mean?
Edited by 738 driver on Sunday 21st June 10:37
Its funny but the sound is a really important aspect of a car. For me, I love the sounds from lots of engines but the F355 sounds particularly tight and well made. That is where this thread started. The common characteristic of the great sounding cars, seems to be small bore, multiple valves per cylinder and smallish exhaust tubing. Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of the LS7 too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nho7eMd_KA
Paul
Paul
You are indeed correct, the exhaust note IS an important factor but I think it will be luck of the draw as much as anything. I never really considered the exhaust note whilst orchestrating the GTW but needless to say I was well pleased that things turned out the way they did. I think that using longer primaries than standard, 635mm silencers and a link pipe made a fare difference but this assumption has only been arrived at by considering factory stock Ultima exhaust systems and highlighting the obvious differences.
San Diego GTR said:
Its funny but the sound is a really important aspect of a car. For me, I love the sounds from lots of engines but the F355 sounds particularly tight and well made. That is where this thread started. The common characteristic of the great sounding cars, seems to be small bore, multiple valves per cylinder and smallish exhaust tubing. Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of the LS7 too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nho7eMd_KA
Paul
That could be right, I like the sound of my GTR which has 32 valves, super short and small diameter exhuasts. Going to miss it when it's swapped out for a (relatively speaking) boring LS2.Paul
I have a recollection that TVR used some sort of balancing pipe device to make their noise, it might also be the same thing that helps with their pulsing but I'm not sure. The balance tube certainly makes a difference to the sound as Rovewr derived TVR V8s sound much different to the same engine in other cars.
I love the sound of a Big Block V8, the pop and bang which on tickover sounds like it's missing or struggling is just wonderful, and the throttle blip bark into life is the cream on the cake. I too can't stand Ferraris or Porsche the latter of which I think generally sound like tuned lawnmowers and as for Ferraris wail well to me it's just annoying. A search of youtube for "lamborghini exhaust" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foDcLUhUKqI is to experiance audio pornography and also worth 5 minutes of anyone's time is a search for BRM v16, a pant wetting sound which is apparently best experienced these days at the FOS.
I love the sound of a Big Block V8, the pop and bang which on tickover sounds like it's missing or struggling is just wonderful, and the throttle blip bark into life is the cream on the cake. I too can't stand Ferraris or Porsche the latter of which I think generally sound like tuned lawnmowers and as for Ferraris wail well to me it's just annoying. A search of youtube for "lamborghini exhaust" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foDcLUhUKqI is to experiance audio pornography and also worth 5 minutes of anyone's time is a search for BRM v16, a pant wetting sound which is apparently best experienced these days at the FOS.
The Matra V12 is not bad either: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J82NO-AZRRo
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