Manta 2.5" stainless system not sounding as expected - VE SSV

[76Duff]

Hi Yall,
Looking for some advice if I could. I recently traded in my '05 VZ SS for an '11 VE SSV Redline and quickly replaced the stock exhaust system for a 2.5" Stainless Manta. I had this same system on my VZ (albeit not stainless) and it sounded great at idle, awesome with a bit of action, and when backing off it gave a nice crackle.
Guy at the muffler shop said if I was happy with the steel previously I would be even happier with the stainless, so I forked out the $2k. However I'm not impressed, only slightly louder at idle, no crackle when backing off (maybe the odd pop) and need to give it a good squirt to hear the roar...after 15 minutes of warming up! (It does have a good note only once warmed up and you put your foot down) Cruising at 60, 70 or 110 I get nothing.
Now, the car has no other modifications yet and the guy at the shop tells me I need to let it "wear in", form my research I assume he means "carbonise or carbon up".
I realise these are two different engines but the VZ sounded awesome from day one, also with no other modifications and I was expecting the same with the VE as I wasn't told any different.

So my questions are;
How many kms should I need to do before it "wears in"? I have done 1700km so far.
With this exhaust and this stock engine am I asking too much?
Any recommendations on what else I could do to get it louder at idle and cruising, and get that crackle when backing off?
I'm willing to spend more money to get what I want but not wanting to waste it which is why I have turned to you smart folk for advice.

Cheers.
Sad Face.

 

[vr355stroker]

yeah I've got a Manta system on my clubby and it's not what I expected,not loud at all, sounds good inside the cab with no drone tho......I spose ya can delete a muffler or somethink in that direction

 

[vongy10]

You must've got the quiet version, which I'm sure has a centre muffler then 2 hotdogs and the rear mufflers. If you want it louder than get the center muffler taken out. 1700kms should have been plenty enough for the exhaust to break in.

 

[76Duff]

Quiet version? That'd be right, the shop owner is old skool so probably prefers to keep things mild. If they remove the centre muffler, what do they put in it's place? Is this the same thing as removing the resonator?

Cheers

 

[vongy10]

They'll replace the muffler with straight pipes. Muffler or resonator, I have no idea what the difference is as they both do the same job. Just keep the hotdogs and rear mufflers and you'll be happy as. It should be about $100 or less.

 

[Jesterarts]

Guy at the exhaust shop was full of **** and it's expected to sound different.

The VZ system has 2 mufflers on it while the VE will have 3 from what I see, middle and on on each pipe at the rear.

So common sense would suggest it would be quieter.

Also, mild steel generally gives a deeper, throatier note than S/steel. There will need to be some carbon build up on the new system before you have your final note, but it's not going to be massively different.

In regards to crackling and popping, that us more to do with the engine than exhaust. Those sounds come around basically when there is fuel dumped into the exhaust when you tle your foot off the throttle.

VE probably has a different fuel management system. I remember with my old VZ clubby there was no snap, crackle and pop as even with a cam and 300rwkw because the tune was set up that way.

Buy yeah, end of the day, different car, different exhaust design and material contribute to a different sound.

If you don't like the sound, sell the system and research what system you like the sound of.

Sound is subjective, with the clubby I wanted to shorten and deepen the sound so my manga was perfect, other people would comment that it needed to be louder and barkier so I should put an xforce in which I basically considered on par with a sexual experience with a ladyboy.

Good luck.

 

[PIR4TE]

In regards to crackling and popping, that us more to do with the engine than exhaust. Those sounds come around basically when there is fuel dumped into the exhaust when you tle your foot off the throttle.

VE probably has a different fuel management system. I remember with my old VZ clubby there was no snap, crackle and pop as even with a cam and 300rwkw because the tune was set up that way.

^^ agree, specifically you can adjust the deceleration fuel cut off and spark timing to make the cats work overtime burning the overfuelling like a gas jet.
It's not the quality of the cat back, always shake my head when people spend several thousand and fall in love with an exhaust pipe brand because they can hear the cats doing their job, burning wasted fuel through a sloppy tune.
Having said that the stock tune over fuels and farts, crackles with warmed cats in Sports mode given enough stick.

 

[76Duff]

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm booked in for tomorrow to have the centre muffler removed $150.
Will post back what I think of the results - perhaps a before and after may be useful for future peeps.

Cheers

 

[lowandslow]

Ve is an entirely different exhaust setup and is bound to be quieter than the previous platform. Even the X-forces on VE are a lot quieter than on VT/Z.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Sounds like the exhaust guy either didn't listen to what you wanted, or it wasn't discussed. You have the quiet system because you have AFM?

But $2K for a stainless Manta is about what they are worth. So you are now paying $2150 for a system that I do everyday for $1795.

I keep telling people that I do the Manta cheap, but it's not a cheap system.

As above though, the VE is a different setup than the VZ, they will never sound the same.