Lets talk about drone (i.e. what is, and what is not)

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by mlee

If you want to change this thread to another one of the many AFM threads so be it. The sound DOD makes when in 4 cylinder mode may be twice as bad on your car, but a lot of exhaust systems have way more drone problems than AFM ever causes. There are many combinations out there that all give different results Most L99 folks who mod their car this far simply turn DOD off (problem solved). LS3 or L99 drone doesn't go away that easy unless you change out mufflers or mechanically modify the system to reduce or eliminate it.

When you experience true drone for a couple of hours on the highway you will know it. AFM is just a nuisance that can be quickly eliminated.


Exactly...

This thread is about drone and the drone when in 4cyl mode is ALOT worse than 8 cyl. The drone I experienced before shutting AFM off with GMPP axle back is still way worse than the setup I have now with LT's and AFM shut off, no comparison. It would vibrate the dash and give you a headache within 1/2 hour. It sounds like you shut your AFM off and do not have a good comparison between the same exhaust with AFM on and with it off. This is not an issue with just my car, and many new people to this forum are looking for advice on exhaust upgrades and "simply turning off their DOD" is not an option they want to follow because of warranty issues. AFM and exhaust mods should be in the same thread because of the brain vibrating effects that can result with the two together.

[Switchback700]

"When you experience true drone for a couple of hours on the highway you will know it. AFM is just a nuisance that can be quickly eliminated."

I have driven 4 -8 hours trips on the highway a few times already, stock, with GMPP axle back and AFM, with GMPP axle back and no AFM, and now with GMPP axle back, Borla mid pipes, LT headers, Hi flow cats, and CAI....... Don't know how many times I have to repeat this..... the drone in 4 cyl mode with axle back was unbearable..... the rest of the combos are tolerable..... sounds like maybe you didn't have enough 4 cyl time behind the wheel, but you are misleading people saying AFM doesn't cause drone...... don't mean to argue, but comments like yours are not giving newbies good information.

[Majic]

-My LLT with axle back DRONED. It didn't have AFM. My 1SS has AFM and with my after market cat back it doesn't. Yes, AFM souunds differently but I would not define it as anything close to the drone I had on the LLT 6 cyl.

Majic

[mlee]

Swtichback... you're simply repeating yourself over and over and I'm not really disagreeing with you. You experienced very bad AFM noise and refer to that as drone which is fine w/ me. I never said it wasn't bad or mislead anyone because I and many others do not call it drone. If you get LTs it will get real bad... but then you are tuning anyway so turn it off... For those A6ers who don't want to tune DOD out... don't get LT headers.

I'm on my 2nd A6 Camaro so I do have experience with many different stages of exhaust combos. I've had a handheld where I could turn it on and off at will. I've also had both my cars DOD tuned out in 1st through 4th gear and on in 5th and 6th gear only. So I do have some pretty good comparisons on vs off..

[CGM2010]

About 30 years ago I owned a 1965 Mustang, with headers and glass packs bolted to the header flanges and they terminated at that point, under the drivers seat. At highway speeds it would make your ears bleed. To me this car was the definition of drone, it sounded great when driving it hard, but you absolutely could not drive it on the highway. I had read many complaints about drone with the installation of aftermarket exhaust on these cars and I was hesitant, but I bit the bullet and installed Kook's 6511 headers and 3" exhaust with cats, tuned out the AFM and I was impressed that what I hear is a growling throaty exhaust note, not the unbearable drone that I heard from my '65 Mustang from years gone by. Maybe beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

[BigRed585Lbs]

^^EXACTLY^^

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by mlee

Swtichback... you're simply repeating yourself over and over and I'm not really disagreeing with you. You experienced very bad AFM noise and refer to that as drone which is fine w/ me. I never said it wasn't bad or mislead anyone because I and many others do not call it drone. If you get LTs it will get real bad... but then you are tuning anyway so turn it off... For those A6ers who don't want to tune DOD out... don't get LT headers.

I'm on my 2nd A6 Camaro so I do have experience with many different stages of exhaust combos. I've had a handheld where I could turn it on and off at will. I've also had both my cars DOD tuned out in 1st through 4th gear and on in 5th and 6th gear only. So I do have some pretty good comparisons on vs off..

"But AFM is NOT DRONE... it's a noise the engine makes that is accentuated when your exhaust is made louder. Please do not confuse AFM noise on the A6 with drone. It IS definitely something to consider as you noted..."

We ARE disagreeing when you mislead newbies by saying "AFM is not drone"........ this is why I am repeating myself, to try and help new guys with the A6 that want to keep their AFM and warranty to be prepared for 4 cyl drone, that AFM causes, with exhaust mods. I'm done repeating myself, if anybody wants to listen I hope they learn from my mistakes and maybe save a few bucks.

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by CGM2010

About 30 years ago I owned a 1965 Mustang, with headers and glass packs bolted to the header flanges and they terminated at that point, under the drivers seat. At highway speeds it would make your ears bleed. To me this car was the definition of drone, it sounded great when driving it hard, but you absolutely could not drive it on the highway. I had read many complaints about drone with the installation of aftermarket exhaust on these cars and I was hesitant, but I bit the bullet and installed Kook's 6511 headers and 3" exhaust with cats, tuned out the AFM and I was impressed that what I hear is a growling throaty exhaust note, not the unbearable drone that I heard from my '65 Mustang from years gone by. Maybe beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

"Tuned out the AFM"........... A LOT of newbies want more sound while keeping the warranty and AFM.

I'm with you on the setup you have......... I love the sound of my current LT's, CAI, Catback, and tune (still has some 8 cyl drone but it is tolerable). At highway cruising 72-75 mph I have almost zero drone.

[BigRed585Lbs]

You happy now, MarylandSpeed?

A6 and M6 guys go to neutral corners.

Maybe we can go on to "discuss" actual solutions for this thing, if it is a problem to any of you.

[bi11ymc]

Originally Posted by mlee

You experienced very bad AFM noise and refer to that as drone which is fine w/ me.

Actually, he is stating that when in AFM mode (4 cylinder mode) and you hit a RPM that drone occurs, it is worse than when in 8 cylinder mode and you hit a RPM that drone occurs.

[mlee]

Originally Posted by Switchback700

We ARE disagreeing when you mislead newbies by saying "AFM is not drone"........

LOL... OK... we call it different names... how does that mislead newbies? If you weren't a newbie yourself you would have figured out the fix is the same either way.

Originally Posted by bi11ymc

Actually, he is stating that when in AFM mode (4 cylinder mode) and you hit a RPM that drone occurs, it is worse than when in 8 cylinder mode and you hit a RPM that drone occurs.

I agree... the combination of drone and 4 cylinder activation noise may have been his issue. AFM noise is more of a growl coming from the engine not a resonating harmonic like drone. Combine the two and you're in for trouble.

Solutions would be to get a Corsa or Magnaflow street system. This will get rid of drone, but I don't know of anything that will get rid of AFM noise except turning it off..

[BigRed585Lbs]

This is exactly what the referenced thread is about:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102075

There is a solution for folks bothered by the 4-cylinder harmonic with ANY after-market muffler (even Flowmasters) IF you care to adapt it on your automatic-equipped car (or truck).

Enjoy.

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by mlee

LOL... OK... we call it different names... how does that mislead newbies? If you weren't a newbie yourself you would have figured out the fix is the same either way.

If I need to explain how you are misleading newbies I'd be repeating myself again.... you don't even understand what I am saying, how can you know a fix? As far as being a newbie, don't judge that by join date and posts.... I've been here a long time.


I agree... the combination of drone and 4 cylinder activation noise may have been his issue. AFM noise is more of a growl coming from the engine not a resonating harmonic like drone. Combine the two and you're in for trouble.

The growl under the hood IS the sound of the engine running on 4 cyl's.... AFM is not some mechanism under the hood making noise, who is sounding like a nooB now... LOL

Solutions would be to get a Corsa or Magnaflow street system. This will get rid of drone, but I don't know of anything that will get rid of AFM noise except turning it off..

From my investigating, a solution if you want your warranty and AFM, would be either Solo's axle back that uses a Helmholz J pipe, or create your own J pipe. Corsa and Magnaflow will just amplify the 4 cyl exhaust note and drone that the stock setup hides so well. I think you are not understanding AFM..... what is this mysterious AFM noise you keep talking about? It is your car running in 4 cyl's, which sounds like a 4 banger and drones terribly at certain RPM's.

[BigRed585Lbs]