Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance 99 SE sport exhaust questions

Hey everyone, this is my first post, And I just bought a 99 Contour SE Sport with a manual transmission, 57000 miles.

I've been doing a lot of searching on the boards and it seems like most of the modification information is geared towards the SVT, so I was going to try to ask an SE specific question.

In the MODS section it's highly recommended that all vehicles remove the stock resonator. What I'm mainly going for is a better sound for my vehicle, with a more rumble and more volume. I've been thinking about removing the resonator and replacing it with a straight pipe, but I don't want my car sounding similar to an I-4. For the SE exhaust, should I replace the stock resonator with straight pipe, or should I perhaps replace it with a glass pack? I'm a poor college student so the cheaper the better. Thanks for your help everybody.

well, if you just put straight pipe in, it will be really rasp until the piping heats up. but once it does, it does sound a bit more throaty. with a glasspack, you won't have to worry about any rasp, but it won't be as loud as just going with striaght pipe. hope this helps.

It seemed in the old days on this board, like doing an upgrade of pulling the stock restrictive resonator and putting in a better one was perhaps worth 1 HP. You should get a sound upgrade -- maybe enough of one, maybe not, it's pretty subjective -- along with helping your engine breathe. You should be able to do this cheaply.

Few mods on these cars cost less than $50 for each HP gained. This is one of them.

I first put in a Y-pipe and 2 Flowmasters. Sounded better but, not much louder than stock. I then replaced the resonator with a straight pipe. Sound is a lot better, not to loud.

Originally posted by JasonJ:

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it will be really rasp until the piping heats up. but once it does, it does sound a bit more throaty.

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Mine does have a problem with making noise until it heats up.

i have a 98 se mtx and i had a 2.5 inch exhaust made from the cat back with a dynomax superturbo muffler since i didnt want a lot of noise. i dont have a resonator in so i have a little rasp when the exhaust is cold. the factory exhaust was a joke only 2 inch pipe. it was the first mod i did. i have pics of all my modson my cardomain link below.

I have my precats gutted and the muffler removed. Main cat and resonator are still in place. It is kinda LOUD and some rasp. I want a magnaflow in its place, and maybe cut the cat.