Flowmaster Rust Out

** In response to those who complained about their Flowmaster mufflers ** prematurely rusting out, I have to ask this question. When you had ** the Flowmasters on: ** ** - Do you take a lot of short drives (10 minutes or less)? ** ** - Do you "warm up your car" for a long time (3 or more minutes) in the ** morning? ** ** If you answer yes to either of these, your {Flowmaster} muffler ** rust-out problem could be your driving habits. ** ** Something to think about,

Good point, Patrick. In my case, I don't warm anything up; I just fire the engine, verify good oil pressure and no MIL's/warning lights, check fuel level, lock the doors, belt up, snick it into gear and scoot. 90% of the time, it was driven 30 freeway miles one-way each trip. The rest of the time around town, it was 10-min. trips around town.

I even avoided using fuel that was cut with ethanol. Here in CA, we can't use MTBE anymore, so I don't have a choice. (Ethanol has a lot of water in it.) They didn't rust out to the point where the case was breached; just enough to cause the baffling to stop working properly, raising the noise levels far beyond our local PD's tolerance level. I didn't wait for the damned things to fall off before replacing them.

Does any of this have to do with where the user is due to winter chemical use on roadways?

Has any>In response to those who complained about their Flowmaster mufflers

V'ger

1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2 Burgundy w/ Black Std Interior 289 ci 4v V8 A Code Dual Exhaust C4 Auto 8" Trak Lok Vintage 40 wheels BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS 225/50ZR-16 tires Petronix Electronic Ignition components oem am radio and am-fm-10cd changer with 7.5" dvd player 120w kick panel speakers Built in San Jose on my birthday, May 10th ; )

I was thinking the same thing. If anyone is having a problem with them rusting out in 6 or 9 months, realize that flowmaster does give you a 12 month warranty. Granted I wouldn't want to change mufflers every year myself, but that warranty is there.

Jason

I wouldn't want to change them out every couple of years!!!!! It does seem that it's like Fords and Chevys, each has it loyal followers.... Flowmasters have those who curse them and those who love them. Seems to me that Flowmasters would appreciate input on their products. Granted, they don't want a product which never gives out, but they do want repeat customers and referals. That's the nature of business.

My 65 FB is being restored and I was seriously considering the Flowmaster 40s but until I know more, I might just as well go to Midas or Sears....

V'ger

1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2 Burgundy w/ Black Std Interior 289 ci 4v V8 A Code Dual Exhaust C4 Auto 8" Trak Lok Vintage 40 wheels BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS 225/50ZR-16 tires Petronix Electronic Ignition components oem am radio and am-fm-10cd changer with 7.5" dvd player 120w kick panel speakers Built in San Jose on my birthday, May 10th ; )

Like JD, most of my drives last about half an hour each direction. Occasionally, I will make a fifteen to twenty minute cruise around town if I haven't driven my car in a few days. Oh, and it's been garaged for the last...nearly one and a half year now, but I think the rust started sometime before I began garaging it.

But who cares? I mean I should be able to drive my car for less than ten minutes without thinking: "Oh, shit, I better drive to the Safeway in the next town so's I don't rot my mufflers!" Pfft!

Cindy

Stainless will fix that :-)

Many out there but expect to pay the price.

Mike

1995 Eagle Talon TSi

Stainless steel from Flowmaster now... 40 series delta flows.. $114 USD from Flowmastermufflers.com each. Somebody said they got some from summit for $85/each.

-Mike

The Flows on our two cars are at least six years old and show no rust-out problem or any decible increase over that period. We do not warm up the cars. We take all the short trips we please, and long ones too.

180 Out TS 28

Bottom line, Flowmasters are a POS. If you don't believe me take a new Flowmaster down to your local muffler shop and just compare with a stock replacement. If you don't have a new Flowmaster to compare with, stop on in anyway, I'm willing to bet that they have more than few take-offs from prior customers for you to look at.