How to make Pontiac Grand Prix sound better.?

Question

Im looking for a way to make my 1998 3800 V6 nonSupercharged Grand Prix sound a little less like a minivan and a little more like a V8.

I'm not looking for a big V8 sound, but just something to make it sound a bit more aggressive. Would just putting glass packed mufflers on it make it better? I heard that a cold air intake makes it sound better.

any ideas?

Answer 1

There are several options, depending on the level of aggressiveness you want.

Install a Cold Air intake, won't do much, but it'll help anyway.

Remove the resonator and replace it with either a straight pipe (slightly louder, raspier sound in high revs) or a Glass pack muffler (louder throatier sound).

Put a hi-flow catalytic converter in.

Mufflers that are good with Grand Prixs are as follows:

Magnaflow

Flowmaster 40 series

Hooker Aero-Chamber

If you want a full cat-back system:

Borla is probably the best and most expensive

Magnaflow is next best and less expensive

SLP is probably just as good as Magnaflow but a little more expensive

Then there is Pacesetter which is the cheapest, and GMPP. Those two are used less by Grand Prix owners.

You can also port the exhaust manifolds front and rear, or buy a power log from ZZP and port the rear exhaust manifold, then get a downpipe.

Finally you can get headers. S&S, SLP, and Pacesetters are the favorites.  

Answer 2

I had just a single magnaflow muffler on my 98 grand prix 3.1 L. And that sounded pretty good.

I then put a complete Magnaflow exhaust on my 99 GTP. WOW that was amazing.

I would suggest just replacing both your mufflers with Magnaflows. Cost you around $300 installed.

Versus paying for a cat back exaust, which will cost around $800

And the Cold Air intakes will change the pitch, but not as much as the mufflers will.

Answer 3

Put FlowMAsters or a catback exhaust

Answer 4

Forget the intake. Get a Magna Flow cat back system. Sounds great, not too loud, great quality.  

Answer 5

I used Borla Exhaust and sure enough it sounded better until it hit 1.800 rpms. Above that it sounded ok. V-6 just sound weird at 1,800 to 2000. It is just V-6 engines are missing that twin four cyl sound.