Active Exhaust sounds like crap.

[Tecronix]

Does it ever go to quiet mode,
I think the quiet mode was only for cold starts. And did not last long..

I yanked the AE long ago, got sick of having to keep selecting loud as hell all the time ......... LMAO

I tries to, flips back and forth a few times then throws me the “not available”.

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[Oakley]

Justy like a honda with turbo & every other 4 bangers

Not cool

 

[Rapid Red]

I tries to, flips back and forth a few times then throws me the “not available”.

Is this an update you're working on or did the car come with AE ?

if AE was not added, you most likely have a problem with the harness that connects to the valve.

If the car did not have AE and is being added, I would disconnect the battery, and let it set for 10 -15 mins.

It could help the car recognize the AE valve/valves.

 

[Tecronix]

Is this an update you're working on or did the car come with AE ?

if AE was not added, you most likely have a problem with the harness that connects to the valve.

If the car did not have AE and is being added, I would disconnect the battery, and let it set for 10 -15 mins.

It could help the car recognize the AE valve/valves.

Came with the car. Not the common short with the wires, or blowing fuses. I’m gonna try reinstalling them again. If that doesn’t work the magnaflow valve might not have the correct range of motion. I do like to turn the volume down for my neighbors’ sake if I’m late getting home. But maybe fuggem…

 

[Rapid Red]

Came with the car. Not the common short with the wires, or blowing fuses. I’m gonna try reinstalling them again. If that doesn’t work the magnaflow valve might not have the correct range of motion. I do like to turn the volume down for my neighbors’ sake if I’m late getting home. But maybe fuggem…

This is Active exhaust made by Magnafow? Are the valves between the muffler and tips?

 

[Tecronix]

This is Active exhaust made by Magnafow? Are the valves between the muffler and tips?

active exhaust came with the car. I just added the magnaflow that has their own valves. You swap over the OEM actuators.
Yes it’s between the muffler and tailpipe

 

[Nightmonkey]

Quiet Mode remains active until you set something else (via the speedometer menu or the mode toggle).
Possibly the valves need to be relearned?

 

[Rapid Red]

active exhaust came with the car. I just added the magnaflow that has their own valves. You swap over the OEM actuators.
Yes it’s between the muffler and tailpipe

Does read like the problem is with the valve. Wondering about the spring between the actuator and the valve shaft.

Could be the bad actor, as in upside down or incorrectly installed somehow.

When I remove the AE from my car. I remove the actuator just to look at it. I vaguely remember there was something about the spring that caught my attention.

There was a right way and a wrong way as to how it went together.


I really cannot think of a good reason why you're having this problem.

I would suggest you check back with the supplier of the system, as I am sure this is not the first time it may have happened.

These AE actuators are a pretty standard part from what I've seen...

GP

 

[WD Pro]

Does read like the problem is with the valve. Wondering about the spring between the actuator and the valve shaft.

Could be the bad actor, as in upside down or incorrectly installed somehow.

When I remove the AE from my car. I remove the actuator just to look at it. I vaguely remember there was something about the spring that caught my attention.

There was a right way and a wrong way as to how it went together.


I really cannot think of a good reason why you're having this problem.

I would suggest you check back with the supplier of the system, as I am sure this is not the first time it may have happened.

These AE actuators are a pretty standard part from what I've seen...

GP

I wrote this on fitting the actuators on another thread, it may help here

Unlike the aftermarket active exhausts, the GT AE seems to hold the valves under tension, so once they are released it's tricky to get them lined up with the spring again (maybe this is Fords method to combat valve noise ?).

There is a procedure to reseat the springs :

But for my own reasons this just wasn't practical - I need the exhaust to be perfect when it goes back on, without having to drop it a little and re-secure the actuators after the seating / reset process.

So after unsuccessfully messing around with the spring pre mounted on the actuator, here's the only way I found I could do it :

1) Start by recording how your actuators and springs were when they were first removed - the GT's aren't handed :

2) Once everything has been stripped and cleaned and your ready for reassembly, make sure the actuator slides on and off it's mounting studs very easily. Re align the studs if needed. Use two M6 nuts and a deep socket to provide leverage without damaging the threads :

3) Ensure the valve is fully turned in the direction to line up with the actuator - in the case of the GT they were fully open :

4) Make sure the exhaust is level, and then carefully position the spring on the top of the valve :

5) Without disturbing the spring, carefully lower the actuator so it just rests on the spring :

6) Note I am working with the cut out of the actuator housing towards me, that's so I can peep under and see the actuator shaft and spring is 'almost' aligned. From 6 o clock :

And from four o clock :

7) If all looks OK, push the actuator down and wiggle / twist it a little it on its studs whilst maintaining downwards pressure. If you hear a fairly loud snap, then the spring has most likely seated in the actuator shaft.

8) Don't trust it the first time, open it back up and check its correct. Do it a few times to get a feel what it's like when it correctly seats.

The first indication that it has seated correctly, will be that the actuator goes tight on its studs as it's now fighting the spring a little - there will be some resistance to lift it of it's studs.

The second indication is that the spring is fully located in the actuator shaft when you lift it off :

9) Once you are confident you can do it right every time, bolt it down to stay (I know I have missed the little bracket from the inboard nut, it's paint is hardening) :

10) As a final check, fist your exhaust deep enough to twiddle the flap. In the case of the GT it's fully open, rock solid one way (it's up against it's stops), but it can be moved with firm spring resistance the other way - instantly returning to it's home position when you remove pressure on the butterfly.

Just as a heads up and I know I'm not alone with this, the inserts around the bolt holes in the plastic actuator body (to stop it getting overtightened) seem to corrode excessively and very easily (maybe a reaction to all the stainless in that area ?). I covered the bottom bit of the stud, the insert and all mating faces with high temp grease before tightening everything down.

Hope that helps and that it's also useful for the 500 setup

WD

WD

 

[young at heart]

I wrote this on fitting the actuators on another thread, it may help here



WD

Amazing amount of knowledge here WD.

I’m just curious: what are the chances an average small town Ford dealership tech could successfully pull off this complicated repair?

 

[WD Pro]

I can’t see a problem if they follow their own seating procedure

The only reason I had to mess around with my valves is that I did some work on my exhaust whilst it was off the car for a warranty claim - I didn’t want to give it them back knowing they had some extra work to do (their seating procedure) because I had taken the valves off for something I wanted to do.

I needed it to go back in the car and work first time, but what I found may help others who are out of warranty or who are messing around with aftermarket mods etc

WD

 

[joe603]

I have a 21GT with active exhaust and a H-pipe...it sounds fantastic! Recently did a 400 mile road trip and was very glad to have quiet mode on the interstate. I can definitely tell the difference between each mode of the exhaust and really they all just time the "full open" differently. Quiet is closed, normal is 3/4 throttle - WOT, sport is 1/2 throttle - WOT and Track is full open. It also keeps it open longer when off throttle to get the V8 pops and gurgles on engine braking.

I didn't have a hellcat, but I had the 392 and ended up doing the active exhaust sim to keep it open. Ford has a MUCH better system that you can actually control.

 

[monte87]

Anyone else's Active Exhaust sound like shit in Normal mode? Mine make the car sound like it has an exhaust leak when in Normal mode and I can even hear it in Sport mode slightly. I have to put it into Track mode for it to sound good.

STEEDA Mach 1 resonator H - delete will fix that up for you! =)
Anthony

 

[Tecronix]

Amazing amount of knowledge here WD.

I’m just curious: what are the chances an average small town Ford dealership tech could successfully pull off this complicated repair?

I wrote this on fitting the actuators on another thread, it may help here



WD

really really great write up! Thank you for all your efforts. I’ve been at it for several hours now. Tried in both spring configurations, cause why not? Did the relearn every time I changed something. No avail. I just doesn’t like to stay in quiet. Normal, sport, and track seem to work fine so I’ll just stick to those and hope the computer learns itself over time. I can’t justify the $600+ to buy new actuators just to see.

I bought the magnaflow street catback because I really like the low grumble and the fact that it’s NOT the obnoxiously loud kind of system you usually hear on mustangs (kids these days!! Hahaha).

I only use quiet mode coming into the neighborhood after 10:00PM or so, and this new system is really tame as far as sheer volume goes. It’s bassy, so the sound carries, but I don’t think I’ll be upsetting anyone. I’m really not losing anything by it not functioning aside from the brain itch that something isn’t functioning.

 

[Leigh_bullitt]

I wrote this on fitting the actuators on another thread, it may help here



WD

Surely just moving the valves from quiet to track with the key on will achieve the same thing ??

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