Harleys sound unique because they are a 45 degree V-twin that fires every 405-315 degrees. "Potato-Potato" sound. The carbureted models also have an interesting idle. One cylinder will load up with too much fuel and miss, every so often. Then the other cylinder will do the same.

Ducatis sound unique because they are a 90 degree V-twin that fires every 450-270 degrees. "Ba-dump Ba-dump" sound. They also have a metallic ringing soung, due to their dry clutch.

Most sport bikes are inline-4's that fire every 180-180-180-180 degrees. Very high pitch sound.

Honda Interceptors and ST's sound unique because they are 90 degree V-4's that fire every 90-270-90-270. Kinda like a cat purring. My favorite!


Since the firing orders of Late Ford V-8's are really the same as GM V-8's I'm sure any difference in sound is due primarily to their exhaust design (single vs. dual, crossover pipe, pipe size, mufflers) and intake design (airbox, resonators).

 

Lol Potato Potato thats hilarious. Tell a 350 lbs Harley owner his bike makes a potato potato sound.

 

Good theory, but no cigar! My mechanic friend with the blown Cobra does a lot of engine building and r&r's and I asked him recently about the distinct sound of a 5.0 and he told me that he replaced the 5.0 with the 5.8 through the same exhaust and that the 5.8 sounds like a Chevy 350 engine. The 5.0 H.O. has the same firing order as the 5.8 Ford engine, but the regular 5.0 has a different firing order. They sound similar.......

 

I think the stang has the same firing order- just numbered differently.

Anyone else hear anything about this small valve theory?

 

Exhaust manifold design has a signficant impact on the sound quality. Some manifolds are center outlet, while others are rear outlet, others still are equal length.

My '94 LT1 stock manifolds dump from between cyl's 5-7, and behind cyl 8. So, basically a rear-dump design.

Y-body LS1's stock manifold is a close to a equal-length design, dumping from the center.

F-body LS1's stock manifold is a rear-dump design.

5.0's used factory headers that were essentially equal length.


BTW, I've owned a couple of Buick's with the 3.8 even-fire V-6. The older, with rear-dump manifoldes, sounded quite different than the newer, with equal-length headers. Both had single exhaust, single cat.

 

I know why!

It's a combination of all the above

 

I've always thought it was a combo of cyl head design (chamber, valve, canted angle, size of valves, port size/velocity, and most importantly efficiency of the head design ie: the better the design of the head, the quieter the exhaust note) and the simple harmonics of a cast iron block vs. aluminum, and all that go into the content of each block material. Hell with harmonics introduced, a particular engine in different chassis could sound vastly different. IMO.

 

Actually it does to me. To me, many Ls1 sound just like mustangs. I used to be able to tell if a mustang was comming down the street , now sometimes I look up and it is a vetter or firebird/ camaro.


I give another vote to the firining order or maybe I should say the way the exhaust is pulsed or the order it comes out ..

I think we all agree the type of exhaust plays a bit of a role, but the order that the exhaust comes out seems to be the biggest. I agree with the guy that said 4.6 mustangs sound like 5.0's . They do to me also, also .

I think they do, ..... but does anyone else think many Ls1 cars sound similar to mustangs .

 

I agree they sound the same . Don't 4.6's and 5.0's have the same firing order. Which would basically determine the way the exhaust pulses come out.


To me , given the same exhaust set up, if you take a V8 and give it the same firing order , they will all sound the same.


I saw someone say something about pistons. Maybe many little things play some role, but the order of the exhaust firing seems to be the main thing. My cousin came over awhile back with a Caprice with an LT1 in it , and dual exhaust and I think an H pipe. Before he pulled up and rang the door bell, it sounded like a mustang was pulling up. I think his car had an h pipe, which like and x pipe, does things with the way the exhaust order comes out, because I know many dual exhaust sbc's that still sound like "conventional" sbc's.

I think what we also have to clear up is engine sounds and muffler sounds. Yes mufflers each have their own tone, BUT engines still have their own distinctive sounds regardless of muffler if the way the exhaust comes out has not changed ( x pipe, firing order, etc) It does not matter it the mustang has race magnums or flow masters, most people will recognize it as that distinctive "mustang" sound. I say "mustang" sound with quotation marks, because ls1's have the same exhaust order, and I have heard quite a few that I thought were mustangs coming down the street. Some sound a bit different because some still have single exhaust, but I have even heard a single exhaust Ls1 with hooker exhaust fool me before I saw the car.

I you did that test Mindgame was talking about with the engines, I agree you will notice distinct differences. ................ But give them all the same exhaust firing order, and exhaust set up , I would bet all V8's with the same exhaust order will sound aboutthe SAME, regardless who made it . And I say about the same, because other things probably do factor in, but "I think" the main factor is the order the exhaust comes out(exhaust firing order) .

To me an aluminum 4.6 sounds just about the same as an iron 5.0

 

IMO firing order has more to do with it than anything else.

 

A buddy of mine posted this on a different board. It is loosely related to the topic.

 

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I have a point that i dont think was mentioned. I really dont think it is the exhaust. I have alot of buddys here with 5.0 stangs, and open headers VS mufflers have the same tone. Ive also heard that ford only uses a "turbo muffler" But point being is that open headers and mufflers have the same tone just mufflers are quieter. Sorry if this has already been stated.

 

i think you need your ears checked out!

a vette sounds like nothing else....and a 4.6 and 5.0 are totally different sounding!

 

Actually, I've seen tests that show almost identical power curves for a standard SBC firing order and one with the #4 and #7 cylinders swapped. I'm not saying that extra power can't be found in some applications, but for most people, it's not worth the cost of having a custom cam ground.

And for the record, the LS1's firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3, not 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2. Cylinders #3 and #2 are swapped as well as #4 and #7, resulting in a smoother running engine, at the cost (from what I've read/heard) of a little power. The LS1 did not gain 50 horsepower simply by changing firing order. The LS1's increased power potential is due primarily to its cylinder heads.

 

The heads are mentioned in that quote. I included it hear as we were also talking about sound, and firing order. That was taken from an SBC vs LS1 sound discussion.