Topic: 22R-E hurts ears with a Loud/Drone sound from 1-2K RPM - Normal?

[Charles4x4]

I just picked up my '87 SR5 Turbo a week ago in TX. It has a Marlin W56-B manual. The PO had put a tiny exhaust and no cat on it and it was really loud from idle (900 RPM) up to 3K where it became quiet. So the first thing I did was try to quiet it down with a Flowmaster 50 and a new Flowmaster cat (both very affordable via Amazon).

The new setup fit great and idle sounded quiet and almost a little throaty (if that is possible for a 4 CYL). Then I drove it and it still has a loud almost ear piercing pitch / drone from 1-2K but is quiet at idle and from 2k+. And I can finally hear the Turbo working over 2K for the first time.

It's loudest when I first launch and when I shift a little low in the power band (between 1-2K). If I shift perfect from 2nd on and keep it above 2K all the time, I can limit or eliminate the ear piercing noise.

Is is this normal for a 22R-E? Or do I have a backpressure issue somewhere. It has a K&N air intake if that helps. Otherwise it's stock with 112k miles, only 10k since the 22R-E rebuild, and 2K on the tranny (brand new!).

Any ideas? My wife did not hesitate to point it out...again!

[H8PVMNT]

I would say the intake is certainly contributing.  I changed from stock to an open element on my carb 22r and it is WAY loud when I am in it with the open element.

I had a bad drone in my 4runner with 2 1/4", a resonator and a flowmaster 44 right at highway cruising speed.  We had a bunch of road trips for medical stuff last year and we all got sick of it so I made a small (1 3/4") exhaust with the stock style muffler.  It is way quieter now you can actually talk.

[Snowtoy]

I just picked up my '87 SR5 Turbo a week ago in TX. It has a Marlin W56-B manual. The PO had put a tiny exhaust and no cat on it and it was really loud from idle (900 RPM) up to 3K where it became quiet. So the first thing I did was try to quiet it down with a Flowmaster 50 and a new Flowmaster cat (both very affordable via Amazon).

The new setup fit great and idle sounded quiet and almost a little throaty (if that is possible for a 4 CYL). Then I drove it and it still has a loud almost ear piercing pitch / drone from 1-2K but is quiet at idle and from 2k+. And I can finally hear the Turbo working over 2K for the first time.

Some of the noise could be the intake before the turbo starts to spool, but the drone is likely the flowmaster 50.  The drone is more than likely the muffler.

It's loudest when I first launch and when I shift a little low in the power band (between 1-2K). If I shift perfect from 2nd on and keep it above 2K all the time, I can limit or eliminate the ear piercing noise.

If you are new to import engines, they operate in a higher rpm range than you may be used to, most Toyota engines tend to be just off their tock powerband at 2800-3k, with normal shift points around 4-4500rpms.  If you aren't driving it in these rranges, I would try that and see if the Flowmaster 50 is tolerable, if not would suggest trying turbo muffler. 

I run Flowtech Raptor turbo mufflers, on my rigs, sounds and perfomrs well for boith the 22r(e) and 3.0.  They have a throaty sound, no highway drone, and cost under $30.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/big-50052flt?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-flowtech&gclid=COmZpZCesdMCFdSXfgodiS4CUA

I tried a hi-flow muffler on my 3.0, and the drone on the highway and the trail was too annoying to put up with the performance gain(and loss of mpg's due to being deeper into the throttle to maintain highway speed).  The turbo muffler resolved the annoying drone and loss of mpg's, w/o hurting performance much.

Is is this normal for a 22R-E? Or do I have a backpressure issue somewhere. It has a K&N air intake if that helps. Otherwise it's stock with 112k miles, only 10k since the 22R-E rebuild, and 2K on the tranny (brand new!).

Toyota engines from that era can be a little noisy, tapping injectors and valves etc., but not a low rpm drone.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Some of the noise could be the intake before the turbo starts to spool, but the drone is likely the flowmaster 50.  The drone is more than likely the muffler.

If you are new to import engines, they operate in a higher rpm range than you may be used to, most Toyota engines tend to be just off their tock powerband at 2800-3k, with normal shift points around 4-4500rpms.  If you aren't driving it in these rranges, I would try that and see if the Flowmaster 50 is tolerable, if not would suggest trying turbo muffler. 

I run Flowtech Raptor turbo mufflers, on my rigs, sounds and perfomrs well for boith the 22r(e) and 3.0.  They have a throaty sound, no highway drone, and cost under $30.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/big-50052flt?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-flowtech&gclid=COmZpZCesdMCFdSXfgodiS4CUA

I tried a hi-flow muffler on my 3.0, and the drone on the highway and the trail was too annoying to put up with the performance gain(and loss of mpg's due to being deeper into the throttle to maintain highway speed).  The turbo muffler resolved the annoying drone and loss of mpg's, w/o hurting performance much.

Toyota engines from that era can be a little noisy, tapping injectors and valves etc., but not a low rpm drone.

You may be onto something here.  Two things:
1) I have the stock airbox - I can swap from K&N to stock and see if that helps.

2) The exhaust setup I inhereted and then did the best I could to work with is a stock small pipe that runs to a 2 1/4" pipe, then Flowmaster Cat with 2 1/4" in and out, then Flowmaster 50 (which is much quieter than a 40 - I have this on my 80 series too) with 2 1/4" in and out, then a 2 1/4" angle pipe out.  I wonder if the small pipe going to 2 1/4" components is contributing to the drone from 1500 - 2000 RPM.  I doubt I'll mess with this as I want to do a 3.4L swap anyway.

Also, the best way to describe it is it sounds like a UPS size truck starting to move - that low drone sound only in the 1500 - 2000 RPM band.

[Cheesemaker]

Ditch the Flowmaster!!  They drone horrible on a 4 cyl.  Not as much on a V6, but still there.  If you don't want the sound, go with a cheap $25 muffler and put it on.  I have one like Snowtoy listed, and nice and quiet.   

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Ditch the Flowmaster!!  They drone horrible on a 4 cyl.  Not as much on a V6, but still there.  If you don't want the sound, go with a cheap $25 muffler and put it on.  I have one like Snowtoy listed, and nice and quiet.

Hey, for $25, it's definitely worth a try. It did the same with the old muffler as well though. And is very quiet and nice above 2000 RPM including when on the interstate.

I'm up for trying it, but my drive at low RPM sounded different than the drone at higher RPM that this muffler helped fix above.