Removed the turtle from the exhaust
 

So decided today to remove the turtle from the exhaust system today as like may I love that the LR3 is a great vehicle with so much ability, yet stock is sounds like a moped or a sewing machine!!!!

So after a bit of time cutting the turtle out, adding in some new pipe - it now sounds like a V8. Nothing to loud inside or out and actually I would say it has a nice rumble now, unless you give it some and then......well....:D:D:D:D.

Having a problem uploading videos,so have done as 3 different posts due to the file sizes are, first are before removal of the turtle. Then the same stretch of road, same gear and you can hear the difference. The final is just music to my ears.

video 1 before removal

after removal

From the outside after removal

Yep it reminds me of a Jaguar F-Type when ya give it the beans after the turtle is removed. I know uppity people love a quiet ride, but muting a V8 to sound like a Prius is just wrong to me. I'm a gearhead, motorhead, and the sound of a V8 is music to my ears.

I yanked that turtle off within 2 days of buying my 06 HSE and it's the best thing I've done to it. Slap it over into Manual mode, and downshift to 3rd and it sounds so sweet on a 35-45MPH stretch of road. Getting onto a freeway or passing someone brings a smile to my face. Who needs a 160K AMG G-Wagon when ya just gotta remove a stupid turtle shaped resonator? lol

It does not sound hacked or like a cheap exhaust job with a cherry bomb. It reminds me of how a Magnaflow is supposed to sound. Quiet when around town or cruising, but step on it, and it sounds like it means business.

This all sounds great....but let's not kid ourselves, it does NOT sound like an F-Type!!!

Is your turtle gone? Have you gone wide open throttle?

It's very similar to an F-Type DOHC V8 sound. Of coarse it is not gonna sound exactly like an F-Type geez. I clearly said it "reminds me" of an F-Type.... It certainly doesn't sound like a stock typical LR either...

The LR3 doesn't have an "Active Exhaust" button so it will never sound identical to an F-Type unless you install some type of electric cut outs on the exhaust. For 20.00 removing the middle resonator certainly lets you hear the same DOHC V8 note (especially at WOT). If you swapped out the muffler for a Magnaflow, and removed the resonators on both exhaust tips it would be even louder, but I don't want 100% F-Type sound on my LR3 as my wife & kids are in it.

Dude I was just playing along with your hyperbole....anyway, I have not removed the turtle. I've always been tempted to, but would want to hear what it would sound like in-person both inside and outside and on a long trip. I like the idea of really hearing the V8, but would want to avoid any drone on a long trip.

No problem, it isn't bad at all. When just cruising around it sounds maybe as loud as a stock 5.3L V8 Tahoe. Then if ya give it the beans it sounds like you jumped into an F-Type/AMG Black. It really has a nice burble to it. My wife used to drive an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.7L V8 that I had slapped a flowmaster on and she loved it, and my newborn at the time always fell instantly asleep in it. Then I got the LR3 and my wife actually said it's kinda quiet with a sad face. So that settled it and I had my friend remove it at his shop. Brought it back home, let my wife drive it and she was all smiles and my now 5 year is going weeeeeee whooooo from the back seat.

I've taken it on a few long trips since and once you're cruising she's nice and quiet, but if you gotta pass someone it wakes up for sure. I now have a 6 month old little one and she falls asleep like my oldest did.

well why don't ya drive on up to Seattle and we can take it for a spin! ;)

My brother in law lives in Seattle & my mom and brother live near Portland, OR.

Cool....I grew up in Southeast Portland; I've lived in the Seattle area for 20 years now.

Its actually pretty reasonable just pottering around, a little more noticeable than before certainly, but not loud or drony. That said I've now given it plenty of pedal and I would agree, its not the usual loud, cherry bomb, screaming at you noise and to be honest I never wanted that. Its a nice sounding engine that I would describe a quite tight, rather than the sound you get from a BB engine that sounds wet and slappy. Strangely though, tonight on the way home on ove-run coming off the highway and shifting down a couple of gears its even reminded me of a Ducatti 996 for those who know that sound - well it did to me anyway.

Regardless, I like it now and I'm the one I have to please :-)

So tempting....I never liked the whiny sound of this exhaust/engine setup.

It sounds really nice if ya drop it into 3rd gear and leave it there at say 45-55mph.

I'd like to try a magnaflow muffler on it one day, but I'm very pleased with the 20.00 setup. I'm happy my wife is happy and my little Land Rover spotting 5 year old loves it so win win!

Yeah my favorite are the pops and burbles on overrun when slowing in Sport mode. My brother in law calls it the race SUV.

To be honest, like others have said, it's only really loud above 2500RPM or so. That means cruising on the highway or around town is pretty quiet.

The only time it annoys me is when cruising on the highway with cruise control engaged going up hills. The V8 doesn't have enough juice to maintain speed climbing long hills and you really notice when it drops 2 gears to maintain 65mph and it sounds like you just dropped the hammer. People around you probably think you're doing it on purpose. The cruise control is pretty aggressive and will do that to keep speed.

I have considered adding some sound deadening material just to avoid that one annoyance, but I'd never consider putting the resonator back in.

Sweet, sweet V8 music.

I rarely use C/C unless I'm on flat terrain. Any C/C system just isn't as smart as I am at applying the proper amount of throttle to maintain speed up a hill vs VVVVVVVVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrooooom & 2 gallons of fuel later lol.

My wife bought a supercharged 2012 RRS and I really like the sound of that exhaust. I'm wanting to add more rumble to my 07' LR3 but don't want the droning sound at highway speeds. How does it sound at a constant 80mph? Also do you have a pic of the mod?

Here in TX 80MPH is the norm, once in 6th gear and cruising it does not drone. Heck I don't think it ever drones. It's just got guts at about 3K and up.

Did you notice any change in power?

No change in power, but when you go to pass someone you do get a huge smile on your face as the quiet 4.4L V8 wakes up and sounds fantastic.

Yeah no droning as long as you are in 6th and cruising. It does get a bit tiresome on hills/mountains when the 4.4L just isn't powerful enough/geared to maintain 80mph up a grade. Most other cars can maintain speed without needing to shift down a gear or two. When it shifts down, it does get loud.

I'll post a pic later this week. No real noticeable change to the power and I find the same thing as the rest, on a grade 6th is just too tall and it will drop back to 5th pretty quick. I use the manual mode quite a lot and that will hold 6th all the way down to 60kmh if you let it, but below 80kmh there is nothing for acceleration as the gearing is so high, even on a slight hill. That said the engine is not short on power at all and if you try it you can pull away from a standstill in third without any problem whatsoever.

Its been a couple of months now since I took the turtle out and I have no regrets..

Dang dude! That sounds like a proper V8. Its nice to hear that out of the back of a Land Rover rather than basically nothing like on the new models. I have a 4.0 V8 in my Discovery, and despite the fact that its 21 years old, I always liked the grumble it made. Its nothing like this though, well done! It sounds stupendous.