[SOULy_Roller]

Howdy Soul Peeps.....hey, hoping this has an easy fix.
I just FINALLY got around to installing my Doug Thorley exhaust header on my 2011 Kia Soul Plus.

2.0L with the 5-speed Manual transmission in it.

The install went SUPER smoothly (big thanks to RED ZMAN for the super installation/DIY posting!!)

But now that the whole thing is together.....it makes some mighty unwelcome popping and backfiring sounds when I drive it. With each clutch/gear-shift and brief release of the accelerator, it lets out a loud, clunky-whumpy pop sound at the tailpipe. That's a lot of pop-WHUMP sounds. In fact, every time I START the engine, it also lets out a big POP-WHUMP sound at the tailpipe. My girlfriend said it sounds like someone closing a door loudly, hmmmm. It doesn't sound cool, if you're curious.

There's NO other engine or exhaust mods on this car, just the header install.

Anyone else experience this? Hoping someone knows a remedy for this, or can think of something might have done incorrectly......I haven't called Doug Thorley (or Steve Conley) b/c I figured this was the real knowledge base to start with.

Thanks Soul Forum Peeps!!!!!

P.S. -- I know that it ALWAYS takes some time to sort out and tune any newly-installed performance parts in any car, but I really wasn't expecting this kind of thing....it's not like I can re-jet a carb or change the ignition timing to fix this, I don't think....(or can I? You guys tell me, lol...)

 

[Buzz]

So your still running the stock muffler? Maybe it needs to be opened up with an aftermarket free flow muffler like the Magnaflow. There are many people running the Doug Thorley header and this is the first I've heard of this problem.

 

[SOULy_Roller]

Yep, still running the stock muffler.

But hadn't heard that the stock muffler wouldn't work with this header.....didn't the header get developed/dyno'd initially with the stock intake/muffler?

 

[Buzz]

Not sure on that but I would bet it had the Doug Thorley cat back exhaust system on it as they were both developed at about the same time......

 

[fernando]

no customer support at doug thorley ?

 

[SOULy_Roller]

I just chatted with the Doug Thorley guys. They're being SUPER cool / helpful, and are trying to make sense of the issue with me.

They're pretty close to where I work/live -- I might drive over to their HQ and have 'em take a look at my "popcorn popper" exhaust flow (They suggested this!)

Apparently, the exhaust was developed/dyno'd with a STOCK muffler and intake initially, according to the guy at Doug Thorley. (as shown in the video on their website with Shawn's Black Soul, it's just the stock muffler for these dyno runs.)

 

[Buzz]

Well if the headers were developed with the stock intake/exhaust, then there has to be an issue with the header itself. Hopefully the Doug Thorley guys can solve the issue, if it were me I wouldn't drive it much with the popping going on....