The exhaust mods I had mentioned earlier that I was having done, have now been done. Anyone looking for a cheap way of getting the engine to sound like a V8 I would highly recomend the removal of the rear muffler in favor of the straight pipe. Made a world of difference. Had a resonator on for a week, didn't like it as it was still to quiet.
Had it put on my wife's 4L BA MK1, much better there than on mine.
Thanks for the advice.
Just wondering, the V8 motor in an XR8 is the 5.4L Boss.
What do we call the 5.4L 3Valver you get in Fairmonts? Just wondering if it has a proper name. Is it the Winsor?

No, I believe the base model V8's in the BA onwards range are called Barra, like the 6 cylinders. If you go to the ford.com.au website and look at the falcon, and lookat say a fairmont with an 8, it will call the engine the Barra220 (I don't know if that's the exact number but).
Queer isn't it?

Seee - "Barra 230 – 5.4L SOHC V8 3V engine with ZF 6-speed automatic transmission (230kW of power and 500Nm of torque)1 " (http://www.ford.com.au/range/falcon/models/fairmont.asp - down the bottom under optional features).

I think it's retarded that they give the I6 and base V8 the same name (just different numbers to represent the power output diference)!

i think the 3valver family name is modular engine. the boss falls under this category aswell

Yep, all the V8's from BA onwards are from the modular family, introduced in the US in the mid 90's. They use it in their mustangs (smaller block version) F series trucks & even the Ford GT. There are 3 valve & 4 valve heads, as well as the different block sizes (there is even a 5.0L crate race motor available from Ford US). The combination of heads & block that is fitted to the vehicle depends on the application. Falcons just get the bigger block (as fitted to F trucks) with the 3 valve truck heads on the standard range, whereas FPV in Australia fit the same F truck block with 4 valve mustang heads and different camshafts (depending on whether it is a 260 or 290).

An internet search on the Ford V8 Modular Engine will reveal more. The windsor is something different all together.

what is the stock exhaust on the 3v? any chance you can get a sound clip up? would love to hear it

The way to go with exhaust is 12 inch hot dogs in the middle and 14 inch dogs at the rear.
Sounds awesome and no droning believe it or not.
Idling sounds a treat too... A lot of people in WA are getting it done this way especially the utes.

I have got Manta 12 inch centre and 14 inch lukey dogs at rear split to quads.
Finally achieved the sound after chop and changing mufflers...$$$

Will not disappoint.

Here's a pic...

 

 

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File comment: My Toy.... 100_0748 (Medium).jpg [ 69.15 KiB | Viewed 255 times ]

tht system u have on ur xr8 with twin hot dogs middle and rear sounds pretty good. i have a xr8 boss ute n was thinkn of leaving the rear hotdog off for a real muscle note. it'd be a twin system not quad tho. wat r ur thoughts...

Doesn't mean squat till we hear some sound clips!