I'm not an expert in cars whatsoever, so I'm hoping someone can fill me in on this... I've got a stock '02 maxima (64k miles, 350z clutch/fidanza flywheel combo, but everything else is stock) and I noticed this morning in the cold weather (could see the exhaust as I let my car warm up) that the right pipe coming out of my muffler has ~4times as much exhaust coming out of it as the left pipe. I had always assumed that the dual pipes were aesthetic and actually connected to the same exhaust, however when I covered up the right pipe with my foot, it was obvious that no more came out of the left and it was all being forced out around my foot.

So in short... If there is ~4 times more exhaust coming out of the right pipe (or 1/4 the exhaust out of the left.. which sould seem to really be the cae) what is going on? Should I bring it in or is this typical?

Thanks!

 

normal
watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=590SCUUrxvM

 

Interesting.... Any reason for this?

 

never had an idea it would look like that... should check out mine.

 

Apparently, the muffler is valved; exhaust gases exit through one tip until a certain RPM and then the valve is pushed open at higher RPMs and the exhaust will exit through both.

EDIT - you can see that in the vid when the guy revs the gases exit both sides and at idle it is only one side.

 

What's the point of the valve? Would you have better flow if it were "stuck" open all the time?

 

I think the valve may be for decibel purposes, to keep the DB's down anything under WOT maybe.

 

http://www.nissanhelp.com/Models/200...escription.htm

 

It's for back presure, I don't know what it is called in English.
When the intake and exhaust valves open at the same time, mixed air goes in to the cylinders. But if the exhaust is flowing too much air out of it, mixed air will be sucked out of the cylinder, then you lost torgue at low revs. So when the rev is low, exhaust let less air goes out to keep more torque.
On the other hand, better flow means less resistence at high revs.
I read this from other website, but I'm not sure..

 

Thanks for the info. That was quite informative.