Has anyone noticed a difference in performance with or without the silencer in your cat back? I had mine out for awhile and put it in one day not expecting any difference other than sound, but it feels much more sluggish without the silencer. I've heard the myth that back pressure is needed for torque on n/a vehicles, could that be it? I'm not sure if I'm imagining it or not, but my friends noticed a difference too.

Kris

 

As for your question I couldnt tell you. But I have a completely unrelated. I just ordered a Megan catback yesterday how do you like yours?

 

By silencer do you mean resonator? And no it shouldn't make a noticeable difference whether you have 0 or 2 resonators. They are made to kill sound, not power.

 

i think he might have meant the little cap that goes on the tip of the muffler.

 

If you mean resonators than no......they will not affect performance one way or the other....They are kinda like a muffler.....just their to silence the noise.

 

hes not talking about a resonator. A silencer does decrease power because you are restricting your exhaust flow to a 1" hole at the end of your muffler. Whats the point of having a larger exhaust if it all gets constricted at the end?

 

Well tha's not completely unrelated.... The exhaust sounds awesome, a little loud at first, but it mellows after a week or so. It puts 4cyls to shame with or without the silencer, which is always fun. and I noticed a decent power upgrade from it over a stock catback. The only issue I have with it is that mine rubs slightly across the frame in one place and causes an annoying rattling sound from time to time. I plan on getting a small bit of exhaust wrap for that section to make it snug with the frame and cut that damn noise out.

Also, do you have a 95-96 or a 97-99 because 95-96 need an extra 6" section of pipe made to make it fit. I couldn't shill out the $120 they quoted me at midas (for a 6" piece of aluminum pipe!). So I hit autozone and grabbed a piece of universal exhaust tubing with the proper outside diameters on both ends and used it to fill the gap. I had to heat the exhaust with a butane torch and keep the pipe in ice water to make it fit, but it worked and now the whole thing is snug as it could be. If I ever have $120 just laying around and no longer feel the need to eat or buy myself clothes, I may fix it. But as for now, it works.



as to the silencer. Yes blakmaxed is right I was talking about the little metal piece that bolts in the end and restricts it to like 1 inch. I don't know why but if I drive for awhile WITH that silencer in, and then take it out, it feels like my car is bogging down in low end. Almost like it has more trouble getting itself going WITHOUT the silencer. that is completely counterintuative to me, but for that reason, and a surplus of bored cops in my town, the silencer remains for now.

 

Hm that's weird if you ask me. If anything, the car should bog a lil' more with the silencer in, not out. I don't know what to tell you.

 

it may take the car a bit to adjust to such a difference in exhaust restriction.

 

so you're saying that the car isn't used to having such a free flowing exhaust and needs to adjust? hmmmm I guess that could be it

 

I also got a Megan cat-back, and love the sound. I had an issue of it hitting also by the back right side in front of the rear wheel, just have to play with it a bit and youll find your solution to make it work.

 

Ive got a megan, the sounds is good, but it gets extremely loud when you also have a y pipe. it was too much for me for day to day so i switched back to the stock muffler, still sounds aftermarket, but much more live-able day to day. also doesnt attract the wrong attention.

as far as the silencer goes, i really cant imagine it restricts flow that much, because of how it sits in the muffler it doesnt really restrict, its hard to describe, but youll see when you get it.

a side note, make sure you tighten the bolts that hold it in really well, i lost mine while driving once, it was kinda funny. and yeah mine hits the undercarriage on left hand turns when i hit a bump, but i live with it.

 

how can you not imagine it? You are taking a 3" muffler tip and turning it into a 1" tip. its like breathing normally verse through a straw. I know how they sit in the muffler and what they look like, I threw my silencer away.