Hey guys, When I got the Max, I planned on performance mods right away... When it came to exhaust I wasn't going to do anything. I decided that I would at least do just mufflers and Y-Pipe. For the first time I heard my car while following a friend who was driving it, and I hear almost nothing. Is there some thing I can do to make it a little louder without getting a full cat back? anything with the cats?

 

Start by removing the resonator and see what you think. If you want a little more also change just the muffler to a greddy or magnaflow. Ofcoarse everyone has their own preference but I found thrush mufflers were a good bang for the buck so to speak and are well built and been around since the muscle car era and sound pretty good.

 

Was this trip you took listening to your car, before or after you have done your y-pipe and mufflers?

 

after.. just yesterday

 

I have 2 magnaflow mufflers (they have IMO the best sound).. will removing the resonator make it real raspy? Will the check engine light come on?

 

I don't believe it should throw any codes but it will make it a little louder giving you the sound your probably looking for. Might be worth a try. You could always put the resonator back in if your not happy with it. Are you still running stock pipe? If so you may want to go about 2 and a half inch but if your not wanting to go with larger pipe or headers removing the resonator is probably your best bet i would think.

 

I went with two magnaflows and stock resonator.
Then cut the resonator our.
Then added a high flow 3"x18" resonator to stop some of the drone.

I get lots of compliments on the sound.

 

When you were running without the stock res, was the drone way too much? Or just a little too much for your liking?

 

It wasn't terrible, but I drive 120+ miles a day. It was too much for that much time in the car.

 

So basically you just replaced the resonator with a better one. Whats a good brand?

I think I'm gonna go this route.. Is the 3"x"18 good for the stock piping or is your set up different?

 

I bought mine off ebay. Just a generic. It is actually 2.5" piping, 3.5"x 18" core.
Stock piping on mine.

 

Here is a good resonator.

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...=main&id=12100

 

Wow, I really like that one since I love magnaflow products. Just a few things, Im trying to understand..

-If my stock piping is 2.5", why do guys get 3"?
-is 18" exactly for our cars, or is it just the length they decided to go with?

 

Little nervous about too loud, or raspy

 

At the most I would go 3" for the mid-pipe and 2.5" aft.

 

is this right? I see resonators to quiet the exhaust sound..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OBX-18-SUV-W...384532&vxp=mtr

 

That's what resonators do - quiet the sound. Intake resonators send intake air through baffles to quiet intake whoosh and exhaust resonators do exactly the same thing.
If you are looking for a little more noise, a less restrictive resonator will increase the sound. If you cut out your resonator, you'd get way more sound and, possibly, drone.

 

Ok that makes sense.

How do I know which ones are more or less restrictive?

 

Hows this one look? perfect fit?

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...=main&id=12104

 

That would be fine.

The factory resonator is about 8x25. You have plenty of room.

 

Ok, so is it safe to say any aftermarket resonator is better than stock?

Now if someone can can tell me the exact size to get.. for my stock piping.. I got a few different sizes from you guys. Is 18" length 2.5 in and out, what I should be looking for?

Thanks

 

Typically, aftermarket resonators from performance brands will be far less restrictive than factory. OEM's tend to do everything they can to quiet down engine intake and exhaust sounds (as well as all engine sounds) to appeal to the widest segment of the population they can.

My old Accord 4 banger had about a ten pound giant block of plastic intake resonator that, when removed, not only opened up the engine's breathing, but made the car sound much angrier.

When you get aftermarket intakes, they either replace or bypass the stock intake resonator, just like on the exhaust side.

As for which resonators are less restrictive and give more sound, sorry - I don't have a clue. I'm sure someone on these boards has a suggestion or two...

 

bump

 

ok I get the 2.5".. what about length? I don't know how big these things are and I just want to make sure its Long/Short enough. 4", 5", or 6" round?

 

how loud or quiet do you want to make it.
You have 28" of length and 8" of space where the factory one was. Anything smaller will fit.
The longer, and larger the diameter, the more it will muffle.

I think 4" is fine, and any length between 16-20 and you should be happy.
If you drive a lot, or really don't want it that loud, then go with the 5 or 6" diameter.

 

Is the 16-20 length body? or tip to tip? the one im looking at is 18" body and 24" tip to tip.

Awesome, I'm looking for just a little more noise, nothing huge.. just something to compliment the mufflers with stock pipes.

 

body length. What you are looking at is fine.

 

Thanks for help boys

 

How about a 22" body is it tight under there? 22" should be quieter than 18"?

 

Well I went with the 4x22 (as recommended by the tech at magnaflow) and the only notable increase in sound is inside the car (little more drone). out side sounds almost identical... If I go with 4x18 would it make the cabin noise worse?

 

Yes it would. Btw Is this a round muffler or oval style?

 

14" oval w/ stock tips

 

This is becoming way more complicated than it should be.......

 

Round is better for sound, at least they are generally louder than ovals of the same size. A smaller muffler will give you more noise and vice versa. That's all the info you really need on a muffler.

A resonator doesn't necessarily add/lessen sound. it really just changes the wave patterns will will alter how it comes out and this lessen drone.