jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

I don't know what I was thinking, but I went ahead and got the resonator deleted while the car was on the lift to put on the Comptech Axle backs. (I was going to get all new piping custom made, thus creating a "catback" system, but they said the stock stainless steel piping was better than what they would have put on) Anyway, the drone @ 1500-2500rpm is absolutely HORRIFIC. I need SOME resonator back ASAP. I thought Comptechs were on the quiet end of exhaust.

1. Question is, what aftermarket resonator should I get? (I've seen many go with the 18" Magnaflows?) Or should I just put the stock resonator back on?

2. Once some type of resonator is back on, will most of the drone go away? Especially @ ~2000rpm

3. Why is it that the exhaust note goes away at the higher end of the gears?

Thanks...

1osunut

I put on a Comptech Cat Back system and it sounded great. I prefered it to be a tad quieter so I purchased the silencer inserts from Comptech - now its perfect. I can always pull them out if Im going to a show or cruising but for everyday driving the silencers are great. Reinstall the factory resinator or buy the Comptech center section and the silencers.

fsttyms1

Well yea your going to have drone if you remove the resonators. Try getting the quiet tip inserts for the comptech mufflers and see if that is still to loud for you. I have them and they make a big difference. Other wise you will have to get a new resonator put in. The comptechs are the quietest of the systems.

and the sound doesnt go away in the higher gears. Its still there there is just other noises drowning it out in the cabin so that you dont hear it.

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

I'm really thinking I need to get a resonator back on? I guess I'll look around for prices on a 18" Magnaflow I really just want a subtle clean exhaust note w/ a little bit of deepness to it. That's why I went w/ the Comptech's instead of the WS2. (I haven't really heard it from outside the car, I'm sure it doesn't seem as loud as the horrible drone inside. This is what I thought it was going to sound like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwBAQSClXYA)

TLsu

Get a 22in magnaflow resonator from www.hottexhaust.com

ProvidenceLeaf

I thought the same when I first took the resonator off with my Comptechs. I got used to it. Just like everyone else said get the quiet insert tips. It will help. Good luck.

Leo Type-S

you should of just kept the stock resonator on. if it was still loud, you should just do the quiet tip inserts like everyone has been saying.

good choice for an exhaust though! comptechs are the best looking imo. perfect size.

fsttyms1

the noise is there with the resonator on, you just dont hear it inside, but every one out side does.

SmoothCruizer

put it back on --- the resonator says what it does --- controls the resonating sound which engines make at certain rpms.... but with tricks that i know you can use it for a advantage(sound control) and other ways.... but you know the muffler before the two in the back? thats used for sound volume (basically collects etc) delete that one if you want some loud mufflers in the back BUT only if you have aftermarket mufflers in the rear....BUT your taking a chance with the noise police too which my state has something up their #$@ about loud pipes.... Have fun

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

I don't really care about the noise outside. It's really not that loud at all, which is great. It's the inside drone.

My question still remains, what type of resonator? 18", 22"?
I have no idea what it will sound like.

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

The stock resonator is a "straight through" type. Is that the same with the Magnaflows? Should I get alumnizied or stainless steel?

with


without

fsttyms1

Id do a 18

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

That's what I would think. I mean, the stock resonator is only 8.5" long by 10" wide. So I'd imagine the 18" would work better. Have you seen them in stainless steel?

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

FWIW, I just got back from the exhaust shop. I had an 18" Magnaflow resonator/mid muffler put on. Drone = 80% eliminated. Sound = SEX. The exhaust note suits the car, mild but deep, w/ NO rasp whatsoever. Muffler was about $65 and the shop installed it for $40.
I'm very happy. (My neighbors probably are too...)

fsttyms1

farmdevil

Today I got 2.5 inch pipe starting at the Cat and running to two Magnaflow mufflers in the back. I had both resonators removed but I do still have them in my possession. From all of my reading on here, I was worried about the noise. It turns out that it is pretty loud. Mainly I don't like the sound between 1500 and 2000 RPM inside or outside.

I guess part of my problem from all of my reading is I haven't exactly figured out what people are refering to when they speak of the "resonator". Are they both called resonators or is one a "mid-muffler" and what does each one do?

My options are:
1) put the big resonator back in
2) put everything before the Y back in
3) get a Magnaflow resonator

Of course I also wonder what the life-expectancy on those stock resonators is (the car has 117,000 miles).

I like power and a healthy sound. But this is a luxury car and I do want it to be a bit more normal sounding when I'm just driving around town in that 1500-2000 range. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

farmdevil

Of course I forgot to mention, I have a 2002 TL-S.

fsttyms1

Go with a aftermarket 16-18 inch resonator. Something like magnaflow.

farmdevil

Ok, ya I'm beginning to think the Magnaflow route is likely the best choice. A few questions though...

1) Are both of those stock things called "resonators"? Is the Magnaflow resonator intended to replace both of those?
2) I see that the 18" MagnaFlow only has a 2.25" inlet and outlet. Is there a reason you don't recommend the 22" that would come in 2.5"? I assume (possibly incorrectly) that the 22" would be quieter.
3) I actually asked the shop for 2.25" pipe initially but for some reason they put the 2.5" on there. Is that a terrible idea due to low-end power loss and loudness? Should I ask them to switch it to the 2.25"?
4) Above you (fsttyms1) say that the resonator will keep me from hearing the noise but people on the outside still will. Is that an exageration or will the resonator truely make zero difference to those outside the car?

Thanks.

fsttyms1

Both do the same, the larger one just takes care of more of the drone.
the larger you go the quieter you will get
you honestly probably would never notice teh drop in low end if you actually had any
they are designed to get rid of certain frequencies. Thats inside and out. It will quiet it outside as well

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

I have a TL-P, so stock, it only had 1 resonator/mid pipe. (I guess the TL-S has 2? Like the +04 TL's) Resonator/Midmuffler generally are 2 words for 1 part. If you look on Magnaflows website, the part you want to buy is simply called a "muffler". Magnaflow makes parts so you can make your own exhaust system if you wanted to. I bought a 18" Magnapak Muffler from MagnaFlow Online. Part # 10424 (Magnaflow doesn't sell parts directory to consumers)
http://www.magnaflowonline.com/catal...c5d64b926ce274

The 22" will quiet the exhaust more than the 18" will. For me, the 18" was PERFECT. More than 80% of the drone is gone. All that really remains is the exhaust note. It was like night and day.

The resonator quiets the sound inside and out. But for myself, I mainly wanted to quiet the drone inside. Everyone who had heard my car from the outside said it sounded good. Now, it sounds nicely tuned.

BraveDemon

Thanks jayunsplanet. This is the solution I was looking for. I just ordered an 18 inch magnaflow resonator... I customed on an Invidia Catback (originally made for an AV6) and it turned out to be MUCH louder than expected.

I mean.. you know the exhaust is too loud when you start setting off car alarms...

The outside noise doesn't bother me too much.. it's the damn drone I can hear inside that's really annoying.

farmdevil

Hmm... so based on what I am gathering the 22" may be the way for me to go so I don't have to have them mess with putting smaller pipe on. I wonder which will be quieter: the 18" with 2.25 or the 22" with 2.5.

It worries me a little that you say "Everyone who had heard my car from the outside said it sounded good" since I don't think anybody would say that about mine right now. So I'm wondering if I might need more dramatic action than you did.

Thanks for your input. This is the first question I've actually asked, but I've always found an amazing amount of useful info on these forums in the past.

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

Well, don't go off that. One guy drives a loud Camaro SS, the other a STi w/ exhaust, and are probably used to louder cars. I personally didn't think the sound suited the car, it sounded like a UPS truck. Although, the fact that you have larger piping, might infact make a difference. I feel that a 22" on mine would be too "quiet". But on a full catback w/ wider piping, a 22" might suit it well. Try whatever you want, worst case scenario is you get another size and waste ~$100 (or sell the resonator to someone, maybe even the exhaust shop)

farmdevil

I'm also figuring there are several other variables that may make our setups different.

1) the mufflers
2) the type-s
3) possibly intake

I think tomorrow I'm going to talk to the shop about putting that 22" one on there. This was something I had told them all along might be a possibility so they probably won't be surprised to see me back. Unless of course tonight anyone posts any amazing insight to change my current thought process.

I spend so much time researching everything I do to this car. I'm an engineer so I guess it's to be expected, but its gotten a little crazy. I just want to do everything the "best".

fsttyms1

The TL-P has 2. It has a small one and the mid muffler (both are refered to as resonators)

farmdevil

ya, that's how mine is...

There is one really small one up front and then a big cantalope-sized thing in the middle.

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

Is it right up there mixed in the the cat? Must be small then.

farmdevil

I just thought of another question. I've heard that exhaust upgrades may hurt my gas mileage slightly. Is it likely that the 2.5 inch pipe will give me worse mileage than the 2.25 due to whatever minimal effect it may have on my low end?

fsttyms1

It goes Cat, resonator, mid, Y, 2 mufflers


3 is cat, 12 is resonator, 30 is mid muffler, also referred to as resonator

fsttyms1

No they wont hurt mileage. No aftermarket parts do. Just because they make more HP doesnt mean your mileage is going to go down. Its not adding the amount of HP gain all the time, only usually under WOT and certain RPMS

BAPE head

So, just to get this straight, you replace PART 30 with the Magnaflow aftermarket resonator, but don't touch part 12? or do both parts get replaced?

Thanks,

Kevin

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

This is part 30


Part 30 was removed.


Magnaflow in place of stock. (Part 30)

You can see the straight stainless steel pipe where the old resonator was. Because the Magnaflow is 22" long (18" body, 2" ends) it has to be installed further down the pipe closer to Part 12 and the Cat. No big deal. Just make sure the shop welds in a brace somewhere along the pipe. The Magnaflow is much heavier than the exisisting pipe. Any shop that has their head out of their butt will do this install in 15min w/out a problem.

fsttyms1

You can remove both or just 30. Problem is finding room. most put in a straight pipe in where 30 was and remove 12 for the magnaflow resonator

farmdevil

So I got my new 18" MagnaFlow resonator installed the other day. I ended up going with the 2.25" one. It really helped out a lot. I don't have too much drone anymore if I'm just doing normal driving. It's still a bit loud when I'm accelerating from stop and also when I set my cruise at 80. But now at least I'm happy enough with it that I can put some miles on it and see if I get used to it or if it gets quieter. I could always upgrade to that 22"er if I decide I'm unhappy with it. It's not that big of an investment.

Another thing I noticed is, since the sound is deeper overall, I don't get quite as nice a whine in the VTEC range.

I'll let you guys know what I ultimately do.

Got_3.2?

iTrader: (2)

jaysunplanet- when u put the magnaflow resonator on did it take away from the deep throaty sound outside of the car or did it just take the drone out from inside/

i wanna take away from some of the drone inside the car but dont wanna lose the awsome sound outside since thats the way i want it to sound outside. hope a 18" wont affect the outside sound

BigLizard

Trying to get rid of the drone removing the mid-resonator is not going to happen. Any aftermarket resontor regardless of how quiet they say they are, is still going to give you some kind of drone at a certain RPM level.

I used a Twister racing muffler for the mid-resonator.

Got_3.2?

iTrader: (2)

i love the drone of the exhaust but inside the car it is pretty dam loud. just want to tone it down a lil bit in da car so i can atleast talk 2 the person next to me lol

farmdevil

The drone inside did get noticably better by installing the 18" Magnaflow as compared to not having one at all. Outside the car I'd say it also got quieter but it still sounds pretty sexy.

Right now the main thing that irritates me is the drone at about 80MPH or when I'm going up a long, gradual hill at any speed. I think some of you guys like them a little louder than I do. I personally would prefer that people didn't realize I had an aftermarket exhaust until I burned them.

jayunsplanet

iTrader: (1)

A little, but there is still plenty of noise left.
Inside the car, at the dreaded 1700-2200rpm, there's no drone while cruising. However, it's still there when you accelerate, which is ok for me now. I will note, I've ridden in a few other cars recently, and wow, is my car like riding on a quiet pillow.