Thread: Removal of Resonator

Just wondering if removing the Resonator would be a good thing or not. I heard that it improves performance, not by much, but would this make it sound a bit better? Any Ideas or suggestions?

With a cat converter and stock mufflers you'd likely notice nothing except maybe at WOT, but I doubt you'd hear any real rasp from not having the res.

Removing won't increase performance, so its best to just leave it.

Just keep it on.

Most of the restriction in our exhaust is in the manifolds and the ubend. Everything else flows good till something like 300 whp.

OK, Thanks. What would be your suggestion for the Manifolds and U-Bend? Any particular brand that is better (cost effective) that you could suggest?

A plog for the manifolds, and a u-bend delete can be done with a pipe and O2 fitting.

You can also do headers instead of the plog, it costs a little more but you get everything, including deleting the u-bend. Speed daddy makes good ones for a good price of around $220

Link in my signature.

I suggest reading.

Because doing this:

Removal of Resonator.

Is dumb.

For the U-bend= ZZPerformance - Ubend Delete #ZZ-UBENDD
As for headers, there's a few options to choose from. If you can spend the cash, ZZP and TOGS ( The other guys) are the most pricey but well made headers for our cars. There are other brands, like SLP, Pacesetters, ect as far as headers go. Most people on a budget get Speed Daddy headers off ebay. You will need some extra gaskets and clamps when you buy them, but they're currently the cheaper IIRC? Or buy a Plog from ZZP and a 3in DP.

^ yes on Grand Prix stock exhaust removing the resonator is a bad idea. However removing it on a quieter exhaust system yields almost no sound difference. We straight piped the resonator on our 3.8 impala, no sound difference from original setup that I can tell. It's a lot quieter than a res with a large hole, that's for sure.

Probably because it was bypassing the mufflers.

Regardless, a 3.8...even with stock mufflers sounds like crap without the resonator.

Bar none. It needs one.

Right. So if it goes, stick a glass pack in it's place.

I ran no res for years with no sound difference....just saying

It depends on your exhaust setup really. I have no res, and I will say it sounded alot better after removing the resonator than it did with a resonator. Went from a farty 4cyl type sound to a crappy v6 sound. No drone what so ever either. It all depends. If you're stock, just leave it.

Sounds horrible.

Ew.

It's a fact.

Only way you'd be able to get away with not having a resonator is a snail.

It's not really a "like this or that"...it's a: your car buzzes and rasps and drones without one. Not to mention the 3800 exhaust blows anyways.

Our cars do sound like poop, but I will say it doesn't rasp and drone without one. Do i need to make more videos of mine?

We love videos and pics on these forums so yes.

I don't agree on droning with res delete and stock mufflers. Rasp won't happen unless you're revving it or using the "manual shifting" where you're in a gear too low and let off the gas. So normal driving with res delete, you may not notice, especially if you're always in the car.

These are like half a year old. Excuse the whining/clicking noise in the car, its my oil gauge.