I was underneath my 96 for the first time today, and I noticed that it looks like there are three mufflers on this car. I'd like to chop out the one underneath the car, run pipes instead, and use the rear mufflers only.

I searched but only came up with removing the rear mufflers, not the center one. I was wondering if anyone has done what I'm thinking about doing, and if it is worth the time/money?

thanks,
Patrick

 

It's not a muffler, it's a resonator. It is straight thru with no restrictions.

Remove it and replace it with straight pipes and you'll get some really nice (not) resonance around 1500-1800rpm, an increase in sound level, and zero performance gain.

 

"if" you remove it and replace it with a x-pipe, or h-pipe you should be (in theory, since I have not tried this) fine.

I am going with an aftermarket system, but the one that i am purchasing happens to have an x-pipe AND a resonator. From talking to the local guy who owns the same exhaust system, he suggests removing the resonator and replacing it with pipes (keep in mind, i have an x-pipe already present though).

 

I had straight pipes, with straight threw Magnaflows on mine. It was loud but not a daily driver either.

click the link below

 

On my 91 it was the main cat

 

On the LT1, that's a resonator, not a muffler, just as the others have said. Indeed, if you replace it with an X-pipe, you might pick up a little performance, at the risk of a loud droning sound at 1600-1900 RPM. Of course, YMMV.

 

I removed the middle resonator on mine and replaced it with an x-pipe shortly after I removed the mufflers. It had zero effect on resonance. All it did was improve flow and give it a slight change in tone with a pulsing sound at idle. I do have a convertible though which typically has less resonance issues.

Here's mine with x-pipe.



Here's a pic showing the insides of the resonator, I believe this is from a 95.

 

On my 93 Coupe I just have two straight pipes instead of the resonator and I have abolutely no resonance problems!!! But there are muffler eliminators in the rear, too... No mufflers/resonator = great, loud V8 sound without any resonance issues!!!

Last year we measured it with a sound level of 123 Decibel!!!

Regards
Rico

 

I went with muffler elims and a Magnaflow true-x muffler in place of the resonator. It didn't lose any performance and "feels" like it gained some. But the sound is really nice. Aggressive, but not crazy loud. Resonance is almost nill.

 

OK - I call BS on the guys that say X pipes have no resonance! Unless they have something all together different.

I recently spent a bunch of money on EM Long Tube headers, Random Tech Cats, Magnaflow X pipe, Magnaflow 3" Mufflers and pipes.

It sounds incredible... Really it is awesome sound between 3500 and 6000 rpm. But there is still a significant amount of resonance at the 1800 RPM zone. I have an automatic so that may be the difference, but in my opinion DO NOT remove the resonator unless you have a custom system going on to the car or you have some other valid reason. I am changing gears soon, so my resonance may change around a bit, I've gotten used to it now so it doesn't bug me like it did initially, but I assure you it is still there.

The other guys may have Corsa systems or something but just an X pipe will have some resonance issues.

 

In my personal experience with the exhaust on my car, I noticed that once you add a dual-tip, no matter if there is a muffler infront or not, there WILL be resonance. As I did, I ran a single pipe out of my flowmaster and it had NO resonance at all below 2k RPM. When I put on the tips I gained back resonance from 1400-2k, which I actually like compared to the silence it was before.

That being said, ANY muffler with a functional second tip will resonate to some degree. Corsas do not because the second tip is just for show, and has no purpose except to be there. Flowmasters, Magnaflows, and Borla have mufflers with functional secondary tips and will resonate(Flowmaster being the loudest). If you don't want resonance, I suggest going single pipe with a single tip out or an LT1 tip. Dual tips always resonate.

 

On the 85 it is definantaly a cat. I replaced mine with an x-pipe, and the performance and pickup where for sure improved!

 

I have Hooker LTs, dr gas x-pipe, and borlas. The sound is awesome, but you will have resonance. If you want a quiet car but more hp, then look somewhere else to gain the power (heads, cam, etc). Here is a link to what my car sounds like under WOT.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fusea...ideoid=3872620

 

LT cars have quite a few differences. I missed the fact that the OP had a 96'....Sorry for the confusion

 

The OP was asking about a '96 so I responded to his question.

 

QUOTE=biggrizzly;1567490519]OK - I call BS on the guys that say X pipes have no resonance! Unless they have something all together different.

I recently spent a bunch of money on EM Long Tube headers, Random Tech Cats, Magnaflow X pipe, Magnaflow 3" Mufflers and pipes.

It sounds incredible... Really it is awesome sound between 3500 and 6000 rpm. But there is still a significant amount of resonance at the 1800 RPM zone. I have an automatic so that may be the difference, but in my opinion DO NOT remove the resonator unless you have a custom system going on to the car or you have some other valid reason. I am changing gears soon, so my resonance may change around a bit, I've gotten used to it now so it doesn't bug me like it did initially, but I assure you it is still there.



The other guys may have Corsa systems or something but just an X pipe will have some resonance issues.[/QUOTE]


I believe the resonance is just the nature of increasing exhaust flow. I don't care what you do, there will be resonance at some point once you get into freeing up flow. I'm probably sounding like a Mgnaflow rep here, but they make a great product. It's a dual in dual out muffler that pretty much fits right into the resonantor spot. Yes I get some resonance under specific conditions, but it is very short lived and not dramatic. The muffler has the x-pipe built in + sound absorbing material. With the muffler elims, at WOT it sounds like a pure hard pounding SBC. At cruising rpms you can have a normal conversation without the recurring "What?"

 

First mod I had done was replacing that resonator with an x pipe and replacing the rear mufflers with some very low restriction flowmaster race mufflers. Is it louder now? Yes, but that was kinda the point.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

Is it easy to replace the rear mufflers but keep the stock tips? are there any aftermarket mufflers that are about the same dimensions of the stock mufflers, so that I do not have to get a full catback setup?

 

I have to disagree. On my 95 along with a hot cam kit I've got stainless works LTs and RT cats feeding into my stock resonator and mufflers and there is no noticeable interior resonance and I drive my vette every day. The stock dual exhaust system on an LT1 is supposed to be relatively non restrictive up to about the volume of about 400hp if you're getting resonance ... then you need to try putting the resonator back in.

 

My mistake...Sorry