What affect will replacing resonator with X pipe have?
08-05-2018, 12:06 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
What affect will replacing resonator with X pipe have?
I have a '96 LT1 with one stock cat on each forward side, a stock resonator in the middle, and two Magnaflows (one each side) in the rear. What would happen to the sound if I were to replace the resonator with an X pipe, and keep the rest the same? I'm asking since I do have some cabin drone when accelerating. I luv the look of the stainless Magnaflows a lot and really want to keep them. Just wondering if there was a way to change out the resonator to X pipe (or something else) to reduce drone?
Last edited by RetroGuy; 08-05-2018 at 12:07 AM.
08-05-2018, 04:48 AM
#2
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St. Jude Donor '05
Resonators job is to quiet things down, think if you removed it youd get more volume.
08-05-2018, 07:14 AM
#3
I had almost that exact setup years ago.
short tubes, stock cats, x pipe, magnaflow resonator, magnaflow mufflers. I removed the resonator and personally hated it. It was way loud and the drone was unbearable.
I now have a Frankenstein’s system with an x-pipe, no resonator and stock mufflers - and that, I love. It sound s great, keeps the volume in check and has no drone. Removing the resonator brought out a lot more V8 burble sounds, I really recommend for stock mufflers. With aftermarket (typically louder) mufflers you risk going over the top on volume and creating a lot of headache inducing drone. But everyone has their preference, I went through many exhaust iterations before finding my current combination that I like.
short tubes, stock cats, x pipe, magnaflow resonator, magnaflow mufflers. I removed the resonator and personally hated it. It was way loud and the drone was unbearable.
I now have a Frankenstein’s system with an x-pipe, no resonator and stock mufflers - and that, I love. It sound s great, keeps the volume in check and has no drone. Removing the resonator brought out a lot more V8 burble sounds, I really recommend for stock mufflers. With aftermarket (typically louder) mufflers you risk going over the top on volume and creating a lot of headache inducing drone. But everyone has their preference, I went through many exhaust iterations before finding my current combination that I like.
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RetroGuy (08-05-2018)
08-05-2018, 10:15 AM
#4
Drifting
Thread Starter
I wonder if my 22 year old stock resonator can be replaced with another type that would be a little quieter...
Last edited by RetroGuy; 08-05-2018 at 10:34 AM.
08-05-2018, 09:50 PM
#7
Drifting
Thread Starter
08-06-2018, 12:15 AM
#8
I also have a 96. I first deleted the mufflers. Sounded great outside but the drone in the cabin would give you a headache. UNTIL, I got rid of the resonator and installed an X-pipe. Same great sound outside but what a.difference in the cabin. You can actually have a normal conversation without yelling.
08-06-2018, 10:02 AM
#9
Drifting
Thread Starter
I also have a 96. I first deleted the mufflers. Sounded great outside but the drone in the cabin would give you a headache. UNTIL, I got rid of the resonator and installed an X-pipe. Same great sound outside but what a.difference in the cabin. You can actually have a normal conversation without yelling.
08-06-2018, 10:55 AM
#11
Drifting
Thread Starter
I believe I found the Magnaflow resonator "Bill S" has in his photos posted earlier above. This has the internal x-pipe design, on Magnaflow's site. If it gets rid of the drone with my Magnaflow mufflers, it would be totally worth it. I just have to find out what size pipes I have leading to the stock resonator, then get the Magnaflow X-pipe resonator that has same size or slightly larger inlet/outlets to avoid restriction/constriction of flow. Anyone know the size of stock pipes leading to the resonator on a 1996 LT1?
Last edited by RetroGuy; 08-06-2018 at 11:05 AM.
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mrodoc (08-06-2018)
08-06-2018, 09:03 PM
#12
Zen Vet Master Level VII
The exhaust nor is ever so slightly louder but certainly not loud. When you punch it, you get way more engine "spool" sound from an LT5 verses the exhaust.
08-09-2018, 11:13 AM
#13
Drifting
Thread Starter
I have a '96 LT1 with one stock cat on each forward side, a stock resonator in the middle, and two performance Magnaflows (one each side) in the rear. What would happen to the sound if I were to replace the resonator with an X pipe, and keep the rest the same? I'm asking since I do have some cabin drone when accelerating. I luv the look of the stainless Magnaflows a lot and really want to keep them. Just wondering if there was a way to change out the resonator to X pipe (or something else) to reduce drone?
08-09-2018, 12:19 PM
#14
Experimenting with exhaust is the approach I took to chase the sound I wanted at the near stock volume I wanted. It took a number of iterations to get there. If you can do your own welding it isn’t too expensive in parts especially since you can sell off what you don’t end up using in your final combo.
08-09-2018, 03:14 PM
#15
Last edited by Dr_Shakalu; 08-09-2018 at 03:16 PM.
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JimLentz (08-09-2018)
08-09-2018, 04:43 PM
#16
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If I understand your original post; your 96 has a completely stock exhaust with the exception of two lovely looking mufflers and you have drone inside the cabin that you would like to reduce. It's fairly well agreed upon that on the LT1 the stock dual exhaust system doesn't produce drone at highway speeds. You're intended solution to reduce the drone is to replace the stock resonator with an aftermarket one from the same company that makes the aftermarket mufflers.
I've got two shiny pennies that says your drone level is going to get worse after this change.
Do you still by any chance still have the stock mufflers that came on the car? (I understand that you didn't buy it new so the mufflers may have been changed out prior to you owning the car) New OEM mufflers are not going to be easy to find.
I've got two shiny pennies that says your drone level is going to get worse after this change.
Do you still by any chance still have the stock mufflers that came on the car? (I understand that you didn't buy it new so the mufflers may have been changed out prior to you owning the car) New OEM mufflers are not going to be easy to find.
08-09-2018, 08:46 PM
#17
Instructor
Correct. This is what my car sound like with no mufflers, no resonator and installing an xpipe and it's quiet in the cabin. When the resonator was on, the drone was deafening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wtUVL1VvM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wtUVL1VvM
08-09-2018, 08:50 PM
#18
This is the x-pipe that I bought. From Amazon of all places. It was recommended to my by another Corvetteforum member.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003M2IKVE/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003M2IKVE/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
08-09-2018, 10:35 PM
#19
Drifting
Thread Starter
If I understand your original post; your 96 has a completely stock exhaust with the exception of two lovely looking mufflers and you have drone inside the cabin that you would like to reduce. It's fairly well agreed upon that on the LT1 the stock dual exhaust system doesn't produce drone at highway speeds. You're intended solution to reduce the drone is to replace the stock resonator with an aftermarket one from the same company that makes the aftermarket mufflers.
I've got two shiny pennies that says your drone level is going to get worse after this change.
Do you still by any chance still have the stock mufflers that came on the car? (I understand that you didn't buy it new so the mufflers may have been changed out prior to you owning the car) New OEM mufflers are not going to be easy to find.
I've got two shiny pennies that says your drone level is going to get worse after this change.
Do you still by any chance still have the stock mufflers that came on the car? (I understand that you didn't buy it new so the mufflers may have been changed out prior to you owning the car) New OEM mufflers are not going to be easy to find.
08-09-2018, 10:41 PM
#20
Drifting
Thread Starter
Experimenting with exhaust is the approach I took to chase the sound I wanted at the near stock volume I wanted. It took a number of iterations to get there. If you can do your own welding it isn’t too expensive in parts especially since you can sell off what you don’t end up using in your final combo.