Losing the resonator

[lookout4theyeti]

Well my flowmaster cat-back just isnt cutting it for me anymore.. Sometimes its nice and loud, and other times it just doesnt sound very aggressive at all.

I finally decided that im cutting the resonator off that came with it. I already went to autozone and got some straight exhaust pipe to replace it. Hopefull this will bring it back to life.

This summer im also getting a high flow cat..(something i shoulda got long ago) and hopefully that'll help with the sound too.

What are you opinions/experiences/suggestions?

[grayman]

firehawk muffler frm ebay.

3" in with dual 2.5" outs. more of a 'muffler' than a magnaflow but the car is very deep sounding. less loud than other aftermarket catbacks. sounds mean and tough.

[Harrison]

ive got the am. thunder setup too and ive thought about doin the same thing. Ive got headers and a high flow cat though so im satisfied with how it is now. that resonator's sole purpose is to help eliminate some of the v6 rasp. i wouldnt want to chop it off and find out it will be more raspy, then be pissed at myself for doing it. maybe someone else on the board has cut their's off?

i say keep it on and go buy a high flow cat for 50-60$. You will get a better flow and a better sound all at once. you will notice a nice difference in sound with the high flow cat.

[fast 3.4]

High flow cat definitely helps.

[99v6cam]

Are we talking 2.5" flowmaster or 3" because if it's 3" you do NOT wanna take that resonator off because IMO it sounds like sh!t.

[98 3.8]

I don't believe Flowmaster sells a 3" system with a resonator. He's referring to the 2.5" American Thunder setup.

[lookout4theyeti]

Yea its the 2.5". I think it'll sound alright without having the resonator

[lookout4theyeti]

Well i got it done earlier today. Only took about 20 minutes, everything went pretty smoothly. I sawzalled off the resonator, and replaced that section with the straight pipe i bought, and clamped it. I gotta get it welded still, but im in no rush since tomorrow is my last day of spring break and then i head back to toledo.

Anyways, i think it sounds great. Yea, when i rev it up in nuetral there is rasp up above 3500 rpms, but under load it sounds great, and neither me nor my dad noticed any rasp. Definitally louder than it was, i like being able to hear it when the car is just sitting there. Before i took the resonator off, you couldnt tell the exhuast was aftermarket unless you gave it some gas.

My next plans are to replace the cat this summer when schools over. I think that will also make a huge difference, im sure mines gettin clogged up by now seeing its six years old. Once i get that done in the summer, i'll take a video of my car so you guys can hear it.

All in all, if you guys are running the american thunder cat-back and want a little more sound, consider losing the resonator. It'll be louder, but as i stated, i didnt notice any rasp under load, even in the higher rpm range.

oh yea, thinking about it, if i can find something to record just a sound clip with, i'll try to get that tomorrow so you guys can hear it, before i get a video up.

[98 3.8]

Nice! I'm interested to find how this sounds.

[lookout4theyeti]

well... sorry guys i couldnt get a sound clip today... i go back to school tomorrow... The only thing i can think of trying tomorrow real quick is if my phone will record a good sound clip.. It usually takes decent sounding recordings, but i doubt it'll replicate the exhaust sound very well... but if it does i'll send it to my computer and post it for you guys.

[lookout4theyeti]

damn... sorry again... i tried taking a clip with my phone, and all you hear is a static like sound.. definitally didnt record the exhuast tone at all..

anyways.. i really wanna get this up so you guys can here it, especially for those of you with the 2.5" flows that are considering doing this..

Im going back home again this coming saturday to go to the autorama with my dad. I'll take my video camera home and make sure i get a good clip.

The sound is so much louder now than it used to be. Driving the 2 hour trip from cleveland to toledo on the turnpike/freeway, there was a lot of interior drone. When i was at a consistent speed at a lower rpm going around 65mph, there was a very subtle yet deep growl to the exhaust, but when i accelerated to pass you could really hear it loud. I loved that grumble tho at consistent speeds, it sounded so good. I even had one person at a rest stop ask if it was a z28, and he was shocked when i told him it was the 6.

[zerofailure]

i have the american thunder catback as well.. what size straight pipe did you get and how long was it? you stated you had clamps, i take it you got clamps from the flowmaster? im in the same boat as you looking for louder sound. i also need a high flow cat, so if im going to do this im going to do it all at once.

[ March 17, 2006, 12:52 PM: Message edited by: zerofailure ]