Mufflers & Resonators

The exhaust system has two functions: routing the exhaust gas from the engine to the rear of the vehicle and away from the cabin, and quieting the pressure waves created by engine combustion. The first is essential for occupant safety, because internal combustion engine exhaust contains poisonous Carbon Monoxide (CO), a noxious, colorless and odorless gas that in sufficient concentrations can cause severe illness and even death. The second is necessary to prevent excessive noise that could become irritating to you and annoying to other drivers and pedestrians, and also violate the law.

Mufflers and resonators are the exhaust system components tasked with reducing noise. All vehicles have mufflers, but resonators are used only on certain applications, usually luxury cars where a particularly quiet exhaust tone is desired. A muffler has an oval or cylindrical housing with an inlet and outlet that enables it to be plumbed into the exhaust system. Resonators have similar construction and are usually located at the rear of the vehicle. Many mufflers and resonators come with hanger brackets attached and some come integrated with a section of exhaust pipe.

While the internal construction will vary according to exhaust system manufacturer and vehicle application, in general a muffler has perforated tubes and baffled chambers inside the housing, which are designed to reflect and cancel out the sound waves created by the pressure pulses from engine combustion. In addition to tubes and chambers, some mufflers may also include packing or sound deadening insulation. Anything that restricts exhaust flow and creates backpressure, including these sound reducing features, can reduce power. A properly designed muffler, like the ones on our digital shelves, provides quiet vehicle operation while keeping power robbing restriction and backpressure to a minimum.

Muffler and/or resonator replacement may be necessary due to perforation caused by rust and corrosion, physical damage, or internal failure. Mufflers rust from the outside from exposure to the elements and road salt, but they also rust from the inside from condensation, particularly on vehicles driven short distances. The muffler never gets hot enough to evaporate condensation, and the moisture combines with chemicals in the exhaust to create corrosive compounds that eat the metal, which can result in rust through and internal structural collapse. In its position on the underside of the vehicle, the muffler is subject to impact from obstacles and road debris that could cause physical damage. Such damage and internal structural failure can result in excessive restriction and loss of power.

Because perforation with the resulting exhaust leaks and noise is such a common cause of muffler failure, we offer mufflers constructed from corrosion resistant stainless steel and aluminized steel. You can count on them to deliver many years and miles of reliable, quiet performance. These mufflers come in both direct fit and universal versions. Our direct fit mufflers are specifically designed for each vehicle application. They have the same physical dimensions as the original equipment mufflers for easy installation, including hanger placement if so equipped, and their internal configuration is designed to give you OE-type sound quality and level of performance. Universal mufflers may require some cutting and fabrication for installation.