So … public presentation mufflers . We ’re not talking about clamp - on outsize tailpipes – those wo n’t do anything at all to help your car ’s performance . In fact , they might in reality slow your car down . That ’s because these parts just bestow weighting and electrical resistance without actually opening up the exhaust flow from the engine – it overlaps to give the look of a bigger exhaust system , but the same constricted old pipes are still doing all the work . Nope , if you want to live a few extra horsepower , you ’ve produce to endow in high - quality exhaust part . ( And a cheap caricature " esthetical " add - on wo n’t give you the aural benefits , either … but a real one will . )
When a real operation damper is installed , it ’s unremarkably as part of a more comprehensive qat - back system upgrade . ( Cat - back just means everything from thecatalytic converteron to the back of the car , including middle pipes , a cavity resonator and a muffler or two . In most country , it ’s illegal to mess with the catalytic convertor because of environmental regulations , but it ’s allowable to advance the computerized axial tomography - back portion . ) Since the muffler ( in reality , just the tailpipe ) is what the great unwashed actually see , it ’s one of those visual benchmark that might signal whether or not a car has been modified ( if you ’re on the street check out the competition or maybe shopping for a used machine ) . Hence all those ghastly clamp - on tailpipe covers and extenders that just might be convincing enough to fool someone from a good distance off .
Let ’s be clear here : When talking about the muffler , understand that upgrading the cat - back system as a whole is really the only way you ’ll experience any noted power gains . It does n’t hurt to kick upstairs the muffler on its own , of course , especially if it ’s arusted - outmess and you need to replace it anyway . But the gains , if any , will be minimum . Replacing your car ’s damper alone is not enough to spread up the restrictive exhaust system and allow the superfluous airflow that increases operation . Everything that comes before the damper , where the pressure is greatest and operation electric potential is gamey , will remain tight and engorged .
MagnaFlow , an aftermarket exhaust maker , says that its customers can expect horsepower gain of around 10 percent ( which is a reasonably commonly - quoted image ) . However , MagnaFlow cautions that this is by no means a guarantee – the car ’s overall experimental condition plays a Brobdingnagian part in its performance potentiality , whether it has other upgrades or not . So do n’t expect a carrying into action silencer alone to solve all your woes . Performance mufflers are plan to run good as part of a team effort .
Performance Muffler FAQ
Lots More Information
Can we talk for a minute about the horror that are clinch - on fake exhaust tips ? No one really believes that a 15- or 20 - year - onetime compact hatchback has a full performance exhaust that ’s so big , a muscle builder could inclose his arm up the cubitus . Especially when the car still sounds terrible – wheezing like a three - pack - a - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. smoker . And what for ? To entice competition that the car ca n’t deal ?
For the most part , it seems like those days are over … at least where I live . Or mayhap it ’s that I ’m too old and fag to notice it anymore . But I ’ve always believed it ’s undecomposed to just drive the gondola completely blood than to neutralise money making it face like it has been modified . It was a tacky aspect of car culture back when a considerable segment of the population might have been cod – it ’s even worse now that the trick has run its course .