Remove resonators? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

SoCalJD · 4th August 2007, 02:18

Although I love the sound of my Sebrings...I can never leave things well enough alone....so I'm thinking about this. The problem is that- nobody alive can tell me what to expect. My man at AGA said: "It'll be stupid loud. Or not. I'm not sure". I don't think they're too loud...although the LACS seems to think otherwise. I don't mind loud...but I wouldn't want "stupid loud". Any thoughts? I'd hate to do the work and then find out I hate it.

DouglasABaker · 5th August 2007, 02:18

You are unlikely to get an answer unless you ask someone w/ Sebrings and your exact setup.

The problem with guessing what it will do is that resonators are designed around a specific frequency of input and therefore only perform the intended increase/reduction in volume/frequency around that one input frequency.

By changing over to Sebrings you have changed the basic characteristics of the exhaust, and hence your "starting point" for sound is different that those of us with stock systems (or even different aftermarket systems).

Trying to guess what will happen is the same as trying to guess whether the next stop light you come to will be red or green. You basically have a 50/50 chance of getting it right (louder or quieter), but if you have driven the route before (ie. performed the same modification) can make a much more educated guess.

d-

SoCalJD · 5th August 2007, 13:29

[quote=DouglasABaker;1102884]You are unlikely to get an answer unless you ask someone w/ Sebrings and your exact setup.
>>>

AFAIK, I have the only E-39 on the planet with Sebrings, so that ain't gonna happen.

DouglasABaker · 5th August 2007, 14:50

Have you tried calling Sebring then? They would be in the best position to give you an answer. The other option would be to cut off the resonators and try it. Worst that happens is you have to put them back on with a pair of couplings.

d-

Evil One · 6th August 2007, 00:47

The resonator removal didn't make a LOT of extra noise when I did it. More of a better note. I understand your 'zorst is not stock, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think the res' has much of a quietening effect, more a 'tone' effect, like Doug said, based around a certain set of freqs.

It's not hard to remove in such a way as to allow re-installation later. Give it a go and post some vids for us!

Cheers

E55AMG2 · 6th August 2007, 00:58

What type of muffler is the sebring? Chambered? Straight through? The main thing you will probably notice is the in-cabin resonnance. Not so much the little extra outside noise.

SoCalJD · 6th August 2007, 02:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by E55AMG2

What type of muffler is the sebring? Chambered? Straight through? The main thing you will probably notice is the in-cabin resonnance. Not so much the little extra outside noise.

>>>

Not sure. I'm the detail guy...not a wrench.

E55AMG2 · 6th August 2007, 06:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalJD

>>>

Not sure. I'm the detail guy...not a wrench.

The detail guy is the one who's supposed to know, the wrench just does the installs

Evil One · 6th August 2007, 07:19

I know JD's isn't stock & mine is, so this may not be entirely applicable, however when I removed my resonator there was no resonance or 'boominess' in the cabin at all. It just sounded a wee little bit louder than stock inside - so little in fact that if you didn't compare them back to back you'd swear it was a stock system.

Outside the car it's a similar story, except that when you give it a good throttling the car has this really nice crackling note to it that the stocker never did, and is a little louder as well.

Still, at no rpm do you get any 'boom'. Instead you hear what sounds like every individual piston firing - like an infinite series of little far away explosions each one discrete from the other.

I love it as it is now (as you can probably tell

) but I recognise that what 'does it' for me may sound like complete rubbish to someone else. As in everything it's horses for courses.

I should add that I replaced my resonator with a fabricated x-pipe, not 2 bits of straight through piping, though I don't know how much difference that makes.

robluvs2xlr8 · 6th August 2007, 10:26

I have Dinan exhaust and I took off the resonators.

It's louder, but not stupid loud IMO. When you go wide open throttle, that's where it will really get loud.

SoCalJD · 8th August 2007, 07:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by robluvs2xlr8

I have Dinan exhaust and I took off the resonators.

It's louder, but not stupid loud IMO. When you go wide open throttle, that's where it will really get loud.

<<<

(There seems to be 2 resonator threads going currently). I had mine taken off today. LOVE the sound.

Maybe someone at the meet Sat will be able to record/post it, but I think it's the baddest sounding exhaust I've ever heard. VERY happy. Not sure if it does anything performance-wise, but losing 20lbs (?) of resonators *has* to help. Noticed a broken swaybar bracket while it was on the lift, so I got that taken care of too.

Evil One · 8th August 2007, 07:31

Well done mate, glad you're happy with it.
Have you heard it under load from outside the car?
I got my brother to drive mine past me while I stood on the side of the road, and MAN, what a difference! It sounds so much better under load than just listening to a free-rev!

Laidback · 8th August 2007, 07:32

Jd is in a modding mode...I have to hear that baddest exhaust on saturday

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalJD

<<<

(There seems to be 2 resonator threads going currently). I had mine taken off today. LOVE the sound.

Maybe someone at the meet Sat will be able to record/post it, but I think it's the baddest sounding exhaust I've ever heard. VERY happy. Not sure if it does anything performance-wise, but losing 20lbs (?) of resonators *has* to help. Noticed a broken swaybar bracket while it was on the lift, so I got that taken care of too.