CHRISCARGUY

I am kicking around the idea of upgrading my exhaust but don't want it too loud, just louder and freer breathing. What would be the benefit of either deleting the resonator but using a muffler, or deleting the muffler while using a resonator. Was looking at ZZP's where you can mix and match with/without either. Losing 1 or the other beneficial? I like the "look" of no muffler but would then keep the resonator. Any thoughts?

firemangeorge

Well. I tried the muffler delete. The rest of the exhaust was stock. Too much of a "ricey" fart-can sound for me. Lots of crackley, sputtering, and popping on deceleration.
It also produced that dreaded highway "drone" at cruising speed.
Plus, my wife said it sounded crappy.

Wound up putting an aftermarket muffler back on. (the wife said to that)

CHRISCARGUY

So I wonder about removing the resonator and going w/ the muffler only? ZZP has the option to do 1 or the other or both or neither....kind of mix and match. I want more sound and better breathing without being obnoxious. I've had other cat-back systems on other cars in the past but they never had both a resonator and a muffler, just the muffler.

badassbowtie

My current exhaust set up is no resonator and stock muffler. I just cut the resonator out, welded the flange to a straight pipe that had a flared end at the opposite side. It sounds a little more aggressive. I like it and I think with the right muffler it sounds awesome.

The muffler delete is just a little to noisy for me also( I had no res or muffler for a bit) I would recommend you start with the resonator delete and if its not enough for you, swap mufflers. DONT throw any of this stuff out incase you change your mind

firemangeorge

And for that odd bit of info:
The SS came with 2 different mufflers.
The automatic trans. version had 6 rows of internal baffle holes.
The 5 speed version had 2 rows of internal baffle holes.

Just something else confusing to think about.

Oldblue

I tried a Porter muffler in place of the resonator and no muffler in the stock location it was a little better but not worth the effort I now have no resonator and a Magnaflow muffler , much better

firemangeorge

That may be true in your car oldblue, but the OP has a SS.
It may be like the old saying, "comparing apples and oranges."

Not saying it wouldn't work but who knows for sure if it would give the same results on his SS.

CHRISCARGUY

That actually IS one of the options from ZZP is no resonator and a Magnaflow muffler and was the direction I was leaning. My SS would be different than yours but I think it would be similar outcome-- louder than stock but not obnoxious and adding some free flow.

Blue_SS

I want to play with mine at some point, too. As a rule, turbo cars need the resonator less because the turbo "disturbs" (for lack of a better term) the exhaust flow enough so it isn't as raspy and full of pops like an NA engine is.

So, I think I would try a no-resonator-and high-flow-muffler setup on the SS myself. I'm kind of partial to Magnaflows, but that's a personal thing, I know.

My last car was an NA car with 2 resonators and a Magnaflow, and it was pretty good like that. Loud enough to hear it clearly in a helmet, but not so harsh or droning that I couldn't live with it while driving 100 miles a day.

2005HHRauto

Believe it , or not, the stock HHR SS 'cat-back', is a very good, free-flowing,
exhaust system.
The stock resonator is 'fiber-filled', 2.5", with straight-baffled tubing, for maximum flow.
The stock muffler is also similar, 'fiber-filled', with an increase in the 'baffled'
tubing size, to 2.75", and is basically a 'straight-thru' muffler, with just a 'gentle-curve', inside, with the tubing.
Any change that you make to the stock 'cat-back', will really be for your personal 'taste', & 'sound', preference.
I have yet to find any 'power', with any changes, to the stock 'cat-back'.

Power, torque, & a more 'free-flowing exhaust system, can be had, by properly 'coring', the 2nd 'cat'.
The 2nd 'cat' is the only 'restriction, with the HHR SS exhaust system.
Search for 'threads/posts', that I have made, about properly, 'coring', the
2nd cat.

'Coring' the 2nd 'cat', will not make your exhaust system, any 'louder', it will just remove, the only 'restriction', in our exhaust system, but it will give your HHR SS, more power/torque...