Replace a Resonator With a Straight-Through Silencer Glasspack Muffler

The average driver is always looking for ways to improve their driving experience. Whether it’s a new car, or something as simple as a tune-up, there’s always something that can be done to make the process smoother and more efficient.

Tuning up your engine isn’t just about performance, it also affects how your vehicle sounds when you’re driving around.

This blog post will cover two of the most popular types of exhaust systems: resonators and straight-through silencer glasspack mufflers.

Table of Contents

What is a resonator?

Resonators function by “tuning” the engine’s combustion frequencies into ranges that do not have severe enough harmonics to cause massive amounts of noise pollution. These resonators are typically mounted in passages leading from the engine’s cylinder heads and collect the “screaming” exhaust sound waves, or high-frequency pulses created when fuel is burned, and redirect them back through the engine, using the same path as the gas flow (thus maintaining the engine’s performance) but altering the sound.

Resonators are generally cylindrical in shape but may be designed as any polygonal shape. They are usually made of fiberglass or aluminum, with some manufacturers even using carbon-fiber for the sake of weight reduction.

What is a straight-through silencer glasspack muffler?

A straight-through glasspack muffler typically refers to an aftermarket product, which is used to reduce engine noise. It’s similar in purpose to the resonator, but there are some key differences that make it unique. Straight-through glasspack mufflers are mainly used by car enthusiasts, who want to reduce exterior noise levels, while not impacting engine performance.

What is the difference between a resonator and a straight-through silencer glasspack muffler?

The main difference between these two components is their internal structure. Inside of a resonator, you’ll typically find chambers that are packed with fiberglass and metal mesh.

This complex and restrictive structure means that resonators only allow the flow of sound waves traveling in one direction. They dampen noise that is produced from the engine compartment by reflecting it back into the system rather than allowing it to exit out through the tailpipe.

A straight-through glasspack muffler, on the other hand, contains a large chamber with a perforated metal core. This simple and open structure means that the straight-through glasspack muffler has a better ability to vent noise, which reduces exterior sound levels.

Can you replace a resonator with a glasspack Muffler?

Yes, you can replace a resonator with a glasspack. Although resonators and glasspacks are two different types of mufflers, they provide a similar function in eliminating unwanted noise.

They both use perforated internal chambers to allow the engine’s exhaust sound waves to travel through, but their designs and performance set them apart. A resonator’s design is more sophisticated than a glasspack and actually eliminates noise more effectively.

There are two types of noise that can interfere with the performance of an exhaust system–resonance and drone. Resonance causes the sound waves to vibrate at the same frequency, creating a loud droning noise.

The glasspack muffler uses internal chambers to eliminate this resonance effect by adding more wavelengths in between each chamber. The glasspack muffler also uses chambers to eliminate the drone effect, where there is actually sound interference within an enclosed space (similar to an echo).

The resonator on the other hand integrates chambers in the resonance process but prevents them from creating unnecessary noise when eliminating drone. It does this by using stiffening rods that remove the extra wavelength (or extra noise) within an enclosed space.

Since the glasspack muffler adds more internal chambers, the exhaust sound will degrade much faster than a resonator. However, it can be used as an inexpensive alternative to creating pure resonance, which is what you get with a resonator.

Reference

What Is a Resonator and Why Should You Care?