resonator delete opinion

[paolopp]

Hey all
Just wants some opinions I have a 2001 530i and just in the process of replacing the standard rear bumper with the m sport and then i'll be looking to get a little more grunt from the exhaust.
Will be replacing the drooping tail pipe with either a single or dual tips.
Question is, I want a little more sound from the exhaust and looking at deleting the resonator and replacing with a straight pipe. What would this achieve sound wise...just a little more grunt? any loss of power?
Thanks
P

[jicaino]

No. You may drop the scuba tank but the reso gives you more tq's.

[edjack]

Has this been confirmed on a dyno?

[jicaino]

Has this been confirmed on a dyno?

Yes. Search over Aquila's thread on the matter. There's dyno proof over resonator delete causing loss of peak HP and TQ

[paolopp]

okay, just done some more searching and most seem to suggest removing the scuba and leaving the res...will check this out in more detail before committing

[Djscottyc]

Straight pipe from the resonator back would give you some sound but it's illegal in most states if they catch you. would be difficult to get state inspection.

[b2ke]

Yeah I've got a resonator delete on my 540 for about a year now. It sounds good but I really want to put it back on for that loss of torque. I mean the v8s are known for their torque so a res delete isn't a good idea.

[paolopp]

okay that's it, no res delete then! :)
Will look at other options

[jicaino]

Straight pipe from the resonator down will give you a nice agressive sound but no drone.

[syphilouis]

I removed my y-resonator and it made it slightly deeper but not louder. I added a magnaflow muffler the other day and still not too loud but sounds good. If you do a dual setup with y resonator delete it would probably sound pretty good. And you can always get the tq back up using smaller diameter piping in theory...

[jicaino]

I removed my y-resonator and it made it slightly deeper but not louder. I added a magnaflow muffler the other day and still not too loud but sounds good. If you do a dual setup with y resonator delete it would probably sound pretty good. And you can always get the tq back up using smaller diameter piping in theory...

dyno proves you wrong.

[syphilouis]

never said i was right, i said in theory. i doubt the loss would be noticeable.

[jicaino]

never said i was right, i said in theory. i doubt the loss would be noticeable.

Again, you're wrong. Have you taken your resonator and scuba out, as to offer advise? People that has been told not to remove the resonator have listened to advise such as this you're giving (uneducated advise) and they regret having done so. Not for the tone, but for how boggy the car ends up being. Removing the exhaust resonator does not displaces the power band up, as larger runner manifold does. It kills the scavenging effect and produces loss all over the rpm range.

I want to remark that I'm not trying to pick up a fight with you, but offering first hand experience. On the latest thread regarding this matter, a fellow member provided dyno sheets for this.

[Flounderasu]

Not for the tone, but for how boggy the car ends up being.

Correction - AND for the drone. Ask Ruski - he went straight pipe from cat back on his 530i....then threw on a resonator....maybe he'll jump in on dis thread yo'.

[syphilouis]

I have my y resonator removed, and I didn't notice any loss, but that's just me. I'm also not trying to argue I was just stating what I have read.

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And can anyone provide the link with the dyno info?

[Flounderasu]

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2148452-Muffler-Delete-Butt-Dyno-says-lost-low-end

page 2 but read through the whole thing.

[geargrinder]

IMO you do get a little drone w the scuba delete. Not terrible drone, mostly only at particular low RPM / mid-throttle, and for the "nothing is ever too loud enough for me" types i think they either dont notice it, or, maybe even like it, but it is there... But it isnt the bad highway speed drone most people are worried about...

re: the butt dyno resonator delete... Its a pointless argument with these guys J. Just like the insistence that the intake rsonator delete must be faster cuz its louder, nobody wants to learn about helmholtz effects and scavenging... Louder=Faster-on-the-butt-dyno , proven time and again regardless of actual facts.

[jicaino]

IMO you do get a little drone w the scuba delete. Not terrible drone, mostly only at particular low RPM / mid-throttle, and for the "nothing is ever too loud enough for me" types i think they either dont notice it, or, maybe even like it, but it is there... But it isnt the bad highway speed drone most people are worried about...

re: the butt dyno resonator delete... Its a pointless argument with these guys J. Just like the insistence that the intake rsonator delete must be faster cuz its louder, nobody wants to learn about helmholtz effects and scavenging... Louder=Faster-on-the-butt-dyno , proven time and again regardless of actual facts.

It's not entirely drone free, as the scuba has yet another resonator in addition to the Y resonator. What can I say, I prefer cars that I can drive fast while my better half sleeps. She arrives rested and so does my unbusted... err.... "chops".

[Flounderasu]

IMO you do get a little drone w the scuba delete. Not terrible drone, mostly only at particular low RPM / mid-throttle, and for the "nothing is ever too loud enough for me" types i think they either dont notice it, or, maybe even like it, but it is there... But it isnt the bad highway speed drone most people are worried about...

re: the butt dyno resonator delete... Its a pointless argument with these guys J. Just like the insistence that the intake rsonator delete must be faster cuz its louder, nobody wants to learn about helmholtz effects and scavenging... Louder=Faster-on-the-butt-dyno , proven time and again regardless of actual facts.

I concur - I experienced some drone with the muffler delete...which is why I went with a muffler this time around. Besides it was too much noise for where I drive - bouncing off walls etc.

But people like what they like....or like what they wanna like. I can't tell you how many people chop off the mufflers on every car and they think it sounds good....but exhaust note is highly subjective once you get beyond the actual performance portion...but louder is faster man.

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It's not entirely drone free, as the scuba has yet another resonator in addition to the Y resonator. What can I say, I prefer cars that I can drive fast while my better half sleeps. She arrives rested and so does my unbusted... err.... "chops".

Yeah - I have still always wondered what a 1 scuba tank setup would sound like.....

[silverE39]

Thank god I saved my y-resonator. Ready to re-install after 1.5 years of some cherry bomb replacement. Definitely loss hp/torque in all ranges. It sounded nice, though!

[geargrinder]

I concur - I experienced some drone with the muffler delete...which is why I went with a muffler this time around. Besides it was too much noise for where I drive - bouncing off walls etc.

But people like what they like....or like what they wanna like. I can't tell you how many people chop off the mufflers on every car and they think it sounds good....but exhaust note is highly subjective once you get beyond the actual performance portion...but louder is faster man.


LOL coudn't agree more w/ all of this.

It was exactly the low-throttle 'bounce off walls' bit that drove me nuts in the end. Driving around in hard-surface urban environments... irritating- 'BWLWWWALAAAAAAA' all the time at that resonant point. Its minor enough that you don't notice at first and thats why every single delete modder ever since the big bang beginning of time insists and screams and yells until they are blue in the face that there's no drone, but about 80% seem to come back later and go "uh yeah I'm adding a muffler back in". Me too.

The full delete does sound mad good at WOT on the highway but with a freeflow muffler in place of the scuba tanks, and retaining the Y, IMO it sounds great and subtly rumbly great at idle and low throttle, and still pretty good when opened up, 100% happy with it.

I may go full custom exhaust eventually, purely for blower breathing performance, but if I do I will be sad to lose the Y-rez cuz I think it will probably not sound as good.
Retarded twennysunthin stancetards will like it better cuz LOUD IS FRASTEST MAN!!!! LOUDER LOUDER LOUDER!!!!! but the current setup is near ideal for me.
Plus the wife will yell at me if it gets louder again.

[AquilaBMW]

Another exhaust thread! WHOO HOO!!!! Let's rock! I see all the usual suspects are here. I am one of those guys that like loud, but I hate paying the price with performance. I did A LOT of reading about the resonator and the helmholtz design attributes. There are a number of people that have gone as far as building a replacement resonator to retain those attributes while still deleting their mufflers and such. In the future, I will be playing with that idea.

[agentrnge]

Retarded twennysunthin stancetards will like it better cuz LOUD IS FRASTEST MAN!!!! LOUDER LOUDER LOUDER!!!!!

You win 2 internets for that one. lol

[paolopp]

Okay a decision has been made. The resonator is staying...I have spoken with a place that I have worked with before (they replaced my springs previously) and they will build a very small custom back box with dual stainless steel pipes. They said that will give a nice little increase in sound and the dual pipes should look great poking out of the rear diffuser. I know it's all subjective, but I don't want it too loud, but when I give it some gas i want to hear something...it's just to polite at the moment.
I know this thread will continue on, so let's have it!!

[AquilaBMW]

Okay a decision has been made. The resonator is staying...I have spoken with a place that I have worked with before (they replaced my springs previously) and they will build a very small custom back box with dual stainless steel pipes. They said that will give a nice little increase in sound and the dual pipes should look great poking out of the rear diffuser. I know it's all subjective, but I don't want it too loud, but when I give it some gas i want to hear something...it's just to polite at the moment.
I know this thread will continue on, so let's have it!!

Ahhh... so quintessentially British :D

[geargrinder]

There are a number of people that have gone as far as building a replacement resonator to retain those attributes while still deleting their mufflers and such. In the future, I will be playing with that idea.

This was on my list of possibilities. Hang a little helmholtz can off in exactly the OEM rez location to try to emulate that.

[AquilaBMW]

This was on my list of possibilities. Hang a little helmholtz can off in exactly the OEM rez location to try to emulate that.

Yup! There are compact ways to build a helmholtz. I am still figuring out the numbers of what would be needed for my application, but it doesn't seem to complicated.

[philly98540]

I'd really like to see both the 540 and M5 resonators cut open. They look very similar on the exterior, but obv they are different. On the M5, I'm guessing both sides of the res likely act as a classic resonator without the hemholtz res function. The 540 version clearly has the dead ended helmholtz.

The reason I bring this up, is the M5 version does not create drone either, so the need for a helmholtz in the design is suspect IMO.

Maybe the M5 version has something going on inside it to create a helmhotz type chamber? Not sure. Piping or baffles inside it? Anyone have some cut away pics?

I was wondering about this M5 res for a while. One could use it for doing a proper dual exhaust on a 540, that is tame and powerful with some decent sound, but no drone. Put on your muffs of choice to tune the sound.

[JaxPlanet]

"Retarded twennysunthin stancetards" ROFLMAO!

[syphilouis]

Okay so the tread I was pointed to was about the v8 cars, and I'm assuming non vanos? I'm more than willing to admit that I'm wrong but on the 6 cylinders I'm sure there is a bit of a difference to it negatively affecting the cars power

[ErrolFlynn]

I just recently had a exhaust shop create a new system for my 97' 528i. We went with 2'1/2" piping. Did away with the stock resonator and scuba tanks. I had them place a resonator and cherry bomb in place to a tip. The result came out to zero drone, a nice throaty tone outside of the car. It's not loud but certainly highlights the M52s "power" or lack thereof. I would recommend it to anyone and it only set me back $200.

[freethrowdunk]

I couldn't be more content with the exhaust note of the car as it currently is: no drone whatsoever in any gear (I drive with the steptronic engaged almost always); not too loud; appreciably pleasant at WOT. This after experiencing a whole variety of changes, acoustically and cosmetically. I'd advise against straight pipes in lieu of any resonator (note: this does not mean that I'd prefer to leave the OE lung-shaped resonator on there, but that I would install some sort of aftermarket piece manufactured by a reputable company).

As it stands, I have a pair of Magnaflow oval-shapped muffler/resonators up front in place of the square OE resonator, a pair of Vibrant Ultra Quiet resonators (http://www.amazon.com/Vibrant-1141-Ultra-Quiet-Resonator/dp/B000E3VHWI/ref=sr_1_2) where the lung-shaped OE resonator is normally found, and a pair of Magnaflow 14815 mufflers (http://www.amazon.com/Magnaflow-14815-Polished-Stainless-Muffler/dp/B000CC9CDM/ref=sr_1_1) at the rear. I presume you will not be going the dual exhaust route but that in any case your car's exhaust note will not sound too differently even with one muffler at the rear and one resonator at center, with the OE square one still in place. You can see the Magnaflows and the Vibrant resonators in this picture:

http://i.imgur.com/u8CDsmN.jpg

[Narvin]

Perfect example of a stancetard:

straight pipe from the cat back 530i

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03M6wjZkAc&spfreload=10

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and here is the muffler deleted with scuba tank deleted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaUX8SGKR-A&spfreload=10

[geargrinder]

I'd really like to see both the 540 and M5 resonators cut open. They look very similar on the exterior, but obv they are different. On the M5, I'm guessing both sides of the res likely act as a classic resonator without the hemholtz res function. The 540 version clearly has the dead ended helmholtz.

Great question Chris. Don't know and agree an autopsy would be cool. But I do know this tasty fact:

The M3 big box mufflers apparently ARE internally designed as a helmholtz, despite not looking like that arrangement from the outside. Which explains why those big boxes are "not as dumb as they seem for an M muffler"... I couldn't find a good cutaway of the E46 M3 muffler but apparently it's the same - looks like a box but internally has a number of secret chambers that are helmholtzes.


http://www.dinancars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picE90-92Exhaust2.gif

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Perfect example of a stancetard:

straight pipe from the cat back 530i


Just to be clear - sounds ferociously awesome... for a hobby/track car. Not for my street car. Ever.

But for ripping around a track? Great. (oh yeah -stancetard suspension... can't go to track and would be tehsuxorz slow-ass misery if it did... but you know what I mean...)

:devillook

Wiseass rips aside, I'm not being snide about the part where it does sound cool as an engine sound. Pure BMW I6 deliciousness.

[Narvin]

Just to be clear - sounds ferociously awesome... for a hobby/track car. Not for my street car. Ever.

But for ripping around a track? Great. (oh yeah -stancetard suspension... can't go to track and would be tehsuxorz slow-ass misery if it did... but you know what I mean...)

:devillook

Wiseass rips aside, I'm not being snide about the part where it does sound cool as an engine sound. Pure BMW I6 deliciousness.


It does sound awesome, it's the best sounding I6 =). Couldn't stand it when my bro had an E46 m3. That thing sounds so rice sometimes.. but that thing was real fast..

[geargrinder]

I DELETEDWORDSTHATJIMLEVWON'TLETMESAY HATE the E46 M3 rasp. So many dudes think it's good, again "becuz loud and abrasive = fastarded!!!". Fairly happy w/ the setup I have now w/ Agency headers to Euro cats then Status Gruppe / SCZA back but even now it's a little buzzy. Supposedly that will continue to go away as the SCZA packs out a little bit. But your 530 sounds much better tonality-wise.