How to Do a Muffler Delete

Only a few people know how to do a Muffler delete.

It’s probably because there’s not much information about how to do a muffler delete.

However, this article guides you through the best method to perform a muffler delete on your automobile to achieve the sound you want.

What Is a Muffler

Mufflers are the last part of your vehicle’s exhaust system and act as resonators to minimize the noise your engine produces.

Even though the muffler is being deleted and the straight pipe exhaust systems are being swapped, it’s not the same.

Muffler deletes only remove the muffler, while full exhaust systems remove both the muffler and the catalytic converter.

Deleting mufflers is popular for a reason, and believe it or not, sometimes it’s about more than sound.

Below we have highlighted two of the most common reasons people perform shock lubrication on their vehicles.

For Increased Performance in Older Vehicles

If you drive a nearly 20 years old or older vehicle, there is a good chance that removing the muffler will increase your top-end performance.

This is because the mufflers, also called dampers, on older vehicles are extremely restrictive and increase engine back pressure which isn’t good for your vehicle’s engine.

In simpler terms, mufflers are not good for the engines of older vehicles.

More Aggressive Exhaust Sound

While mufflers can be good for older engines, the reason they’re so popular comes down to one thing and one thing only – they dampen the aggressive sound your car should produce.

The job of your muffler is to reduce the amount of noise from your vehicle. So if you love a louder vehicle with a more aggressive sound, it makes sense you learn how to do a muffler delete.

But some downsides come with knowing how to do a muffler delete. They are explained in the next paragraph.

Muffler Delete Disadvantages

While many car enthusiasts love to know how to do a muffler delete, there is no doubt that it has more than its fair share of disadvantages.

Below are four potential issues you’ll have to deal with if you complete the muffler removal.

Much Louder Exhaust

Vehicles without a muffler are noisy. And while that’s the point, it’s still a bit of a nuisance when you’re on long trips.

This is more relatable when your vehicle is running at higher RPMs, and more air is flowing through the exhaust.

Even if you don’t mind the noise when accelerating, a deafening drowning while driving down the highway can be more than a little annoying.

It Can Reduce Engine Performance

Wait. Didn’t we mention increased engine power like a pro?

We did this because removing the muffler can increase top-end performance on older vehicles and have the opposite effect on newer vehicles.

Newer dampers are far less restrictive, and the manufacturer tunes the ECM to work with the damper.

Not only are you likely to increase some engine power loss by wiping the muffler on a newer vehicle, but you are also likely to get a check engine light.

It may not seem like a big problem, but if another problem develops, your vehicle will have no way to tell you that you need to check it before it gets worse.

Emissions Check Failure

If you are resident in a state where your vehicle has to pass a vehicle or emissions test, it won’t pass with a removed muffler.

Sometimes your vehicle will display an engine code that will prevent an accurate emissions test, automatically resulting in a failed test.

Other times the guy performing the check will see what you did, and your vehicle will fail. Either way, if your vehicle needs inspections, you’ll probably have to put all the stock equipment back on, or you won’t pass.

You Might Get In Trouble With the Law

Let’s be clear: if you want to do a muffler delete on a vehicle you will drive on the road, you are breaking the law.

While you’re unlikely to get pulled over for removing a muffler, you could very well be arrested for violating local noise ordinances.

The Legal Nature of a Muffler Delete

It doesn’t matter what state you live in; removing a muffler is illegal on public road vehicles.

There’s a common misconception that as long as your vehicle noise stays below your state or local noise ordinance, you’re good to go – that’s just not the case.

While it’s possible to get a ticket for muffler wiping – you’re more likely to get a ticket for excessive vehicle noise – not the muffler wipe itself.

However, if you’re pulled over by a cop who knows his stuff, there’s definitely a chance you could get more than one ticket.

How to Do a Muffler Delete (Step by Step)

• Get Under your car.

• Find the Muffler by tracing the pathway from the resonator. The muffler is usually a rectangular kind of box with an emission pipe.

• Notice a clamp holding down the muffler to the rest of the exhaust system.

• Take out the clamp from the exhaust system.

• Now, the muffler is loosely hanging.

• Unscrew the Muffler.

• And you’re done!

Engine Noise Components

There are various sources of sound in the vehicle.

Suppose a vehicle is speeding down the road and the engine is running: In this case, sounds will come from:

• The intake gases sucked into the engine

• Moving engine parts (pulleys and belts, valve opening and closing)

• Detonation inside the combustion chamber

• Expansion of exhaust gases as they flow from the engine and along with the exhaust system

• Wheel movement against the road surface

But more than that, feedback is vital for the driver to know when to shift. Different engine characteristics are what drive the specific exhaust sound.

During production, vehicle designers will measure the raw sound of the engine and then design and specify the muffler to cut and boost specific frequencies to produce the expected sound.

Various state regulations allow certain levels of vehicle noise. The muffler is designed to comply with these noise regulations.

The muffler acts as a harmonically tuned container that produces the exhaust sound we love.

Types of Mufflers

The exhaust gases coming through the intake manifold flow into the muffler and then continue their journey through the exhaust manifold.

A muffler will reduce the sound effect or engine noise in two ways.

It is important to note that we are dealing with:

• Exhaust gas stream.

• Sound and pressure waves move inside this gas.

Two types of dampers follow the above principles:

Turbo Damper

Exhaust gases flow into a chamber in the muffler with sound waves that bounce around the baffles inside and collide, causing destructive interference that cancels out the noise effect.

A turbo muffler is the most common as it is the most effective at reducing noise.

Direct or Absorption Damper

This type is the least restrictive in allowing the passage of exhaust gases but the least effective in reducing noise.

An absorption muffler reduces noise by absorbing it into some soft material (insulation). This muffler has a perforated tube inside.

Some sound waves escape through perforations into the insulation material of the package, where they are converted into kinetic energy and, later, heat, which leaves the system.

How to Do a Muffler Delete (Good or Bad?)

The muffler creates back pressure in the exhaust and slows down the rate at which the vehicle can expel exhaust gases that rob you of horsepower.

The solution is to remove the muffler, which will also increase the volume of your car.

However, you don’t know how your engine will sound when you do a muffler delete. Mostly, your car will sound better, although some cars sound worse when piped directly.

Vehicle sound is an important part of the overall driving experience.

Contact Performance Muffler in Phoenix, Arizona, and surrounding areas to get your muffler cleaned today for a cleaner exhaust, better throttle response, a much better-sounding vehicle, and a great overall driving experience.

Does the Muffler Clear the Emissions?

Definitely not!

A wiped muffler won’t pass a regular vehicle inspection—let alone an inspection focusing on the exhaust system.

However, if you wonder if deleting the muffler will increase emissions – this is a clear no.

The muffler only reduces noise and has no smog or emission reduction device.

However, this will not prevent the inspector or even your vehicle’s ECM from failing you in the test.

Deleting Muffler Vs. Clearing Resonator

Another way to increase vehicle noise while leaving the muffler intact is to remove the resonator.

Not every vehicle has a resonator, but if yours does, it’s another way to increase your vehicle’s noise without touching the muffler.

But if you want to remove the resonator instead of the damper to stay on the right side of the law, you’re out of luck.

This is because, like mufflers, resonator removal is illegal in most states.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Muffler?

If you are looking at muffler removal, you will be pleasantly surprised at the cost.

The parts themselves usually only cost between $50 and $250. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a mechanic to complete the job, it only costs between $100 and $200.

However, you may find it a bit more challenging to find a mechanic willing to complete the job, given that muffler wiping is illegal on cars that will be driven on public roads.

Conclusion

Mufflers could increase or decrease your car’s efficiency depending on the car’s age.

In this article, we succinctly explained how to do a muffler delete. We hope it was both educating and entertaining.

In the comment section below, tell us what you’d be doing with your “how to do a muffler delete” knowledge.