The muffler found in the exhaust pipe is a part of our car that has the function of reducing the noise generated by combustion gases. These are normally produced in the engine, which is released under high pressure, so if we didn’t have a muffler it could stun people inside and outside the car.
To get a little more into the subject, a car has up to three silencers, but it is normal for most vehicles to use two. One of them is located at the rear, and it is the most common and known to all, while the second muffler is in the middle, although most cars do not. As for the third, this is in the forward part, but currently, it began to be replaced by catalytic converters.
That is why this time we prepare a quick guide that will be useful to learn a little more about the role that a muffler plays in your vehicle and muffler delete cost. In addition to that we will focus on explaining and making known a little more about the process of eliminating mufflers, and what are its advantages and disadvantages, so keep reading and stay informed.
What is a muffler delete?
As we said before, the muffler is in charge, as its name suggests, of eliminating or reducing to the maximum sound waves or the noise that is produced with the explosions in the engine pistons, which is its main function. When performing a muffler removal process, we will cause our vehicle to have a noise when accelerating, since the muffler is what keeps these sound waves controlled.
What Is The Price Of A Muffler Delete?
Speaking of money, the cost of a muffler removal for any type of vehicle can vary greatly, depending on various factors, from the type of car we have to the type of muffler that has to be removed. So if you are looking to remove a muffler from your car, you will be surprised by the costs, taking an average price, we can say that the cost of muffler delete can range between $100 and $200, it’s not so much.
However, it may be difficult to find a mechanic who agrees to perform this process, taking into account that removing mufflers is illegal in cars that circulate on public roads.
How to perform a muffler delete:
Nothing speaks more of the power of your car than the sound of your engine when you accelerate. Many people, looking to increase noise, choose to remove the mufflers from the exhaust system. Remember that the muffler is just a plug that fits into the exhaust pipe, so its removal is not as complicated process as it is said. Here we briefly explain how the muffler removal process is:
1. Remove the muffler from the end of the exhaust duct:
When you can determine and study the big picture, what is holding the muffler in place? Most use common or Allen-type bolts. Sometimes these are usually a little hidden, the bolts must be found with the naked eye if you are looking to take a closer look at the muffler.
2. Remove the screws that hold your muffler to the exhaust duct:
Each car model differs in the way it is attached, but most cases have a screw on the top.
3. Loosen the screw that is in the clamp at the end of the exhaust duct:
At the point where the muffler is located, your car may not have this screw. This is more common with standard parts.
4. Pull the muffler until it is completely removed from the end of the exhaust:
You may have to move a little to loosen it and be able to remove it completely. If you don’t plan on using the muffler again, then you can remove it with pliers to make pulling easier.
5. Use a hanger to make it easier to remove the muffler:
If the muffler is stuck, insert a hanger for clothes inside the muffler tube and use it to move and help you remove it.
6. Clean your exhaust tip to remove any residual lubricant or remove dirt:
If you used any type of lubricant to facilitate the removal of the muffler, be sure to clean thoroughly before starting your engine to avoid the smell of the smoke of the oil.
💡 Key Tip: It is not bad that you determine and check if the exhaust system of your vehicle has a one-piece exhaust pipe or if it also has a separate muffler. Most likely, you can remove the muffler along with the one on the tip. Although some cars make too much noise when this part is removed, so think carefully. Most tip mufflers are relatively easy to remove, you just have to be careful not to bend the tailpipe in the process.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure that the modifications you make to your vehicle comply with the environmental protection laws of your city. In older cars, most of the laws related to owning an exhaust pipe or muffler are usually circumvented. The newer cars, however, must strictly comply with the regulations of the EPA, which is the Agency that is in charge of the Protection of the Environment in the country.
When should a muffler be removed?
Mufflers are parts that were manufactured to last the same as the life of your vehicle, however, this is conditioned by several factors, from the use you give the vehicle to many others. A muffler is affected by long periods of inactivity of the car, or by taking short trips.
But it is not too much, that we are alert to some signs that our vehicle shows. If you notice that the indicated kilometers are not yet met and you begin to hear some metallic knocks on the pavement or you notice that your car makes too much noise when you accelerate it.
Also when there is an increase in gas consumption, if these signs are recurrent, you should go to the mechanic so that he can check the mufflers as soon as possible, to determine if they need to be replaced.
Pros and cons of Muffler Delete
The process of muffler delete has become a common way to give vehicles a more powerful sound. But while it is one of the most famous ways, it is not the only way to make your exhaust system louder. Therefore, if after reading this informative guide, you discover that it is not the process you want to follow, you are not entirely wrong. That is why here we leave you the pros and cons of performing this process on your vehicle:
Pros:
Muffler delete is done for a reason and believes it or not, sometimes it’s about something beyond just boosting the sound. Here are the most common reasons why muffler removals are performed on vehicles:
1. Increased horsepower in older vehicles:
If you drive a vehicle that is around 15 years old or older, it is very likely that when you perform a muffler removal, it will increase to its maximum power.
This happens because the silencers on these vehicles are very restrictive and tend to increase the backpressure of the engines, none of them is good for the engine. So as you read, in older vehicles when a muffler removal is done, it is positive for the engine performance.
2. Striking and more powerful exhaust sound:
While muffler removals are good for older engines, the reason they’re so common has to do with just one thing – they give the vehicle a much louder sound than before.
As we have already told you several times, the purpose of silencers is to reduce the amount of noise that the vehicle makes. Therefore, if you are looking for a vehicle that is louder and more aggressive, it makes sense that you want to perform a muffler removal, with just that, it will be more than enough.
Cons:
While many car enthusiasts love to do muffler removal, there is no question that you have your fair share with several drawbacks to keep in mind. Here are four common and potential issues you’ll need to know how to deal with when doing a muffler removal:
1. Much louder and stronger Exhaust Pipe:
Vehicles that have a muffler removal performed are much louder. And while that is the goal of this process, it is still somewhat annoying, especially when you make long trips on the road. It is very true that when the vehicle is traveling at a much higher RPM it has more air flowing through the exhaust pipe.
Although it is possible that you will not be bothered and you will not mind this noise in the vehicle while you accelerate. This can be deafening while traveling on the highway, it can even be much more annoying.
2. It can reduce the performance of your vehicle’s engine:
Although we told you that it increases the performance of your engine, this is because, while in older vehicles, removing the muffler can increase maximum power, in newer cars, it can have the opposite effect.
The mufflers used in newer cars are less restrictive and the manufacturer adjusts the ECM so that it works with the muffler. Not only will you likely increase some of the loss in your engine performance with the removal of the muffler on a newer vehicle, but you will also get the check engine light. This may not seem like a serious problem, but if another problem arises, the vehicle will not be able to find a way to advise that it needs to be checked in order to prevent the failure from worsening.
3. Failures in inspections and emissions:
If you live in a city where your vehicle needs to pass a vehicle or emissions test, it will not pass if it had a muffler removal. Sometimes the vehicle will display an engine code that prevents an accurate emissions test and this automatically leads to the test failing.
Other times, the mechanic will see what he did and will fail the vehicle. Either way, if your vehicle needs some kind of inspection, it is likely that you will have to put all the parts back in their place, in their original condition or it will not pass the inspections.
4. This delete process is illegal:
We must make something clear, if you are looking to do a muffler removal on your vehicle, which you will be driving on the road, it is breaking the law. While it is unlikely that you will be arrested for removing your muffler, it is very possible that you will be arrested for violating local noise laws.
Conclusion:
We can say that this brief information was intended to inform you and teach you a little more about this process so that you can objectively evaluate it in the future. If it is really necessary to perform a silencer removal or it is better to leave our vehicle as it left the factory, the idea is that you are aware of the process, the pros, and the cons that you have to deal with. At the end of the day, each decision is individual to each owner, which must adapt to his budget, tastes, and needs.