Resonator delete or MBRP full exhaust?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

TowGMC

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Posts
216
Reaction score
8
Location
Wheaton, IL
I removed the rear resonator on my 09 Denali and found absolutely zero difference in power. But the resonance at 2200-2400 is now prominent, and annoying when towing my 6500 lb trailer. Coincidentally tomorrow I'm going back to my exhaust guy and having the stock resonator put back on. Lived with it for a year and finally gave up trying to live with the resonance inside. Hate it when towing 500+ miles.

Interestingly, when you look inside the Denali resonator, it's a straight piece of pipe with no louovers at all except for one small 1" diameter hole in the top leading edge of the resonator. So essentially the resonator is already a straight pipe, the 1" hole must let selected sound waves bleed out into the packing to kill the resonance. Makes sense that removing the resonator made no additional power.

I know a lot of folks with 5.3's pull the resonator and are happy. Must be that the larger 3.5" piping on the Denalis changes the resonance point compared to the smaller diameter exhausts on the 5.3's.
 

D_R_C

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Posts
97
Reaction score
3
Most of the claims on pretty much any minimal exhaust changes or aftermarket exhaust is over stated, except for maybe a full exhaust.
Then you might see some performance gains, pretty much no mpg gains.
The only real gains I have found over the years is removing/replacing the stock muffler with a straight thru muffler.

Removing a straight thru resonator the only gains anyone would notice is more drone/exhaust sound, no power gains.
 

soulsea

Staff member
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Posts
11,814
Reaction score
667,097
Location
Bar
I removed the rear resonator on my 09 Denali and found absolutely zero difference in power. But the resonance at 2200-2400 is now prominent, and annoying when towing my 6500 lb trailer. Coincidentally tomorrow I'm going back to my exhaust guy and having the stock resonator put back on. Lived with it for a year and finally gave up trying to live with the resonance inside. Hate it when towing 500+ miles.

Removes resonator ... is annoyed by change in resonance.
picture.php
 
Last edited:

livingez_123

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Posts
1,798
Reaction score
112
Location
Sandy, OR
Be careful with what you start hacking off. Drone inside the cab will kill any benefit of good sound. and if you tow, drone becomes even more of an issue. MBRP makes some killer system for the diesel guys but haven't had the chance to listen to one for use gassers. IMHO, the corsa is way too loud as are the flowmasters. I can appreciate a good sounding exhaust system but if that same system drives you crazy in the cab with drone then it's really not worth it.
 

TowGMC

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Posts
216
Reaction score
8
Location
Wheaton, IL
Removes resonator ... is annoyed by change in resonance.
picture.php

Yea, who would have thought. :doh2:

Seriously, several friends with 5.3's have done it and have been happy with the results. I've ridden in on '11 Tahoe 5.3L while pulling his race trailer and there was absolutely no resonance. Another friend with a 5.3L NNBS Suburban, same thing. Must be something in the larger exhaust diameter and/or the engine specs.

Only person I know who hated his aftermarket system is one friend with an '06 Suburban with the 8.1L engine but that's got a different firing order from the 5.3's. Maybe the 6.2 does too?

Anyway, resonator is back on as of this morning and I'm happy again.
 

mlgreen

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Posts
105
Reaction score
24
Be careful with what you start hacking off. Drone inside the cab will kill any benefit of good sound. and if you tow, drone becomes even more of an issue. MBRP makes some killer system for the diesel guys but haven't had the chance to listen to one for use gassers. IMHO, the corsa is way too loud as are the flowmasters. I can appreciate a good sounding exhaust system but if that same system drives you crazy in the cab with drone then it's really not worth it.

I was under the impression that the Corsa cat back didn't drone.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,196
Posts
1,863,764
Members
96,711
Latest member
Ndawg
Top