Exhaust note question
 

now this probably dumb to ask but im just curious. Does changing pipe diameter alter the sound of the exhaust or is that strictly a resonator/muffler thing. we all know the pipe from the resonator back is stepped down from 2.5 to 2.0 inches. now i have the tanabe axleback and i want to know if i match that pipe to my axleback will it change (even alittle) the exhaust note? and will it be deeper or ricier.

i matched my diameters but also removed the resonator so that might ruin my logic. mine ended up louder and ill admit a tad ricier. love the functionality though so its whatevs.

if you replace your stock resonator and match piping, i bet it would sound roughly the same, maybe a tad louder, depending on the new resonator. but of course, you lose a couple ponies that way too.

true, rpm headers just ruined my plans of going custom, they should be releasing a mid pipe for XD in a month or so. so ima jump on that train when the group buy comes out.

yea. finally a vendor that's not all talk lol.

im so stuck on which option i should get for the mid pipe. here are the options.

1.catless/no res
2. just res
3.just cat
4. both res and cat

see i wanna still have a resonator and the cat but i know that will be the more expensive choice. i just dont want a check engine light for not having a cat. and i know i wont pass emissions. its such a hard choice.

it all depends what you want out of your exhaust.

1. best performance. will be louder, and not pass anything lol.
2. better performance. quieter tone, but still wont pass anything i bet.
3. good performance. tone might be louder, but might pass inspection.
4. youre focused on sound. will more then likely pass.

this is just my opinion too. in the end its your car. currently im option 3.

yea option 3 does sound ok, the res quiets the exhaust down and restricts air, i really just hope that the note doesnt become super ricey. i mean i have a nice deep rumble now i hope i dont lose that.

go the super cheap route. cut off the muffler right after the resonator. then just run straight pipe out the back. lol. thats the route i took and think it sounds awesome. plus it saved me like $200 on a new muffler.

and actually, when we test fitted the muffler and compared it in sound to the car with out the muffler. personally i thought it sounded better. pretty loud, but not too high pitched. i get a lot of compliments, especially on the low rumble it has when idling.

No cat or high flow cat if your state has emission laws, now you can run no muffler and a resonantor or vice versa and the sound should be pretty clean.