Many car owners are interested in whether it is possible to make their too noisy car quieter on their own. A very small number of car enthusiasts are satisfied with the deafening sports exhausts of a running car. For all people, the degree of convenience is very important.
Driving by car can only be enjoyable if you hear as little extraneous and unpleasant sounds as possible inside the car. Also, when traveling by car, it is not safe for the driver to switch to untimely loud sounds - this can lead to an accident. In addition, too loud sounds emanating from the car can cause dissatisfaction with the people around you.
The muffler creates its own background noise, which can be greatly reduced. The result is always very good.
It must be said that here there is information only about a typical exhaust system and muffler. The direct-flow system is not considered. Always remember that both systems are very different from each other. It should also be noted that information is not provided here about the method by which the internal structure of the muffler is rebuilt, a lot of welding work is carried out, etc. This article presents the most popular, accessible and simple methods.
Causes of loud exhaust
In all combustion chambers, processes occurring with the pistons located in the cylinder are necessarily accompanied by small explosions. The volume of gas instantly increases, which provokes the movement of the pistons downward. The exhaust valve then opens and a wave of gas enters the expansion of the exhaust device.
Too much noise comes from powerful mechanical vibrations in the exhaust gas outlet device. Very large expansions can contribute to loud noise. As a result, all components of the exhaust device are made of very dense and durable metal - it helps reduce noise and vibration.
A loud exhaust may be the result of a malfunction of the muffler, catalytic converter, or other parts of the exhaust system. If you are not sure that the exhaust system is in order, it is better to contact a car repair shop. However, you can try to find the cause yourself and, for example, if the old muffler or resonator is to blame, then you can replace them yourself.
What to do?
If you are faced with a problem such as ringing after removing the catalytic converter, then you should resort to the following actions:
- Carry out a complete diagnostic of the exhaust system to ensure that its parts are in good condition.
- Inspect the exhaust system, as damaged sections of the exhaust route may be detected
- Listen to the muffler ringing. Sometimes specialists can determine the cause of the ringing after they listen.
Don't put off solving a problem like a ringing muffler. At first glance, this problem does not cause serious concern, but it can lead to serious problems in the car.
How to make the exhaust quieter with your own hands
Upgrading your machine will help make it as quiet as possible. Everyone knows that noise cannot be completely eliminated, but it can be reduced. To create a quiet muffler, different methods are used:
- install another muffler in place of the old one;
- I install an additional resonator;
- install a resonator equipped with an absorbing filler.
Each of the above methods has advantages and disadvantages. If you are upgrading your car's exhaust system yourself to reduce the exhaust sound, you need to have everything you need for the job. For such manipulations you need to have a set of car mechanic tools. You will also undoubtedly need:
- Welding machine. If a choice is possible, then use a semi-automatic or inverter;
- Angle grinder (angle grinder) with a set of discs;
- A workbench equipped with a vice.
Before starting work, you must choose one of the methods for upgrading the exhaust pipe. The first method is to install another factory-made resonator in the area between the first resonator and the muffler. You can also make it yourself.
The first option is the simplest, most popular and accessible. When choosing a method for constructing a low-noise muffler, it is necessary to take into account that the chosen method will lead to various financial expenses. If the owner of the car has the required amount of money, then it is best to purchase a resonator, remove a fragment of the pipe and weld the purchased device into the free space. The second method is undoubtedly much more interesting. The manufacturing technology of such a mechanism must be carefully studied before proceeding with its implementation.
Conclusion
Whatever option you choose to muffle the exhaust, you should understand that you can simply buy a ready-made solution if finances allow, or you can muffle it yourself by making a device from improvised means.
A small part of car owners would like to have a sporty sound emissions on their car. Another overwhelming majority of drivers are puzzled by the question of how to make a quiet muffler. It is comfortable to drive in a vehicle when not enough third-party sounds leak into the car’s interior. The muffler creates background noise, but it can be reduced and the effect you get cannot be unnoticed.
How to make a quiet muffler with your own hands
Before we start upgrading the exhaust system, let's figure out why the exhaust sound is too high. In the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder, with each working stroke of the piston, a micro-explosion occurs; it is accompanied by a sharp expansion of gases after the blast wave has done its job, moved the piston down, opened the exhaust valve and rushed through the exhaust system.
The exhaust system has a dual nature of noise:
- noise due to vibration of parts of the exhaust system;
- the sound of gases expanding.
To combat noise, the weight of the parts should be increased. The thicker the metal, the less noise and vibration. For this reason, the exhaust manifold is the first to receive hot gases from the cylinder head; it is powerful. Many car owners had the opportunity to compare the weight of a foreign and Russian car; they noted that imported cars have significantly heavier exhaust system parts. For this reason, “our” cars are the least comfortable in terms of sound and noise comparison.
In the exhaust pipe, special elements - mufflers and resonators - will help reduce the speed of gas movement. The resonator is first in line. Under pressure, gases enter the enlarged part of the pipe, where they lose part of their own energy and then move with the least impulse. The exhaust gases in the muffler labyrinth system completely lose energy and are dissipated. On an imported car, the quiet muffler has some separate housings.
What is a resonator and exhaust manifold
When planning to modernize the exhaust system, in order to reduce the exhaust sound, you need to be prepared materially and technically. We will need a set of locksmith tools for a car driver. In addition, the following will certainly come in handy:
- a workbench equipped with a vice;
- angle grinder and set of discs;
- welding machine (preferably an inverter or semi-automatic).
The most affordable method in an average garage is to make a quiet muffler - you need to include an additional resonator in the existing exhaust system.
There are two options for upgrading the exhaust system: installing an additional resonator in the area between the main resonator and an industrial muffler, or making such a device yourself.
When considering the issue, it is necessary to take into account that any option will entail various costs. If the car owner has an unlimited budget, then you can purchase a new resonator, then cut out part of the pipe and weld it into the free space. The 2nd method is more interesting and we will tell you about it in more detail.
Manufacturing an additional resonator consists of the following steps:
- a body (barrels) is made from a piece of sheet steel or a thin-walled metal pipe in the form of 2 halves;
- on a section of the exhaust system pipe, which corresponds to the length of the body and is located behind the main resonator of the holes;
- connect the halves of the body to the holes on the pipe and scald;
- lay basalt mineral wool into the cavity of the new body;
- weld the end parts of the resonator.
Finally, treat the seams after welding, clean them, degrease the new resonator, if possible, then take it and paint it with heat-resistant paint.
Additional tasks of a quiet car
When the issue is resolved and a quiet muffler is made, problem areas become apparent. It should be kept in mind that when making a “quiet” exhaust system, this leads to an increase in the weight of the entire structure.
As a result, the car owner takes additional measures to strengthen rubber shock absorbers and fastenings. It is also necessary to take into account that the balance of exhaust gases and air entering the engine has changed. After the exhaust system has been upgraded, it is necessary to conduct engine operation tests in various modes and make additional adjustments to the air filtration and fuel supply systems.
A muffler is necessary to reduce the noise created by the flow of exhaust gases, actually blocking their path. And ideally, there should be no obstacle to the exhaust of gases from the cylinder.
Muffler replacement
The noise reduction device must be changed from time to time. In most cases, after a certain period of use, it begins to make loud and unpleasant sounds during operation. This is facilitated by the development of corrosion, burnout of perforated areas of pipes, and breakdown of sound reflectors.
First of all, you need to park the car on a flat, hard surface, make sure that the car does not roll anywhere, and jack it up. It is better to install it on trestles after lifting the car, but you can also use an inspection hole.
Before removing the muffler, it is recommended that you lubricate all bolts and clamps that will need to be removed with a penetrating lubricant such as WD-40. You can try removing the rust with a stiff steel brush. In the worst case, you will have to cut the bolts, as the flanges often become sour.
Next you need to remove the muffler itself. First, you need to unscrew the bolts on the flanges, after which you separate the muffler from the exhaust pipe, which is then recommended to be secured with a rope or some kind of wire to the steering rack so that it does not dangle.
The muffler is then removed from the rubber pads that cushion it.
After unscrewing all the bolts and removing all the cushions, the muffler should simply be pulled out.
The new muffler must match your car model and make. It is recommended to buy it from trusted auto stores and trusted brands. It is worth paying attention to the quality and thickness of the steel on the tank. On average, it varies from 1.2 to 1.5 mm.
Installing a new muffler is carried out in the reverse order described above. In general, there is nothing complicated.
You can watch the video :
Differences in exhaust systems of domestic and foreign cars
It must be taken into account that absolutely all cars manufactured abroad are equipped with massive elements of exhaust gas elimination devices. Their design is due to the fact that the metal used helps reduce mechanical vibrations of the engine, and thanks to this, the exhaust device is almost inaudible.
In addition to thick metal walls, the muffler mechanisms of foreign cars are equipped with a large number of labyrinths and chambers. They should reduce the release of exhaust gases. The designs manufactured in our country are simpler, and therefore our cars are less comfortable.
Improving the exhaust gas removal device will invariably increase the weight of the resonators, muffler and pipes. It is necessary to strengthen the devices of the supporting brackets, and change the shock absorber to a more powerful one.
Minimal background noise, a low degree of engine vibration, as well as moderate exhaust dispersion indicate that the installation was carried out correctly. After completing all work, it is necessary to adjust the air filter and fuel injection system.
When choosing a method to use to make the exhaust quieter, you must be very careful and take into account all the nuances. After all the work is completed, the comfort of your car will increase. This will reward you for all your troubles.
Source
Installing an additional resonator
The resonator must dissipate low-frequency sounds. In case of dull noise, this action will once again dampen the sounds, which makes the machine operate quite quietly.
Another resonator is mounted between the base resonator and the muffler. It is installed in the area where the base resonator was located. This new resonator must have sound-absorbing material. It should fill its internal space.
Two resonators
The sound of a running machine can be reduced as much as possible by installing an additional final muffler. This type of noise reduction device is a specific can, which is crossed by a pipe with holes, and the rest of the sound reduction mechanism is saturated with heat-stable soundproof fiber, which is fixed with a fine mesh. This system for reducing the intensity of a sound wave is called an absorber .
The area for mounting another muffler should be the area between the catalyst and the standard muffler. To attach another sound reduction device, cut a piece of pipe of the required size between the base muffler and the catalyst. Fit the muffler to the resonator using strong clamps in combination with asbestos sheets to create gas-tight joint walls. The sealing must be done very carefully - a missed gap will lead to a lot of noise.
As a result of these actions, when sound waves move through the installed muffler, it is absorbed by the porous substance, which will help reduce the noise from the operating machine. A sound wave, reaching a porous substance, provokes vibrations between different fibers and, appearing during this friction, is transformed into thermal energy. Consequently, sound vibrations are converted into heat. A significant advantage of such a noise reduction device is that there is no need to increase the length of the exhaust system.
Exhaust system design
Technology for creating and mounting an additional resonator:
- Creating a body (barrel) from a fragment of a steel pipe. It should have thin walls. You can also use two halves of sheet steel;
- Creating holes in a certain area of the exhaust device pipe behind the base resonator;
- A combination of body halves on a pipe with holes. Then they are scalded;
- Placement of basalt-based mineral wool into the hollow space of a newly created body;
- Welding the ends of the resonator;
- Adaptation of the ignition and fuel delivery system. This must be done due to transformations in the exhaust pipe.
Upon completion of all production operations, the welds must be cleaned, and the part that was made must be painted. It must be chosen very carefully. It must be very resistant to temperature fluctuations.
After installing the additional resonator, the ignition system and fuel supply should be tested. You need to realize that all changes to the exhaust system will affect the engine. It will be very annoying if, by reducing the volume of the running engine, you are forced to increase fuel consumption or reduce the power of the car. When choosing a method by which you will create a silent muffler, take into account the difficulties associated with it. It is especially necessary to know that absolutely all methods of producing a silent exhaust system increase the severity of the mechanism.
Therefore, the car owner must strengthen the brackets and rubber shock absorbers. Always be aware of the changing balance of incoming air and exhaust gases into the engine. When upgrading the exhaust device, do not forget about the need to thoroughly test the engine's capabilities at various speeds. It is also worth carrying out additional adjustments to the fuel supply and air separation devices.
Firmware for EURO2 and snag – what does this mean?
As I wrote above, the second oxygen sensor (lower lambda) controls harmful emissions. Their number is now strictly regulated by European standards, which are called “EURO”; I will not talk about EURO “0-1” now; we are interested in the second generation.
So, what is EURO2? It was introduced a long time ago, namely in 1996. AT that time, the cars received an innovative system, namely a catalyst. As we all know, over time it can become clogged, and the fuel then was not the same as now, it had a lot of sulfur, which contributed to the honeycombs clogging much faster, and as you and I know, the car began to choke itself. Then the engineers installed an oxygen sensor, there was only one, and it was needed to capture CO2 in the chamber in front of the catalytic converter.
If the CO2 level increased, this indirectly indicated that the catalyst was clogged (that is, a backpressure effect was manifested); the sensor sent this information to the ECU and the ignition was adjusted, namely, a decrease in the supply of the fuel mixture. Thus, the power dropped significantly, the car did not drive and the owner “willy-nilly” had to go to a service station and change this spare part.
But how? YES, everything is simple, the CO2 level in the chamber in front of the neutralizer dropped significantly, the oxygen sensor recorded this (that everything is in order) and the car drove cheerfully and without constraint. This suited everyone, BUT NOT ECOLOGISTS! Therefore, they introduced the EURO3 standard (now the EURO5 standard already exists). What has changed is that a second oxygen sensor (lower lambda) just appeared behind the catalyst. The principle of operation here is this: the first lambda (before the filter) records the level of harmful substances, the second (after it) should record a much lower level, because the harmful substances have decomposed.
What is done with firmware for EURO2? The firmware in the ECU is changed, instead of EURO3.4 standards, EURO2 standards are installed. The essence of all these actions is banal - we simply turn off the second lower lambda (only the upper one remains), the car begins to drive as expected, without underestimating the power.
But such interventions in the firmware are not entirely good. The whole point is that they don’t produce them themselves, okay, the second “lambda” is simply turned off, that is, they simply adjust the readings. Or maybe this programmer will want to put some incomprehensible algorithms into the ECU, the engine will definitely not benefit from this. You need to be very careful here.
Therefore, we found a second solution, and I think it is more correct - installing a blende. What is a snag - essentially it is a “spacer” in front of the second oxygen sensor, it seems to move it a greater distance from the exhaust gases, it detects more oxygen and starts working normally.
Now there are several options for deception:
- Empty. It's just a tube with a very thin hole at the end (the part that screws into the muffler), and an oxygen sensor is screwed into the other side. A limited amount of harmful substances from the exhaust passes through it, there are no excesses and therefore CHECK does not burn.
- With a mini catalyst inside. That is, right in the “spacer” there are, as it were, mini honeycombs, which also clean the exhaust precisely to record normal values.
- Angular. These are both of the types described above, only they are made at an angle of 90 degrees; they are needed for difficult places.
The advantages of the decoy are that you don’t need to go into the ECU and change the standard firmware, as well as the price (knocked out the cells, screwed on the decoy and that’s it, you can spend 3,000 - 5,000 rubles).
Installation of a resonator with an absorbing filler
Instead of the basic resonator, another one is installed, equipped with sound-absorbing material inside. Basalt fiber is most often used as a filler. This method is the most expensive.
To replace the resonator with a new one, you need to cut out the old part, insert the resonator with filler in its place and weld it on both sides.
Replacing the old resonator with a new one
Why is forward flow needed and why sometimes it needs to be muffled
A car with an exhaust louder than 96 dB will not be able to pass a technical inspection and will not cross the border - in Europe, traffic rules are strict, and the police are incorruptible. Even in motorsports, sound is limited. Only Formula 1 promoters don't like the attempt to drown out the noise from cars. They even opposed the new regulations for the transition from eight-cylinder engines to V6, fearing for the prestige of racing.
Having decided to muffle the forward flow with your own hands, you need to clearly understand the principles of operation of the agreed release, and determine the purpose of the car tuning performed. Improvement in dynamic characteristics occurs only through the installation of a new “spider” - the exhaust manifold. The remaining components of the exhaust system simply should not create resistance to gases and adversely affect the result.
When properly configured, resonant exhaust provides an increase in torque by 3–9% for naturally aspirated engines, and more than 10% for turbocharged engines. But in production cars, the increase in the rate of filling the cylinders with the working mixture during modernization is less than 2–3%.
Installing a direct-flow muffler on regular stock cars is only needed as a decorative option for a pleasant exhaust timbre. The main criterion for the quality of direct flow operation on a production machine is the euphony and velvety noise of the motor, and not the increase in power. The car will scream louder or quieter - this will not affect the speed and dynamic characteristics. In this case, when there is an urgent need to stop the forward flow, you can do this without thinking about the consequences.
Ease of execution
What is the simplest silencer, both factory-made and home-made? One of my friends, who needed to deregister his Accord for sale (without undergoing maintenance), encountered a similar problem: he had a homemade direct flow installed. So he solved the problem in a matter of hours by visiting some welders he knew and welding a sheet of metal onto the pipe. The entire procedure for creating the insert took about an hour. Then all that’s left is to drill it, fasten it with a couple of bolts, and it’s done, you can go to the traffic police.
Another friend built a silencer out of a coffee can: it was both inexpensive and functional. But for those who want to do everything according to the rules, observing certain aesthetic principles in creating tuning for their pet, we will provide step-by-step instructions for making a simple silencer.
Content
How to make forward flow quieter if there are complaints about the sound being too loud? Of course, it is best to buy the so-called flute as a kit (and now this is a fairly common thing, when it is sold and installed by craftsmen along with a jammer). This option seems to be the simplest possible. Well, what if you’re unlucky and this gadget was missing during installation?
You can do it in two ways
: buy ready-made (but this is fraught with discrepancies in size, besides, they are rarely sold separately), or you can make it individually (or order the size of the can from welders - you just need to weld it directly to the diameter of your can). If you know how to handle welding and tools, then it will be easier and cheaper to make a straight-through plug with your own hands.
