THE EXHAUST RESONATOR EXPLAINED
When it comes to exhaust systems, many people know the basics. Things like the header, catalytic converter and muffler are all terms that you hear often but one that often goes unrecognized is the exhaust resonator.
While you might mistake it for a muffler, the resonator actually has a very different and important job to do when it comes to your vehicle’s exhaust. Here’s a quick look at what it does.
Gas Pass
As your engine’s exhaust gases leave the combustion chamber, sound waves bounce off of the walls of the pipes and ricochet all around creating both high and low frequency noise. As engineers analyzed and improved exhaust systems, they realized there were advantages to be gained in organizing and controlling these pulses and came up with the concept for the resonator. Essentially it acts like a large echo chamber that takes the exhaust pulses and optimizes their frequencies to achieve better fuel efficiency and power production.
Set the Tone
It may look like a muffler, but the resonator’s primary function is to take the sound waves created by the exhaust pulses and fine-tune them into a more organized pattern. While this helps improve power and efficiency, it also gives your vehicle its distinctive engine sound. Whether you have a Dodge pickup or a Ferrari, many cars have their own signature sounds and it all comes from exhaust resonators.
Go With the Flow
Part of the combustion cycle involves the pistons pushing spent exhaust gas out of the chamber before filling back up with fresh air/fuel mixture, but because the elapsed amount of time this takes is short, exhaust gasses would move very slowly if not for other forces pulling the gas through. Today’s modern combustion engines also use sound waves to help evacuate the combustion chamber and move the exhaust down through the pipes and out of the muffler, and this action relies heavily on the resonator. By tuning the pulses of exhaust gas to work together, it creates stronger waves of exhaust that vacuum the gas out more quickly.
Volume Control
Aside from producing the tone of your vehicle’s engine and helping move exhaust gas along its way, the resonator also plays part in controlling the volume of sound that your engine emits. By manipulating the frequency of exhaust sound waves, it can either give your car a more throaty and loud tone or silence it for smooth peaceful driving.
Resonators are often times confused for mufflers and while they may appear similar and share some of the same jobs, they play an integral part in producing optimal volume and tone from your engine. They also have an important role in the exhaust evacuating process, which helps your engine produce more power and reduce fuel consumption at the same time.
For more information on resonators, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
