Resonators - leave them or remove them
10-12-2006, 07:24 AM
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I know we addressed this topic last year, but I started thinking about it again.
Last weekend I pulled into the gas station next to an M5. Great guy who is also a forum member. He said he removed his resonator and got a little more growl from the car when he got on it and it was not overly obnoxious or noticable on the freeway.
I know the V-10 probably has very different harmonics and they seem quieter than a V-8 at times.
I like my Hamann quad exhaust. Although I would not mind a little extra sound when I jumped on it. I just don't want to have an obnoxious resonance vibration when cruising down the freeway or when the engine lugs in 6th gear.
So, should I:
- Leave it
- Remove the (2) single resonators behind the cats
- Remove the box resonator in the back
- Remove all
It would be really nice to test it without costing an arm and a leg if I did not like it.
Any feedback from someone who has done it would be much appreciated.
Last weekend I pulled into the gas station next to an M5. Great guy who is also a forum member. He said he removed his resonator and got a little more growl from the car when he got on it and it was not overly obnoxious or noticable on the freeway.
I know the V-10 probably has very different harmonics and they seem quieter than a V-8 at times.
I like my Hamann quad exhaust. Although I would not mind a little extra sound when I jumped on it. I just don't want to have an obnoxious resonance vibration when cruising down the freeway or when the engine lugs in 6th gear.
So, should I:
- Leave it
- Remove the (2) single resonators behind the cats
- Remove the box resonator in the back
- Remove all
It would be really nice to test it without costing an arm and a leg if I did not like it.
Any feedback from someone who has done it would be much appreciated.
10-12-2006, 08:15 AM
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Hi jsal, can you post some pics of your Hamann quad exhaust and how long have you had it? TIA!
10-12-2006, 08:56 AM
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My Ride: MY RIDE is DA real .-) HAMANN 5 aka BLACK MAMBA born on 16/06/2005/delivered on 05/08/2005 as following:
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Originally Posted by freed0m' post='344212' date='Oct 12 2006, 06:15 PM
Hi jsal, can you post some pics of your Hamann quad exhaust and how long have you had it? TIA!
Hey mate so how about asking HAMANN Motorsport?
PM sent with contact detais. I recommend you not to touch it, otw V8 and V10 HAS BIG difference in structure and performance so the sound is also of course different, but you will see.
He did not say that it is not loud but he prefers more loudness, though has to see the limits and what is good for engine, you will work out with HAMANN mate
10-12-2006, 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted by freed0m' post='344212' date='Oct 12 2006, 09:15 AM
Hi jsal, can you post some pics of your Hamann quad exhaust and how long have you had it? TIA!
Refer to this Thread: http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=...nn+Quad+Exhaust
10-12-2006, 01:57 PM
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Remove!
What a coincidence, as I just took out the resonators this week. I now have straight pipes from the headers/cats to the Remus muffler.
Volume wise, removing them wasn't as big a change as I was expecting. I had imagined it to become 50% to 100% louder but it turned out to be more like 25% louder.
The biggest change is really the tone of the exhaust sound and the flow.
When I only had the Remus, I always thought that it sounded nice and deep at low rpm's but still sounded kinda stock and muffled at high rpm's. With the straight pipes, the high rpm's now sound great. No more muted muffled sound and actually sounds like a performance engine. The whole rpm range now sounds more aggressive, sharper, more urgent. Best of all, if I am cruising at a steady rpm or have the windows up and music playing, then I still won't notice it. Its only when I hammer it that it makes its presence felt. It kinda sounds more like a stock M5 from the inside actually.
Now about the flow. I think having straight pipes definately reduced backpressure and I lost some low end torque. I can feel that it accelerates slower at low rpm and I even see the rpm's dipping and occilating around town. The engine seems less smooth. I used to drive around Manhattan in SMG's normal mode cause I thought the sport mode's throttle was too sensative for city traffic. Now I've been driving in Sport mode in the city since it is slower at low rpms. Maybe its just that the ECU needs some time to adjust to the new flow and acceleration will pick up again. However, right now I can feel that acceleration during high rpm is faster, and with windows down I can actually hear it roar now. So although I lost some low end grunt I'm happy with the trade off.
Now about resonance, it really depends on how sensative you are. If I have windows down and no music, I can imagine a passenger getting annoyed if they're not into cars since they might notice some resonance. However, if I have windows up and music playing and cruising, you won't notice it at all. My setup now still resonates less than E60's I've been in with B&B mufflers and resonators still in. I think my Remus might have a lot to do with that so I'm not really sure how it'll turn out with your Hamann quad. After the straight pipes, the first few times I downshifted with SMG with windows down, I could've sworn it hurt my ears. But I think I was just surprised it sounded so just more aggressive. I got used to it quickly cause now I have a strict 'no window up' policy LOL.
I know what the new M5 sounds like with and without its resonators since that's exactly what this guy I knew did to his M5. The change is pretty similar on our 545's, you'll get slightly more sound, and the tone will be more raw and aggressive. Resonance depends since everyone's ears are different and it probably also depends on what width pipes you get (i think mine is 2.5" but I need to make sure). I know the shop said the pipe coming out the headers/cats were 2" and the pipe that leads to the muffler is 3" so 2.5" just made sense.
Good luck on whatever you decide!
What a coincidence, as I just took out the resonators this week. I now have straight pipes from the headers/cats to the Remus muffler.
Volume wise, removing them wasn't as big a change as I was expecting. I had imagined it to become 50% to 100% louder but it turned out to be more like 25% louder.
The biggest change is really the tone of the exhaust sound and the flow.
When I only had the Remus, I always thought that it sounded nice and deep at low rpm's but still sounded kinda stock and muffled at high rpm's. With the straight pipes, the high rpm's now sound great. No more muted muffled sound and actually sounds like a performance engine. The whole rpm range now sounds more aggressive, sharper, more urgent. Best of all, if I am cruising at a steady rpm or have the windows up and music playing, then I still won't notice it. Its only when I hammer it that it makes its presence felt. It kinda sounds more like a stock M5 from the inside actually.
Now about the flow. I think having straight pipes definately reduced backpressure and I lost some low end torque. I can feel that it accelerates slower at low rpm and I even see the rpm's dipping and occilating around town. The engine seems less smooth. I used to drive around Manhattan in SMG's normal mode cause I thought the sport mode's throttle was too sensative for city traffic. Now I've been driving in Sport mode in the city since it is slower at low rpms. Maybe its just that the ECU needs some time to adjust to the new flow and acceleration will pick up again. However, right now I can feel that acceleration during high rpm is faster, and with windows down I can actually hear it roar now. So although I lost some low end grunt I'm happy with the trade off.
Now about resonance, it really depends on how sensative you are. If I have windows down and no music, I can imagine a passenger getting annoyed if they're not into cars since they might notice some resonance. However, if I have windows up and music playing and cruising, you won't notice it at all. My setup now still resonates less than E60's I've been in with B&B mufflers and resonators still in. I think my Remus might have a lot to do with that so I'm not really sure how it'll turn out with your Hamann quad. After the straight pipes, the first few times I downshifted with SMG with windows down, I could've sworn it hurt my ears. But I think I was just surprised it sounded so just more aggressive. I got used to it quickly cause now I have a strict 'no window up' policy LOL.
I know what the new M5 sounds like with and without its resonators since that's exactly what this guy I knew did to his M5. The change is pretty similar on our 545's, you'll get slightly more sound, and the tone will be more raw and aggressive. Resonance depends since everyone's ears are different and it probably also depends on what width pipes you get (i think mine is 2.5" but I need to make sure). I know the shop said the pipe coming out the headers/cats were 2" and the pipe that leads to the muffler is 3" so 2.5" just made sense.
Good luck on whatever you decide!
10-12-2006, 04:21 PM
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oh one more thing, on the passenger side of the pipe between the cats and the 1st resonators, there's a balancing weight. it looks like a giant rubber stopper and i was told it reduces vibrations. i left it on and maybe that's why my resonance isn't bad.
10-12-2006, 11:41 PM
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so theres more resonance if u straight pipe them?
10-13-2006, 08:12 AM
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jet190rs,
Thanks for taking the time to write such a great review.
I think I would be fine with it, just not sure if I will get any flack from the wife.
Do you get any obnoxious growl when you lug the engine: Lets say on the freeway, trafflic slows, then speeds up and you don't feel like down shifting?
Also, do you think you really lost low end torque, or is it just a perception from the exhaust being louder? I would not think there is much backpressure change. The resonators are basically straight through pipes with packing around the outside of a perferated pipe. I guess there is a smoother flow of the exhaust.
Thanks for taking the time to write such a great review.
I think I would be fine with it, just not sure if I will get any flack from the wife.
Do you get any obnoxious growl when you lug the engine: Lets say on the freeway, trafflic slows, then speeds up and you don't feel like down shifting?
Also, do you think you really lost low end torque, or is it just a perception from the exhaust being louder? I would not think there is much backpressure change. The resonators are basically straight through pipes with packing around the outside of a perferated pipe. I guess there is a smoother flow of the exhaust.
10-13-2006, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by JiMmY912' post='344482' date='Oct 13 2006, 12:41 AM
so theres more resonance if u straight pipe them?