I know this is most likely a dumba$$ question and im probably gonna get flamed for this but, what is a resonator on a prelude and what does it do? also, why do some people get them removed?


[Modified by kidaniel, 7:40 AM 6/23/2002]

 

as far as i know it reduces the noise of the motor.... on 4th/5th gen ludes it has a butterfly valve controlling the amount of air allowed in.....
people remove it because its just extra weight and in terms of performance doesn't really do anything, especially if you have an intake (short ram doesn't necessarily mean you have to remove it like in the CAIs).....
its a "freebie mod"

 

there are two on the car. One is the air intake resonator, the other is an exhaust "resonator."

They both serve to quiet down the noise. The reason you take it out is to allow more free flowing air.

 

I beg to differ...with removal of the exhaust reso on the 4th gen...I think there is noticable gains in throttle response at top end about 80 and up or so.
So what if it's a lil nosier, take it off

 

Where exactly is the axhaust resonator located?

 

I think its in the A-pipe section (first piece after the cat) on most exhausts.

 

Actually it is is the B-pipe section and the amount of noise it dampens is enough that if you are stopped and tested you will fail using the 95dB rule. The intake is a different part and indeed can affect both sound and performance. For the exhaust you would be better to do a cat-back system.

 

Resonators just quite down your exhaust and stop vibration in the piping.

No such for throttle response or anything. You can't honestly tell me you 'feel' a gain in performance when putting exhaust, same with intake. You mostly have a better sound with the resonator off the intake, as for the resonator off the exhaust, you get big time bumble bee sound.

exhaust doesn't really do that much if you have no resonator or a resonator put on, as well as a gutted cat/full high flow cat, unless you are turbo, then you'll have faster spools, and might notice some difference in performance.

I used to have gutted cat with straight pipe and no resonator, and there was serious fart and bee sound coming out. After then, had to pass emissions, and failed miserably, so I got a high flow cat, and eliminated some of the fart, and didn't feel any less performance nor 'throttle responce' as what was said above.

THen i recently put a glass-pack resonator and I absolutely love the sound of the exhaust w/o any fart noise at all, and again, i feel no difference in throttle responce nor hurt in performance. Only time it might actually hurt performance is when you are running higher HP #'s with your motor, or like I said....having a turbo.

 

um, you will also notice a difference with a built N/A motor.

Once I yanked my cat, and resonator (although the resonator did nothing, it was the fact I replaced it with 2.5" piping) my car gained a little ***** up top. SHE COULD BREATHE!