Okay...

replaced the cat on my 2003 SS...or rather had it replaced....when I went to pick it up...he says "oh yea...its a little loud...the resonator has a crack in the top, we noticed it when we had it down" I dont know why the clown didnt tell me then...and we could have addressed that...but here I am.

so referencing a posted view of the exhaust (I cant seem to attach the picture)

https://montecarloforum.com/forum/he...ed-view-32231/

where exactly is the resonator...is it welded to the #13 there? so it would have to be cut out and a piece of pipe welded in? (to remove it altogether)

 

That's correct.

 

The resonator is between 13 and 14, and is actually larger than that. It is designed to reduce interior drone. I have a glasspack in its place wtih stock mufflers, gives the car a little bit more growl without the drone. I decided I was tired of making all that noise with out mufflers though.

 

Well Cowboy, when I get under there I am ripping out everything from the new cat to the tips and going stainless. I should go headers too...but since I just dropped 7 bills on the cat / down pipe...I guess I will leave that much....I can always go headers if I need to do engine work later.

You are right...the resonator is HUGE....it goes all the way down the hump. So you ran a glass pack right after the cat....then just pipes to the tips...yea Ill bet it was loud as crap. I do not want any cabin noise though (which I have plenty of now that the res is rusted out).....so I dont know about the glass pack idea...seams like it will be loud in the cabin.

 

It's between #13 & #14

 

I cut mine out it was getting loud and to be honest it is not that noisey. With the new clamps that they have today you can cut it out yourself and replace it. At high speed you would even know it was gone

 

Muffler shop only charged me 20 bucks.

 

Mine was loud in teh cabin, until I put the stock mufflers back on it. Now its only marginally louder than stock. I would recommend a glasspack and stock mufflers at the back to quiet it down honestly. I don't think oyu'd be upset with the cabin noise level.

 

This is the way my exhaust is set up also, and I like the way it sounds. It's slightly louder than stock with a low, mellow tone to it. It's not obnoxiously loud on acceleration and no drone at cruising speeds.

 

Walker has a resonator for $90... (PN 21383) which I am only considering to take car of the leak without welding until I decide/have time for a new system...since it may be a quick bolt on deal....I can weld a SS pipe in my steel fab shop...but there is too much going on right now. I am going to a custom shop today at lunch and see what he says. (from reading the exhaust section...I am leaning to Flowmaster)

A further question. Since I was driving this thing for a month running so poorly trying to diagnose this clogged cat problem...how likely is it I have valve damage/carbon buildup...and is there a recomended fuel additive I can/should use to clean things? We are running great now..so I think all is good.

Thanks for the warm welcome to the group....you guys are awesome.