@DenaliZ06 - I have a '94 Grand Am with a 3100 (same basic engine as your 3400), due to the stock exhaust rotting away, I had it replaced from the cat back with stainless steel (including a custom stainless muffler). No resonator. No noise increase nor performance change.
Due to problems with aftermarket resonators, my 3800 powered Monte no longer has a resonator on it. I notice very little change in the sound (maybe a tad more tinny). Now, in the case of the Monte, it feels like it gained a tad more performance/power removing the resonator (but it also has some additional mods to it, so there's more going on then simply removing the resonator).

I would not hesitate to removing the resonator (especially on a 3400 drive train). If you find it to be a problem, you can always have a shop put one back in.

 

So yea just wanted to follow up - After going to 4 shops (all of which refused to remove it), I finally found a place that would do it so I had them pipe it. And you were all right, no noise increase, and it really isnt tinny or "pingy" sounding out back like some badly designed exhaust systems are for the 3.4/3.8. So... Thanks for the help!

 

Awesome, glad you're pleased with the results.

 

Glad to hear you're happy with the result, because in the end all it comes down to is what you like...... Cheers,

 

Glad it worked out, I'm a bit surprised so many shops were unwilling to do the removal, that's just silly. But hey, ya found one.

 

Whoever said you would get a 2-3 mpg decrease should be smacked in the head. Theres no possible way!

 

I say get the best of both worlds and replace it with a glasspack... that's what i have done.



I started out years ago with a Dynomax cat-back exhaust system. Worst buy ever. I hate the whole concept of cat back exhaust now. This "mandrel bent" stuff is just plain BS and isn't worth the price. Unelss you're looking for that .1 of a second on the quarter mile, you won't notice the difference. Promise. Second, it was nearly a quiet as stock . I honestly reved the engine up at someone standing on the street and they swear they didn't even notice.


The Dynomax cat back replaced the resonator with basically just a glasspack, and two mufflers at the back. I finally decided to ditch the rear mufflers. I had pipes at the back with a glasspack in the middle, and it was loud as crap. Droned a lot on the highway. Could have conversations in the car, but not well. I finally got the stock mufflers reinstalled. So now the set up is a glasspack replacing the resonator with stock mufflers and chrome exhaust tips. No interior drone, but you can hear the engine a little bit more in the car and can hear it idling as you walk past... not exceptionally loud, but a little noise none the less.


I would recommend asking them to put a glasspack in its place and just keep on cruising.



A muffler shop guy was telling me he cut one apart anyway, and a resonator is basically just an oversized glasspack. I trust him too, pretty reputable guy.

 

I was told on a SC you need to keep the res for compression. Any truth to it?
I want to ditch the RES and run to a cat then straight pipes. I LOVE the noise.

 

Well Ill say I don't belive you o. Ive Been running 2.5 Offroad Downpipe No cat and did my own res Delete and it sounds awsome. I installed Dowpipe first and then after a week i removed res, I really didnt Notice to much sound differnce Besides Cabin noise a bit louder. Next month Im going to Get Flowmaster 40s or 44s And get them welded in.. and then well see how loud it is.. if to loud I guess time for a bigg res lol

But having No cat Ive got ENG CODES car runs Great tho...

 

What is it that you dont believe me? I was told I needed the res for compression? That I want to remove the res or to just run a cat with no mufflers?