A muffler delete is a route a lot of race car enthusiasts go about for a cheap way to get more horsepower and torque. And if you have the tools and the know-how, doing a muffler delete right at home is an even bigger bonus in the money-saving department.
However, before you decide this is the route you want to take, you might want to consider a few things first, such as how much a muffler delete costs. Therefore, keep reading to learn more!
How Much Is a Muffler Delete?
A muffler delete won’t cost you that much if you go to the right muffler shop. You shouldn’t have to pay more than $50 or $60 in parts, and labor will be up to the muffler shop and what works out, but anything more than $400 is way too much, and you should shop around with your estimate in hand.
A muffler delete might be reasonable for your situation, but before you pay the money for this upgrade, you should know the facts. Read on to find out the cost and outcomes of a muffler delete!
Is a Muffler Delete Worth It?
Whether a muffler delete is worth purchasing will depend on your vehicle’s application.
If your engine is stock and is hooked up to a stock muffler, changing over to a muffler delete will probably be a waste of money performance-wise.
However, if your ambition is to make your vehicle sound louder, then you will get your money’s worth by implicating a muffler delete.
Some vehicle enthusiasts crave the louder sound of an engine, and if this is you, a muffler delete will get you that louder sound/rumble.
Does a Muffler Delete Do Anything?
A muffler delete can add some horsepower and torque, and possibly a bump in gas mileage to your vehicle.
However, if you own a very new vehicle, your computer will think it still has a muffler hooked to the combination in which it was designed to run.
This could cause you problems if your vehicle really doesn’t create enough performance to need a muffler delete.
If you have been tacking on aftermarket parts, and you haven’t changed your stock muffler, then yes, a muffler delete could help you out.
If everything is still stock on your vehicle, and you still want to go with a muffler delete, it’s better to save the money and the headaches.
Do I Lose Power with a Muffler Delete?
Chances are you won’t lose any power with a muffler delete.
Even if your vehicle’s computer acts up a little bit because of the change, a simple tune to let the computer know what it’s missing will fix the problem, and even help you gain more power.
Does a Muffler Delete Get Louder Over Time?
The one thing that is nice about a muffler delete is that, unless one of your exhaust system seals goes bad, your muffler delete won’t get louder over time.
A muffler is just like every other part of your vehicle – time and wear-and-tear make them less effective.
However, your straight pipes, along with a muffler delete, could last you longer than you own the vehicle.
How Much Does It Cost to Straight Pipe a Car?
When planning on a muffler delete/straight pipe for a car, since you are not planning on buying a muffler, you really shouldn’t be deeper than $100-$300, including labor.
Of course, this price will depend on the shop you go to, and where the muffler that you are deleting is located.
However, the project and the materials themselves shouldn’t be too extensive!
Does a Straight Pipe Hurt Your Engine?
A straight pipe cannot hurt your engine, but in some cases, it could hurt the engine’s low-end performance and smooth idle.
Without enough back and engine exhaust pressure, you could notice a slight delay in acceleration response time.
Is It Legal to Straight Pipe Your Car?
You will find no place in the U.S., Canada, or otherwise where straight pipes are legal for public road use.
Not only is the sound of just straight pipes annoying to the public, but there is the added problem of the setup being not so “Green-Friendly.”
To know more, you can also read our posts on how hot does a muffler get, muffler noise when accelerating, and what is muffler delete.
Conclusion
Having your vehicle upgraded to a muffler delete might be an inexpensive way to make some more horsepower and torque, but you must add in all the pros and cons and decide whether it’s a good decision to make for your vehicle.
The Pros would be a louder exhaust that can give you better performance, even in the gas mileage category. The Cons could be a louder exhaust with no performance advantage, and possibly a computer that makes your vehicle run a little off-beat.