Anyone ever done a mid-muffler delete?

[pologk04]

So I have an exhaust leak from one of the flex pipes on my 2001 2.8Q, and was thinking about making some changes while I was down there. My plan is to eventually get a magnaflow 14816 (the 816 tips are too big IMO). I was looking at the Bentley repair manual diagram and thought of maybe taking out my mid-mufflers and replacing it with 2.5" piping. I'm still a bit of an audi newb so go easy on me. Is this setup going to be too loud? will my car still pass smog without the mid-mufflers? Eventually I will add a magnaflow resonator and muffler (as said above) so this set up would be somewhat temporary.

[dak360rt]

people do delete the mid muffler. I was looking into doing something similar and it was suggested that you delete the rear muffler and leave the mid muffler to minimize drone inside the car. i havent done anything so far so cant speak to personal experience yet.

[Stone825]

I'd also like to know whether I'd pass inspections / smog with the center resonator cut out. (Btw thats what the center muffler is called).

California may have more strict rules on this but I do not know.

[le91688]

the cat?

our cars only have 1 muffler.

[somebody5788]

um wrong... we have a muffler and a mid muffler/ resonator and the 2.8's also have 2 cats and probly 1 more in each down pipe

[pologk04]

I don't think I'd like to have that drone inside the car so maybe i'll rethink my strategy. I'm still looking for a good deal on the magnaflow muffler and if I come across a good deal on a resonator i'll probably get that too. What have people had the best results with at a decent price. I'm looking to do something a little more custom instead of a kit. I don't want it to be too loud, i just want that nice low growl that I hear from some of the other 2.8's on here.

[Nebone]

Sounds crappy w/ center mufler removed on the 1.8T. Heard it.

[zrowcool]

you'd be better off leaving it and just change the muffler to the magnaflow you posted about. i took off the mid muffler and the drone is horrible at highway speeds. i'm putting it back right after the holidays

[pologk04]

Has anyone heard it on the 2.8?

[le91688]

Might wanna double check the whole mid muffler deal.
I think you're referring to the resonator.

If you want your 2.8 to sound badass just go magnaflow 14815 and resonator delete.

its been covered.

[pologk04]

I'll probably just end up leaving the mid-muffler then. I thought doing something different would be cool. It sounds like its not a common thing to do for good reason.

In terms of that leaky flex pipe, I found this on AWE's Ebay store
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stain...3A1|240%3A1318

Should I go for it or would it cost me the same to just get one from the muffler shop? Shipping is kinda expensive. Also, I only have a leak in one, but would it be worth it to replace both?

[zrowcool]

you can remove it and then replace it with a flow-thru like a cherry bomb or a universal weld in resonator. i do like the deep tone i got from removing it but i hate the drone.

[brlukosk]

I removed mine and placed a 22" cherry bomb in its place and a magnaflow on the rear. I had it like that for 3 weeks until I drove straight back to the shop and had the mid muffler put back in.

The drone around 3K sucked really bad.

In the shop they had it setup with just the mid muffler and no rear, and it sounded really good.

If I could do it all over again I would get rid of the rear muffler and run a pipe with a nice set of dual tips out the rear.

[lowandslow4now]

I tried to remove the mid muffler and replace it with a 2.5" pipe to rear m uffler but it sounded like ass so I just chose a set off tips and went straight pip and it sounded fantastic. But excuse me right now I have had alot to drink so my grammar might be off.

[revbjeff]

I've been thinking about exhaust lately also (reading the all the threads). So cutting off the rear muffler then say adding a 2.5" pipe to a dual tip of some kind sounds good? If so that sounds like a very cheap and easy alternative to getting a magnaflow.

Does anyone have audio of this setup. I've heard plenty with different muffler setups. Would love to hear this scenario though

[pologk04]

x2 on needing a sound clip. And would this set up pass smog in Cali?

[bastosmafka]

i did it with the same magnaflow. car is LOUD AS HELL! i kinda wanna get something to replace it not so it wont be that loud. its ridiculously louder than a lot of other cars.:[ im scared as hell driving around cops. dont want a fix it ticket

one of my new coworkers said" i thought it was some sort of mustang/muscle car driving down and then i saw it was a white audi with HIDS. right then and there i knew it was your car."

[DJSticky]

When I got my 2.8 the previous owner had removed the "mid muffler" aka resonator and retained stock piping except for the bit replacing the res and a stock muffler. It sounded very nice at high RPM and was very very quiet at low RPM. All in all it was pretty quiet unless you were at 4k+ giving more then 50% throttle. I was very pleased with it but wanted to check out the magnaflow sound.

Right now I have 2.25" piping from the cat back, no resonator and a Magnaflow 14815 muffler. It sounds pretty aggressive at start up, idle, and 3200+ RPM. If you are cruising and just giving it a tiny bit of throttle to maintain speed it almost goes silent. It sounds downright nasty at 5k and above esp from outside the car. At low RPMs under throttle it does drone pretty loud inside the cabin but with corrected shifting practices when driving around town you can avoid it.

I may end up trying out a Magnaflow resonator in a while to see how I like that but all in all my recomendation is to try it out with no res and stockpiping + muffler and see how you like it. If you want it louder or more snarly check out the Magnaflow 14815 muffler.

[DJSticky]

x2 on needing a sound clip. And would this set up pass smog in Cali?

Here's a few, none my car because I don't have a camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRM2udcgYbk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2v7i...eature=related

Search Youtube for "A4 2.8 Magnaflow"

[le91688]

l2search

[Maki]

A4 2,6 2.5" Racecat. 2.5" pipes and one little muffler.
http://www.garaget.org/video/py9c5xb2oi3m

[black00A4]

I have the Magnaflow 14815 with stock resonator and its pretty quiet, I want to go with a high flow resonator but I'm worried it will be too loud in the car. Anyone with an after market resonator who can chime in on that?

[RAUDIS6]

I'd also like to know whether I'd pass inspections / smog with the center resonator cut out. (Btw thats what the center muffler is called).

California may have more strict rules on this but I do not know.

FYI,

I had cut the resonators on both my B5 A4 & S4, and live in So Cal, and passed Smog no problem. Any muffler shop should be able to do it for less then $50.

Good Luck

[iwearpro]

Here is my 2.8...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...85985805144375

[a4937]

I have the Magnaflow 14815 with stock resonator and its pretty quiet, I want to go with a high flow resonator but I'm worried it will be too loud in the car. Anyone with an after market resonator who can chime in on that?

Same question I have.

I actually had the MF resonator in for a couple days but it was ungodly loud.. then come to find out that one of the seams on it is not welded and once that's done it will be quieter. Thinking about getting that put in and getting the whole exhaust from cat back to the muffler custom.

[flynnr]

I have the Magnaflow 14815 with stock resonator and its pretty quiet, I want to go with a high flow resonator but I'm worried it will be too loud in the car. Anyone with an after market resonator who can chime in on that?

i have same magnaflow and a high flow resonator (link)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3AIT&viewitem=

and couldnt be happier,

i just had 2.5
pipe to a magnaflow out back, but it droned llike you said, so i jsut got that resonator and got it installed for $35 at a local shop and it sounds great

and for 21 shipped cant complain

[pologk04]

that damn flex pipe is going to cost me more than I thought, so i'll probably end up waiting to do any mods to the exhaust until after christmas. I can't find a shop that will just cut and weld in new flex pipes! they all seem to think its going to take more than that. Anyway, when I end up doing the rest of the exhaust I'll probably replace the mid muffler with a high flow resonator and get the magnaflow 14815 muffler.

[revbjeff]

Here is my 2.8...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...85985805144375

What muffler is it? What inlet and outlet locations do I need? I really like the way it sounds. Will a 30v sound about the same?

[ShawFM]

Has anyone heard it on the 2.8?

Did the delete on my uncle '99 A6 Avant. Sounds way better than it did before the delete. Not quite as nice as our '01 A4 2.8 But when we were presented with $800 repair or a $100 repair tried it and like it.

[bigrobby]

In regards to the smog test......unless the test cares about noise in california...it won't affect it at all.

FLYNN.....i'd really like to hear a clip of your car. I've heard plenty with that muffler but I really wanna hear it with that resonator....that's the setup i've been considering for a while

[iwearpro]

What muffler is it? What inlet and outlet locations do I need? I really like the way it sounds. Will a 30v sound about the same?

Sorry for the delay....Its a center in,center out,2.5 inch Flowmaster Super 44

Yeah,I love the sound as well..