There's probably nobody in this world who finds the annoying noise of a vehicle's engine quite soothing. It's not, obviously. The only thing that can put a bar between that hazardous sound and your ear is a muffler. Apart from reducing that noise, a muffler also improves the endurance and performance of the engine.
But how would you know if the muffler is working just fine? When to tell if it needs a replacement or repair? That becomes easier when you know how a muffler works. So it's evident for a rider to have an in-depth idea of how does a muffler work.
In this piece, we will be skimming through the ins and outs of a muffler to make sure you get the best idea of it. So, here we go.
What is a Muffler?
Well, the name says it all. A muffler muffles the sound generated by your vehicle's engine. An engine creates a heavy pulsating sound and resounds through the entire exhaust valves. In every minute, it produces thousands of those pulses. So, if your vehicle is missing a muffler, it's going to be excessively noisy.
And we are quite sure even if you do, your neighbor won't apricate that annoying sound and end up calling 911. So, at least for the sake of being a gentleman, you should have a muffler in your vehicle.
Different Types of Car's Mufflers
Mufflers come in various sizes and shapes depending on your requirements. Size varies on the type and model of the vehicle. Depending on that, there are generally three types of mufflers. Each is having its own functions and capability. Let's talk about their details down below.
- Chambered Mufflers
- Glass pack Muffler
- Straight-through Mufflers
Chambered Mufflers
In a chambered muffler within the main canister, you will find a level of walls and baffles. They have to throw back the flows of the exhaust gases into different chambers. The way a muffler is tuned affects the sound and overall performance.
First, they were used in high-performance GM vehicles. They create a very aggressive and unique note. The main advantages of having this muffler are that you will be able to tune the muffler and control the performance and sound of it, and have acceptable sound variations.
Also, a chambered muffler doesn't come in package materials reduces the possibility of messing up with the hot exhaust gases and modifying the sound over a short time. Having chambered mufflers is excellent as they are going to last for years to come providing you a stable service.
But you should know that they can cause blocking the airflow sometimes, increasing backpressure and results in a performance drop. Chambered muffler have different versions depending on your requirements.
Glass pack Muffler
A glass pack is being used since the early days. This muffler delivers the exhaust gasses through the center part of it. If you have been looking for a muffler that will give you a fantastic roar sound, then a glass pack muffler is what you need.
This muffler is able to create aggressive sounds but, your neighbors won't get annoyed by it. The less invasive design of the glass pack muffler is impressive. It comes with an adjustable volume system also a distinct tone.
The most impressive part of this muffler is its sound blanketing capacity. Some people call it "the cherry bomb muffler" because of its great sound-absorbing ability.
This muffler is far away better than a regular one. Because as long as they are in your vehicle, you can be sure they won't resonate back the sound to the engine giving a high-quality sound.
The only downside of this muffler is it's not compatible with all cars. So, before getting one, you should check whether it supports your model or not.
Straight-through Mufflers
This muffler is ready to give you the maximum horsepower and flow. When it comes to boosting the performance of your car's engine straight-through muffler can be a perfect choice.
Back in time, most people used to hate them because of the excessive noise. But that's not an issue anymore as they come with a straight pipe wrapped and effective sound suppressing material to decrease the noise. The fiberglass insulation of this muffler is very effective in absorbing noise.
That's not the end. A straight-through muffler offers an excellent sound variation so, you will be able to keep the noise at a specific pitch. This muffler will reduce the cost of your fuel expenses as it can provide good airflow into the engine.
How Does Muffler Work?
In a muffler, you will find tubes, holes, and channels. They perform in directing gases in results reducing exhaust pressure. By absorbing the emitted sound pressure, it makes the engine quiet. The muffler not only suppresses the sound but also merges the sound waves. Also, force them to reject each other.
The muffler is also blamed for releasing toxic gases. It's harmful to you and your passengers if they reach the cabin. Some people want a silent muffler, and some want an aggressive sound. Based on these two demands, they are designed with two different aims keeping in mind.
To understand how a muffler works, we have to get acquainted with its structure. This will give us a clear idea about their function:
Inlet — You will find the inlet connected to the exhaust system. The exhaust gases and sound from the exhaust system get in the inlet.
Resonator — The resonator functions almost like an echo chamber. Their duty is to decrease the overall noise volume of your car's engine by rejecting sound waves.
Perforated Tubes — These metals made tubes are positioned on the inside of the muffler. They define the volume of your car's engine sound. Because of this part muffler is able to subdue the sound. And play an essential part in increasing your car's performance.
Outlet — In this part, both the exhaust gases and remaining sound emits out of the system.
It would be quite difficult to describe everything about a muffler in short. So, here's you will find a brief answer to the question What Does A Muffler Do? If you are more interested to know about it.
Does the Muffler Help in The Vehicle's Performance?
The truth is muffler plays a very significant role in improving the overall performance of your vehicle. It provides the vehicle engine with fresh air to generate more power. How efficiently your car will go depends on how fast this process happens.
So, when your muffler features high-functioning exhaust flow, you will be going to have the maximum performance. It also allows your vehicle to release the exhaust gases ensuring the engine works at its best. Also, the combustions perform better.
Adding a performance muffler in your car may give you around a 10% boost in horsepower but, there's no guarantee about it.
Final Words
Adding a muffler or replacing the damaged muffler in your car could be a great decision. When driving your car, you will feel more comfortable and delighter if you have an excellent muffler installed in your vehicle.
But before buying a muffler, you should have some idea about the noise level approval of that particular region. Otherwise, you may get yourself in trouble by violating environmental regulations.
Hopefully, after reading this article, now you understand how a muffler works and keeps on exploring it. Good luck!
