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HRV Mid Exhaust Resonator Removed.

13K views 48 replies 15 participants last post by  zerrrep 
#1 ·
Well I wasn't going to modify our HRV, but this is super simple and easily reversible if wanted.
I enjoy hot rodding everything and have a tons of experience. We have 3 other modified vehicles.
Not for everyone, not if you are worried about warranty, not if you like stock.

The mid exhaust resonator under the passenger door has always bugged me since it hangs down so low, looks terrible, plus the stock HRV sounds so lame.
While the US$1000 Mugen axle back muffler is nice, spending that much for minimal gains is not the goal.

A sawzall, a short length of 1 7/8 tubing, 5 mins of MIG'ing and done.

As suspected, the mid resonator is straight thru and weighs about 8 lbs.
You can see right thru it.

30925



Pipe welded in place of the resonator. It's already dirty since I did this last week, plus I painted it all with high heat flat black VHT high heat paint.

30926



So, from inside you can't really tell any sound difference. No difference at idle, driving around town, barely any difference under full throttle, even with the windows down.
Most importantly, zero drone. None. Note that I have already removed the air intake resonator prior to this.

Outside the HRV, it has a little more burble at idle and a little more raspy when revving it up.
It doesn't sound like my 5.0L Mustang but it now has a bit of attitude which was the goal.
Zero hp gains, 8 lbs lighter. Plus the HRV looks better from the passenger side.


It's louder in this sound clip than in real life. I hope this link works.



Total cost, about 1 hour and $10 worth of MIG wire and Argon, pipe in my spare steel pile, $20 worth of VHT high heat paint.
Of course, the resonator can easily be reinstalled if desired.

The off-road HRV guys should dump this resonator immediately for ground clearance!
 
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#2 ·
Thanks for your share! I do agree that the resonator looks bad from the passenger side. My brothers always make fun of me for it.
I was actually thinking about doing a resonator delete and I think you helped me decide what I officially want to do. If you’re looking for a new muffler to put on, I highly recommend the Vibrant 1045 StreetPower Oval Muffler. I like the look and I like the drone.
 
#4 ·
Well I wasn't going to modify our HRV, but this is super simple and easily reversible if wanted.
I enjoy hot rodding everything and have a tons of experience. We have 3 other modified vehicles.
Not for everyone, not if you are worried about warranty, not if you like stock.

The mid exhaust resonator under the passenger door has always bugged me since it hangs down so low, looks terrible, plus the stock HRV sounds so lame.
While the US$1000 Mugen axle back muffler is nice, spending that much for minimal gains is not the goal.

A sawzall, a short length of 1 7/8 tubing, 5 mins of MIG'ing and done.

As suspected, the mid resonator is straight thru and weighs about 8 lbs.
You can see right thru it.

View attachment 30925


Pipe welded in place of the resonator. It's already dirty since I did this last week, plus I painted it all with high heat flat black VHT high heat paint.

View attachment 30926


So, from inside you can't really tell any sound difference. No difference at idle, driving around town, barely any difference under full throttle, even with the windows down.
Most importantly, zero drone. None. Note that I have already removed the air intake resonator prior to this.

Outside the HRV, it has a little more burble at idle and a little more raspy when revving it up.
It doesn't sound like my 5.0L Mustang but it now has a bit of attitude which was the goal.
Zero hp gains, 8 lbs lighter. Plus the HRV looks better from the passenger side.


It's louder in this sound clip than in real life. I hope this link works.



Total cost, about 1 hour and $10 worth of MIG wire and Argon, pipe in my spare steel pile, $20 worth of VHT high heat paint.
Of course, the resonator can easily be reinstalled if desired.

The off-road HRV guys should dump this resonator immediately for ground clearance!
I really want to do this but have no welding or suitable cutting tools. Local shops want too much money for the job, too.
 
#5 ·
Try a few more independent muffler shops. They should be able to do this simple procedure for less than $100Cad/$75US.
You can paint the new pipe anytime if you want. Keep the old resonator.

No issues after this change with our HRV. It is a little buzzy when you 1st start it up colder than -15C/5F idling for a few minutes until the engine gets some heat.
 
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#8 ·
Well I wasn't going to modify our HRV, but this is super simple and easily reversible if wanted.
I enjoy hot rodding everything and have a tons of experience. We have 3 other modified vehicles.
Not for everyone, not if you are worried about warranty, not if you like stock.

The mid exhaust resonator under the passenger door has always bugged me since it hangs down so low, looks terrible, plus the stock HRV sounds so lame.
While the US$1000 Mugen axle back muffler is nice, spending that much for minimal gains is not the goal.

A sawzall, a short length of 1 7/8 tubing, 5 mins of MIG'ing and done.

As suspected, the mid resonator is straight thru and weighs about 8 lbs.
You can see right thru it.

View attachment 30925


Pipe welded in place of the resonator. It's already dirty since I did this last week, plus I painted it all with high heat flat black VHT high heat paint.

View attachment 30926


So, from inside you can't really tell any sound difference. No difference at idle, driving around town, barely any difference under full throttle, even with the windows down.
Most importantly, zero drone. None. Note that I have already removed the air intake resonator prior to this.

Outside the HRV, it has a little more burble at idle and a little more raspy when revving it up.
It doesn't sound like my 5.0L Mustang but it now has a bit of attitude which was the goal.
Zero hp gains, 8 lbs lighter. Plus the HRV looks better from the passenger side.


It's louder in this sound clip than in real life. I hope this link works.



Total cost, about 1 hour and $10 worth of MIG wire and Argon, pipe in my spare steel pile, $20 worth of VHT high heat paint.
Of course, the resonator can easily be reinstalled if desired.

The off-road HRV guys should dump this resonator immediately for ground clearance!
Did you get a check engine light after the resonator delete? I'm thinking about doing this for the looks and ground clearance
 
#9 ·
No CEL or DTC's at all. No change in drivability at all.

Since the exhaust resonator is downstream of the catalytic converters and the two O2 sensors, the ECM does not detect the change.

Think of it as a cat back or axle back aftermarket exhaust mod.
 
#13 ·
OK, it sounds great.

However, I do have some concerns about possible side effects.
Removing the resonator will remove a good bit of the back pressure that the engine relies on for proper operation. (Common issue in NA engines) Though the lack of resistance can add a few horses, it can also cause the engine performance to be a bit more sluggish and slower to respond at lower revolutions. Which if they balance each other out, it isn't much of an issue. However, it can also lead to weaker performance and horrible fuel economy.
Additionally, the lack of proper back-pressure could also trigger an engine light.

What are your experiences here?
 
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#14 ·
OK, it sounds great.

However, I do have some concerns about possible side effects.
Removing the resonator will remove a good bit of the back pressure that the engine relies on for proper operation. (Common issue in NA engines) Though the lack of resistance can add a few horses, it can also cause the engine performance to be a bit more sluggish and slower to respond at lower revolutions. Which if they balance each other out, it isn't much of an issue. However, it can also lead to weaker performance and horrible fuel economy.
Additionally, the lack of proper back-pressure could also trigger an engine light.

What are your experiences here?
Great to know these possible effects. I did a resonator delete on my previous 2002
Honda Accord 2.3L SOHC and wish I hadn’t. Never had a check engine light go on or experience suggish performance and also had a Magnaflow SS exhaust at the tail end. Hardly any sound difference with the stock Honda resonator but with the resonator delete sounded great with the Magnaflow on the street but at highway speeds the drone became unbearable above 3000 RPM’s. So I had a universal resonator resonator reinstalled but the drone was still there but at least tolerable. Finally wound up installing a third mini one and made the exhaust sound performance tuned but not super raspy like without the resonators. It pretty much went back to the sound of the stock Honda resonator with the Magnaflow muffler! Should have left it that way from the start but I wanted it louder! Wound up being an expensive mistake!

In Xperiance’s video clip after his resonator delete I heard the crackling in the exhaust note almost like backfiring which I personally don’t like. It sounds more like part of the exhaust is missing which was exactly what was done, not like a nicely tuned exhaust. When my warranty is over I plan on having my local trusted muffler shop do the same mod I had done in my Accord, just switch out the stock muffler with a polished stainless steel Magnaflow muffler with a custom bent axle-back stainless steel pipe welded with stainless steel weld, connecting to the stock pipe. I’m going to leave the stock resonator in like I should have done in my Accord. I know it won’t sound too much over the stock exhaust but the Magnaflow will give it just enough raspiness and “attitude” to make it sound like a nice performance tuned exhaust but at a fairly budgeted cost. Plus the polished stainless steel exhaust body will dress up the overall look of the vehicle!
 
#15 ·
As for ground clearance unless you plan on going off roading often, the stock ground clearance even with the resonator in place should be more then enough. I had a 2004 Honda CR-V for 14 years surviving 14 Chicago winters, some with hefty snowfalls, and its 8” of ground clearance was far more than adequate.
 
#20 ·
I’ve always liked a louder-than-stock exhaust sound I guess ever since I had a my first car, a Mustang which wound up having dual straight through glass pack mufflers, way “back in the day” but now that I’m getting older :)appreciate more of a subdued exhaust sound! But your HR-V does sound a lot better than stock without being abrasive. They did use a stainless steel pipe to replace your resonator r
with stainless steel (SS) welds, right? When I had my previous CR-V’s SS Magnaflow muffler installed the other shop I used didn’t use SS, so the welds rusted before the exhaust pipes used to connect the muffler to the stock SS pipes did. But at least the SS Magnaflow muffler never rusted for the four+ years I had it on my CR-V and still looked like new when I finally sold the vehicle! That’s why with the latest muffler shop I used for my Accord, I made sure they used all SS welds and pipes when installing the SS Magnaflow muffler.

BTW, I have a white HR-V too like yours but mine is a 2018.
Yea it's stainless steel. I agree and I'm getting older myself with a kid and wife, so I (they included) don't want to have an obnoxious and loud exhaust tone. It's a compromise with this resonator delete; not too loud at all, and if I want to have some fun and "let her rip", I use the paddle shifters 👍😀
 
#21 ·
Nicely done Xperience! Is that your big tires on your HRV or did you go back to stock size tires?
They look standard size in your video.

Some interesting analytical posts here. :)
As my 1st post shows, you can see that the resonator is straight thru. It's not chambered.
You are not really changing the exhaust flow or reducing back pressure or anything like that.
You are not gaining or losing power, you are not gaining or losing MPG.
That resonator is just absorbing some high frequencies.

The low cost HRV exhaust is not highly tuned and it's not even good quality 409 stainless steel.
You could buy a beautiful SS catback exhaust for US$2000 or the Mugen SS muffler for US$1000
or spend US$50 for similar results.

It looks like Xperience's replacement pipe is standard muffler shop aluminized steel with quick MIG welds like I did our HRV.
A magnet will tell you what kind of steel it is. The less the magnet sticks the better the quality SS steel!
I do recommend to paint the new pipe and welds with black VHT high heat paint.
Follow the curing process and it will last fairly well.


Next mod is to get rid of the 2 air intake resonators and bypass the throttle body heater!
Get rid of the clutter and get some cold air into the engine.
 
#22 ·
Nicely done Xperience! Is that your big tires on your HRV or did you go back to stock size tires?
They look standard size in your video.

Some interesting analytical posts here. :)
As my 1st post shows, you can see that the resonator is straight thru. It's not chambered.
You are not really changing the exhaust flow or reducing back pressure or anything like that.
You are not gaining or losing power, you are not gaining or losing MPG.
That resonator is just absorbing some high frequencies.

The low cost HRV exhaust is not highly tuned and it's not even good quality 409 stainless steel.
You could buy a beautiful SS catback exhaust for US$2000 or the Mugen SS muffler for US$1000
or spend US$50 for similar results.

It looks like Xperience's replacement pipe is standard muffler shop aluminized steel with quick MIG welds like I did our HRV.
A magnet will tell you what kind of steel it is. The less the magnet sticks the better the quality SS steel!
I do recommend to paint the new pipe and welds with black VHT high heat paint.
Follow the curing process and it will last fairly well.


Next mod is to get rid of the 2 air intake resonators and bypass the throttle body heater!
Get rid of the clutter and get some cold air into the engine.
Thanks bro! Yea, those are the same 225/65/17 tires 👍
 
#23 ·
Well I wasn't going to modify our HRV, but this is super simple and easily reversible if wanted.
I enjoy hot rodding everything and have a tons of experience. We have 3 other modified vehicles.
Not for everyone, not if you are worried about warranty, not if you like stock.

The mid exhaust resonator under the passenger door has always bugged me since it hangs down so low, looks terrible, plus the stock HRV sounds so lame.
While the US$1000 Mugen axle back muffler is nice, spending that much for minimal gains is not the goal.

A sawzall, a short length of 1 7/8 tubing, 5 mins of MIG'ing and done.

As suspected, the mid resonator is straight thru and weighs about 8 lbs.
You can see right thru it.

View attachment 30925


Pipe welded in place of the resonator. It's already dirty since I did this last week, plus I painted it all with high heat flat black VHT high heat paint.

View attachment 30926


So, from inside you can't really tell any sound difference. No difference at idle, driving around town, barely any difference under full throttle, even with the windows down.
Most importantly, zero drone. None. Note that I have already removed the air intake resonator prior to this.

Outside the HRV, it has a little more burble at idle and a little more raspy when revving it up.
It doesn't sound like my 5.0L Mustang but it now has a bit of attitude which was the goal.
Zero hp gains, 8 lbs lighter. Plus the HRV looks better from the passenger side.


It's louder in this sound clip than in real life. I hope this link works.



Total cost, about 1 hour and $10 worth of MIG wire and Argon, pipe in my spare steel pile, $20 worth of VHT high heat paint.
Of course, the resonator can easily be reinstalled if desired.

The off-road HRV guys should dump this resonator immediately for ground clearance!
What does removing the air intake resonator do?
 
#24 · (Edited)
Answered in this thread:




This thread details an HRV owner removing the exhaust resonator with a Mugen muffler:

 
#25 ·
Hello everyone, I have a 2017 HRV. All I basically want is to make the car sound a little nicer while going out for drives. Im looking into doing some other mods like tints and getting different rims. I understand that tuning the HRV is a bit harder or even quite possibly non existent lol. I do plan on removing the resonator and changing the stock muffler. All im stuck on is which aftermarket muffler do i use. I am looking for something a little more aggressive. I have two mufflers in mind: The Vibrant Muffler and the Flowmaster 40 series. I would appreciate any help!
 
#28 ·
This resonator is meant to be somewhat sacrificial - it can take hits and scrapes that would otherwise dent the floor pan or impact the fuel tank.

The perforations inside in some cases act like golf ball divots to reduce turbulence and resonance without affecting air flow.

The other poster is wrong, an engine is an air pump - its sucks in air, compresses and ignites it and then forces it back out - Back pressure makes the engine work harder. Reducing complications, turns, bends or parts improves scavenging improves function. The most powerful engine will have the least back pressure and the highest efficiency.

This particular implementation does create turbulence at both joints. Does it make more hp, maybe but its probably better to remake the entire pipe in mandrel bent stainless the diameter of where the downpipes connects to the cat.

The fox marketing hav made 15whp with a magna flow exhaust and intake - thats roughly a 13% gain.
 
#29 ·
Finally bit the bullet and opted to switch out the stock muffler on my 2018 HR-V EX AWD with the same SS Magnaflow muffler I’ve had on my previous cars, a 2004 CR-V and 2002 Accord. Left the rest of the exhaust system including the resonator in place. I really wanted a sports tuned sound, no crackling or backfiring noises. And that’s what I have experienced with the Magnaflow mufflers on my previous rides.
Just had it installed by the same shop that did my Accord, so nice and clean install, made it look almost like a stock muffler set up except with a shiny SS body and large diameter SS chrome tip! Haven’t taken it on the highway over 60 due to heavy traffic, but will find out tomorrow what it sounds like at higher speeds.
Should be ok since the CVT tranny revs fairly lazily at around 2000 RPM’s at 70 and the Magnaflow is pretty quiet at that RPM. It only makes itself known sound-wise around 3-4,000 RPM’s when you get on it giving a nice growl! Will follow up with how it sounds at highway speeds soon!
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#32 ·
Thank you for the replies!
As an update, exactly what I had expected! Very throaty but subdued growl from take off but when the CVT finally gets into gear and revs drop, very quiet! I had chosen Magnaflow for my other vehicles because they have proven to provide a very refined performance tuned sound. You will definitely hear this trademark exhaust sound when merging on to the highway, but as soon as the revs level out, very stock-like exhaust ‘non-sound!‘! Zero drone! On the street the sound is very subtle and roars only when you get heavier on the pedal! Then settles back to its almost stock exhaust sound when you’re just cruising around!
Because of the reduction of back pressure with the restrictive stock muffler removed, which may be perception only from the sound increase some may think, but I have noticed peppier acceleration off the line and in passing. This is based on how fast the car gets up to speed on the speedo too. And this is not my imagination, I actually observed my highway MPG peak at just over 38MPG! My usual average is about 33MPG peaking at 35-36MPG pre-Magnaflow! I will keep track of this too.
All in all, I really am enjoying the sound again! But having driven my car for the last few months with the stock exhaust set up and quietness, the first time to feather the throttle and hear that distinctive Magnaflow growl I was wondering if I had made the right decision! But def loving it now! Oh how I had missed it!
 
#35 ·
Hey CalgaryHRV, I happen to like my lame license plate frame L😂L! Can’t get rid of that! Car is still under warranty so want to keep the dealer sticker on for easy ID when I bring it in for my free car washes! And the Honda badges will stay too.😎👍🏽
I will try to have a video clip by this weekend to post!
 
#36 ·
...want to keep the dealer sticker on for easy ID when I bring it in for my free car washes!
That alone would make it my primary reason for removing it.

Two different dealerships, from two different marques both badly damaged my vehicle while carrying out the courtesy wash. Despite the fact I told both not to at the time of handover, and had laminated notices placed within the vehicle stating do not wash this vehicle.

Unfortunately, on both occasions it was raining heavily when I collected my vehicle (it's Scotland!) so I did not notice until some time later.

I know they did it. The dealership (probably) knows they did it. Proving it is a different matter.
 
#37 ·
I’ve been taking my cars to the same dealership since 1991 when I bought my first new Honda, an Accord LX, then a1992 Civic EX, CR-V EX and now HR-V EX and never had any problems with my free washes. So it depends on the dealership. My cars were never damaged. It’s a short car wash and visible from the service desk so you can watch as your car goes through. They used to have an inside front window sticker for identification so taking off the rear dealer sticker didn’t matter but they stopped adding it. Even with servicing they take pictures of your car at many angles for documenting before servicing to release any liability of damage to your vehicle, which also gives their customers a sense of security their cars will be taken care of.
 
#44 ·
Thanks for the sound clips..

Going by your video, it is very quiet, barely louder than stock.
Likely sounds way better than stock when on the throttle.
Sounds similar to the Mugen muffler which makes sense since the muffler designs are likely similar.

I can understand your goal of keeping it quiet but I would still hate the dead weight of the exhaust resonator and the way it hangs so low.

Perhaps the ideal low cost HRV exhaust system would be to get rid of that exhaust resonator but to install an aftermarket muffler that keeps things quiet.
 
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