Do mufflers help save on gas, or do removing an automotive exhaust muffler hurt gas mileage.?

Question

I HAVE A 1995 OLDS CUTLASS CIERA AND I'M THINKING ABOUT REMOVING THE MUFFLER AND ADDINING STRAIGHT PIPE ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BECUASE I LIKE THE SOUND. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO; NOW THAT THE MUFFLER SEEMS TO BE GOING BAD. MY ONLY CONCERN IS WILL I BE LOSING GAS MILEAGE. I DRIVE 40+ MILES PER DAY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUSTAIN THE GAS MILEAGE THAT I AM GETTING NOW WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 26MPG COMBINED CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING, OR EVEN BETTER; INCREASE THE GAS MILEAGE.

Answer 1

Removing the muffler would seriously reduce back pressure and overly scavenge the cylinders hurting low end performance. Best idea is to get a high-flow muffler so you can have a throaty exhaust and not set off car alarms and *maybe* get a little better gas mileage.

Answer 2

On my 1993 Tahoe the stock muffler corroded and broke at its inlet. I ran for about a week w/o any muffler, it was a loud LOUD week where I could barely hear my $3000 stereo because all I could hear was my 350 trying its best to idle / run. Because my engine has a computer controlled TBI (came just before full fuel injection), when it lost back pressure due to the absence of the muffler, it ran like crap for the week.

At stoplights I had to rev the thing to keep it running....sounded like I had a full blown monster truck. Oh, by the way I used an entire 29 gallon tank of gas that week when I normally used about half in the same time. This was likely caused by my efforts to keep it idling, and the ECU's efforts to keep the engine running normally by adjusting the timing and fuel curves.

To fix it all I ended up with a 3" high flow catalytic converter and a 3" Flowmaster Muffler. This combo gave me almost 1MPG better than stock. Keep a muffler, your ears and your wallet will thank you and you don't risk getting pulled over due to noise violations which could require you to get your vehicle towed.

MikeC

Answer 3

If your stock muffler is going, replace it with a high-performance unit like a Magnaflow or Flowmaster. This will keep you within the law if emissions controls are in effect in your county and will also sustain if not increase your current gas mileage.

Answer 4

Taking off the muffler might get you a traffic ticket that will cost you more than saved gas and you will probably be required to intsall it back on the car so why think about it?

Answer 5

Does nothing for the gas milege. However the power will go up about 10%. I wouldn't run without mufflers, the cops will go nuts. A nice pair of flowmasters will give you the sound you want.

Answer 6

U shud get better mileage because engine will be exhausting its waste gases at lower pressure but noise pollution may lead u being hauled up for going against the law.

Answer 7

cold air ,Yes ,Also consider flomaster they have a high output cat too . so when the neighbor point fuzz at ur tail a legal pipe set up can be found .
there are less expensive ,names you can use .
Mileage depends on your footwork ,i don't recommend a straight pipe as a cracked Head could B costly.

Answer 8

Taking the muffler off would reduce your gas milage, but it wouldn't be enough to even notice. It does, however make the engine run worse. mufflers create back-pressure that makes the engine run smoother.

Answer 9

In the UK you'd be prosecuted. It will harm your gas mileage because it's designed to operate with a silencer/muffler, not without.

Answer 10

well... if its a fuel injected engine, just get a custom made cold air intake for your car, and get it to run better by getting a exuast system that lets exuast gas out as fast it can

try a ECS if you get both the cold air and exuast system
ECS stands for- Eletronic_Cutout_System