What is the difference between a resonator and a muffler, and how can you tell them apart visually?
A resonator is usualy used in front engine vehicles. It's small and it's purpose is to interrupt the frequency and wavelengths of engine exhaust pulses as close to the source as is possible. It is itself a form of muffler but limited in scope. Mufflers were designed to "muffle" or silence exhaust pulses by all means. Not very efficient. Their purpose is to take the resultant exhaust pulses and attempt to alter the frequencies by convoluted and restrictive paths within the unit to cause equal and opposite frequencies to effectuate cancellation. They really do not function by scientific means and that poor designing gave rise to "free flow" mufflers. So in short a "resonator" is a pre-muffler and a "muffler" is to be the silencer.
BUT, on a lot of cars, the "Resonator" is the last device in the flow, just before the exhaust gas passes the outlet. So I think your definition of resonator is not complete. Just my $0.02.
No the primary resonator will always be before the main muffler. Additional forms of resonators can be used to silence certain frequencies at the tail end. Sometimes this is done by glass packing the outlet tips. The surface walls of the tip will be perforated, there will be a layer of fiber glass or rock wool, and then there will be an outer tubing. Rear engine vehicles rarely use primary resonators due to space limitations. Look at an OEM 360 muffler. It's huge.
The 575 actually has a resonator, and it does most of the work in silencing the exhaust. I have seen 575s with no mufflers installed, and they are not any louder than a stock 575 because of the resonator. The Superamerica does not have the resonator, all of the silencing work is done in the mufflers. Some people have put the Tubi mufflers from a standard 575 on their Superamericas, and they are a lot louder. Even a Superamerica with a standard 575 GTC muffler package is louder, there were actually a couple of early SAs that had the wrong mufflers installed at the factory that sounded pretty cool.
Some of this is due to the fact that each 6 cyl bank is well balanced and the long tubi also acts as a "muffler".
FerrariChallenged- Ferrari eliminated the 575M central muffler/resonator very early in the 2004 model year and replaced it with straight pipes. The Superamerica inherited this exhaust set-up. HGTC was available on 2005 575Ms and Superamericas and used lower restriction sport mufflers, still with exhaust bypass valves. A Superamerica HGTC exhaust is fitted to my 2004 575M, which came from the factory with straight center pipes. 550 and 575M aftermarket mufflers were generally designed for use with the central muffler/resonator and are indeed loud to very loud when used on a 575M/SA with straight pipes or on earlier cars with straight or X-pipes replacing the central muffler/resonator. Glorious, but loud. Taz Terry Phillips
Thanks for the clarification, I knew I was forgetting something, and I do have to agree about the gloriousness.
