Cars can be a major investment for most people – they require regular gas, maintenance, and of course, they’re expensive in their own right. Due to this, many people look for alterations and ways to increase fuel efficiency in their cars, thus cutting down the routine costs.
Mufflers don’t affect the fuel consumption of the car. While they can affect the car’s fuel economy, and removing your muffler can make your car significantly louder, it won’t change the amount of fuel your vehicle consumes.
While mufflers may not affect fuel consumption, this doesn’t mean they don’t have other effects on cars. And, of course, this isn’t the only question you may have about your car’s muffler. Read on as we discuss how it affects the environment, if different cars require different mufflers, and so much more!
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The Difference Between Fuel Consumption and Fuel Economy
When talking about the way cars use fuel, the words fuel “economy” and “consumption” often get intermixed and thrown around as if they were the same. In reality, they’re two different concepts, and your muffler has different effects depending on which you’re talking about.
What Is Fuel Consumption?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), fuel consumption is “the amount of fuel a vehicle uses to travel a particular distance at a particular speed.” In other words, fuel consumption is how much fuel that your car consumes while traveling a certain distance.
For example, if you traveled 10 miles (16 km) and used 2.4 gallons (9.08 liters) of fuel, your fuel consumption would be 2.4 gallons (9.08 liters).
What Is Fuel Economy?
The OED defines fuel economy as “the number of miles that a vehicle can travel using a particular amount of fuel. If you drive carefully you can get better mileage from your car.”
For example, your fuel economy would refer to the fact that your car can get 20 miles (32 km) per gallon (3.8 liters). Your fuel consumption, on the other hand, would be 1 gallon (3.8 liters) for every 20 miles (32 km).
The Effect of Mufflers on Fuel Economy
Now that we’ve discussed the effect of mufflers on fuel consumption, the next factor to discuss is fuel economy.
Mufflers have been shown to improve fuel efficiency. This is mostly attributed to the fact that they can improve the exhaust system, allowing the engine more room to “breathe.” Most sources cite that adding an aftermarket performance muffler to your car can improve engine fuel efficiency by 2-10%.
Other Effects a Muffler Can Have on Your Car
As has been made apparent, mufflers do affect the way your car functions. While they may not have a large effect on fuel consumption, they do affect your vehicle’s fuel economy.
However, this isn’t the only effect a muffler has on your car.
Noise
A muffler dampens the sound that cars make, and it’s the main reason they’re included in a standard-issue car. This makes a vehicle more palatable for people to own, especially if you live in an area that’s already extremely loud (such as a city) or if you have an older car that’s naturally louder.
Emissions
Some sources note that mufflers may help reduce car emissions. However, this isn’t a universally agreed fact, and many other sources claim that mufflers have little to no effect on emissions.
The main impact mufflers have on car exhaust is that they take some of the toxic fumes and byproducts produced by the car and release them into the car’s surroundings instead of letting them get into the car. Thus, they’re designed more for driver and passenger safety than for environmental reasons.
Horsepower
A muffler has some impact on the horsepower of your car. Removing the muffler or installing a muffler delete can help increase the car’s performance (and give you better horsepower from your vehicle) because it improves the car’s exhaust flow. This results in the car letting air out faster, thus increasing the engine’s power.
Types of Mufflers
There are many types of mufflers on the market, and each often has a different sound, appearance, and effect. These options can pose a daunting challenge when you’re shopping for a new muffler.
To make things easier, you can refer to this list of some of the most common types of mufflers for help:
Reactive Mufflers
These mufflers use plates and tubes to set apart unwanted noises from the engine. They’re great because, on top of keeping your car quiet, they can also get rid of unwanted backflow and provide more fuel economy and power.
Turbo Silencers
Turbo silencer mufflers are slightly better than what you’d get out of the factory. They allow the air to leave the car’s engine in a simple and straight path. The challenge with these mufflers is that they can impede gas flow. That said, these are also the easiest upgrade options for most drivers.
Absorptive Mufflers
This is a broad class of mufflers, and turbo mufflers are technically a subset of this class. These are straight and simple mufflers with material on the inside pipe that dampens noise rather than containing bulky boxes with plates and tubes.
The challenge with these mufflers is that, eventually, the padding can wear out. This, in turn, can create back pressure and harm the car’s performance ability.
Combination Mufflers
This type of muffler is essentially a combination of absorptive and reactive mufflers. They ensure your car isn’t too loud. They also improve your car’s fuel economy and other driving factors without making your car too noisy.
Performative Silencers
Performative silencers are a type of muffler that is a more specialized option. They’re meant for improving the sound of your vehicle, along with improving performance. These often create lower/deeper sounds as they use a special chamber for resonation in the muffler.
Muffler Regulations
Currently, all cars from the factory (i.e., brand new) come with attached mufflers. Once you buy your car, it’s then your decision to remove it and replace it with an aftermarket upgrade.
That said, there are some regulations that concern mufflers. These note the size, sound, and other minimum requirements that a car’s muffler should meet. Regulations differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so make sure to check local laws for more information. If you do choose to install an aftermarket muffler, make sure it meets all local regulations.
Environmental Impact of Mufflers
One concern that people have is about the environmental impact of mufflers. This is because mufflers tend to be associated with noise reduction and the alteration of the flow of harmful gases from the car’s engine.
Noise Pollution
Because mufflers help make your cars quieter, they can help reduce local noise pollution significantly. Noise pollution is a major issue, especially in and around waterways, and can negatively affect nearby animals and wildlife.
Emissions
As previously mentioned, mufflers most likely have little to no effect on your emissions. This is because when you remove or add a muffler, you aren’t impacting the “smog equipment” of your car.
That said, government laws do regulate this aspect of your car’s muffler, so make sure to confirm you’re installing a compliant muffler if you’re looking to upgrade from the inbuilt one that comes with every car.
Conclusion
Ultimately, mufflers don’t have a large effect on your fuel consumption. However, they can have a beneficial effect on your fuel economy. When choosing an aftermarket muffler for your car, it’s essential to check that you’re choosing the right type, and the option you choose meets all local regulations.
While mufflers don’t affect fuel consumption, they can impact some other aspects of your car, such as performance, horsepower, and even pollution.
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- By Car Roar