Most of the time, when I go out on a road trip, I want my car to roar. The hearty buzzing sound my car makes while driving gives me inner pleasure. I know many people out there want their cars to have the same effect and might consider buying a bigger exhaust tip.
But when you do think about buying an exhaust tip to improve your car’s sound, you are actually in the wrong. A bigger exhaust tip has minimal effect on your vehicle’s sound. So, yes – it will make it louder – but only a little.
Technically, the shape can do a moderate change in the sound of your engine – for example, a wider exhaust tip can produce a slightly throaty sound, and a smaller tip can produce a rasping sound. One quick note on that – It might help your car have better exhaust flow, but it will not make it as loud as expected.
So, if you are wondering what you can do, let us see does a bigger exhaust tip makes it louder and to what extent the size impacts the sound.
Do Exhaust Tips Make Your Vehicle Louder?
Unless your exhaust tip is much larger or smaller in diameter, or you have a dual exhaust tip, you will be less likely to understand any difference in sound with or without it.
Speaking from personal experience, I had an H-pipe attached to my exhaust system, which used to produce a deeper sound, so last year, I replaced it with X-pipe. Now it sounds more exotic and delivers a pretty high-pitched sound.
Therefore, if you think that a bigger exhaust tip actually makes a loud sound, then by that time, it should be clear that there are other aspects to consider.
Generally, the sound comes from the engine, so the components nearby have more effect on it. So, your vehicle might release a lighter sound if there is an H-pipe and a heavier sound if X-pipe is adjusted in the engine.
Besides, if any part of your engine is wearing out, then the case would be completely different. In both scenarios, you might hear different sounds, so you have to make sure whether it is something usual or not.
Does Exhaust Tip Size Matter?
One of the common reasons behind installing a set of exhaust tips is to enhance the appearance of our car. But also, many drivers think that an exhaust tip with a large diameter can make their vehicle roar, and to some extent, this is true.
The size really has some impact on the exhaust note. However, you will not have an audible effect if there is no difference in the diameter of your tailpipe and exhaust tip.
On the other hand, if you attach a wide exhaust tip with a narrow tailpipe, you might notice a throaty sound coming from the engine. Moreover, even if it’s big-sized, no one will crawl down or check them out; rather, you can make people notice the sound very easily.
On the other hand, if you have chosen to attach a narrow exhaust tip, you will most likely notice a raspy sound because it will restrict the engine by slowing down the exhaust stream, which decreases the overall sound.
However, if there is no difference in your exhaust tip and tailpipe’s size, you will hardly realize any alteration in sound.
One common question I get from customers is whether 2.5″ or 3″ exhaust would be louder? Here, you can expect a 3-inch exhaust tip to produce a loud sound if all other parts are the same. In that case, you might hear heavy or light sounds depending on the type of muffler.
Also, you should keep in mind that attaching a straight exhaust pipe will simply carry the noise out of your vehicle.
So, you can try installing down-turn exhaust tips. Down-turn exhaust tips generally divert the airflow towards the ground, so many drivers often prefer this because the hot air does not directly affect if anything is towing behind.
Moreover, it would surely decrease your vehicle’s sound, and you will definitely hear some changes.
Also Read: How Hot Does an Exhaust Tip Get?
How Much Does the Exhaust Tip Change Sound?
As said, the exhaust tip does not usually change the sound, and this is simply your preference for changing the outlook of your vehicle.
However, in the last rainy season, a customer showed up in my garage to attach a dual exhaust tip to his diesel truck. After installing those, I was pretty amazed to see how the sound had become so loud. Of course, we all know diesel trucks are quite famous for their sound, but the alteration was amazing.
So, if you have a diesel truck, the bigger exhaust tip can make it loud. The simple logic is that a bigger tip gives more space for sound waves to move and makes them less likely to cancel each other.
Things To Consider To Make Your Exhaust Louder Without Any Additional Cost
- If you have an angular grinder, cut your exhaust pipe where it meets the muffler. Cutting off the exhaust pipe in an angular shape will create different sound effects.
- Have an oversized exhaust tip – at least 1 or 1/2 inches larger than the exhaust pipe
- Adding a sound amplifier to the tip can also help to increase the sound.
Wrapping Up
If you are thinking about buying an exhaust tip just to enhance the sound effect of your vehicle, I would recommend giving it some thought before you go ahead with this decision. You cannot simply expect your car or truck to release a roaring sound by installing an exhaust tip.
Exhaust tips are primarily used to maintain good airflow in our vehicle. I love it because it gives an excellent outlook to my car, but some people rely on exhaust tips to make their vehicle sound louder.
I have seen this working, but it can vary for different types of engines. So, if you want to give it a shot, try following the tricks above because installing a random exhaust might not stand your expectations.
