How to Make Your Car Louder: Sharing Latest Techniques

“How to make your car louder” is a common query among car enthusiasts. You can achieve that in many ways, including giving your exhaust pipes a good clean-up, making holes in the exhaust, or switching to a straight exhaust pipe.

We have discussed these and many more practical tips in detail below. Continue reading to learn how to make your car roar and be recognized from a mile away!

How To Make Your Car’s Exhaust Roar Louder?

To make your car’s exhaust roar louder, clean the exhaust pipes thoroughly to remove grime and accumulated carbon deposit. You can also perforate the exhaust pipe or remove the resonator or the muffler. Installing a turbocharger or an aftermarket muffler are other feasible ways to make your car noisier.

As mentioned, there are many other ways to make your car exhaust pop, such as adding exhaust tips and upgrading the engine. Before we dive into the details, it’s essential to understand what makes the sound from your exhaust.

The engine generates power when a fuel-air mixture combusts in the combustion chamber. As the engine continuously creates this power, gasses travel through several components of the exhaust system. These include the catalytic converter, resonator, and muffler. The process creates sound waves, which exit the system along with the gasses.

Each component plays a part in changing the sound from the exhaust system. Modifying the components will also change how your vehicle sounds, sometimes increasing the noise. While some modifications can cost you an arm and a leg, some are affordable, and others are almost free!

Here are our 12 doable ways to make your vehicle exhaust sound more aggressive. Check them out and see which ones suit your budget and requirements:

• Clean Your Exhaust Pipe Thoroughly

Carbon deposits in your exhaust pipe can depress some vehicle exhaust sounds. When grime and debris accumulate in the pipes, your engine performance will also go down with the sound.

So, the first thing to do when you want to learn how to make your exhaust louder for free is to unclog the exhaust pipe. Clean the pipes using soap and water, then apply a degreaser throughout the exhaust. You can also use steel wool to scrub the grime and apply metal polish on the exhaust tips afterward.

• Pierce Your Exhaust Pipes

Perforating your exhaust is a great way to make your car roar on a budget. You’re supposed to drill holes before the muffler and strictly after the catalytic converter (cat). Making holes before the cat will allow harmful exhaust gasses to escape into the atmosphere.

How does drilling holes in the exhaust make cars louder? As exhaust flows from the engine, some waves will escape through the holes before reaching the muffler. This exhaust leak will boost your car sound and give it that aggressive roar you want. You’ll need to perforate at least six small holes using a 0.38-inch cobalt-tipped drill bit.

• Remove or Modify Your OEM Muffler

A muffler is a primary component that your vehicle relies on to quiet its exhaust system. Thus, removing it will make the car loud. You only need to get under the car with a hacksaw or reciprocating saw and cut the muffler off.

Suppose you don’t want to experience an unmuffled sound. Try perforating a hole in the muffler. You can use a small drill bit for this modification. The small hole will reduce the efficiency of the muffler, leading to an increased exhaust sound. Drilling a hole in the muffler is one of the many exhaust tips to make car louder on a budget.

• Remove the Resonator

Opt for a resonator delete if you want to know how to make your car louder without removing muffler. A resonator is designed to reduce your engine noise. Manufacturers usually mount it on the exhaust tubing right before the muffler. This pre-muffler component enhances the performance of the muffler by altering the exhaust frequencies.

It contains cotton-like material inside, which helps to absorb the noise before reaching the muffler. Without the resonator, your muffler will become less effective in silencing your vehicle. Removing the resonator can also alter your vehicle’s natural sound to a deep and smooth roar. You can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 for the resonator removal service.

• Consider Getting a New Muffler

The OEM mufflers are perfect for absorbing sound and silencing your vehicle. If you want to know and learn how to make your exhaust sound deeper, consider purchasing an aftermarket performance muffler. Depending on your car model, that would cost about $150 to $250. It would help if you also choose a suitable muffler for your car.

Many professionals recommend straight-through mufflers to get maximum sound instead of the s-type. A straight muffler allows sound waves to flow out directly, which increases the sound and boosts your vehicle’s efficiency. You can also enhance the sound by placing your new muffler at a strategic location. For instance, you can move it nearer to the engine instead of the rear-end spot.

• Consider Adding an Exhaust Tip

Exhaust tips are another pocket-friendly way of increasing a vehicle’s exhaust sound. The tips are small parts attached to the tailpipe to amplify car sounds. They come in various styles, so you can find a suitable fit for your car and the sound you want. Whether you want a deep, hearty roar or a smooth purr, these components will do the job.

You can even go for double-walled tips for a fuller sound. The good news is that you can perform this modification for as low as $25! However, the cost could be as high as $150. It depends on the quality of your materials.

Take note that increasing the size of your exhaust system (pipe, resonator, and muffler) by up to 0.5 inches can also make your car noisy. A bigger exhaust system can boost your car’s efficiency through improved gas flow. However, this modification can cost as high as $800, depending on the vehicle model and make.

• Install a Straight Pipe Exhaust

Go for a straight, single pipe instead of the noise-suppressing factory one. Take note that this modification involves removing different components that the manufacturer uses to reduce exhaust sound. These include the muffler, resonator, and catalytic converter.

The straight design allows exhaust gasses and sound waves to travel directly. That increases the sound to more than 120 decibels. The downside of this aftermarket exhaust is its cost ($75 to $1,500). You should perform some engine tuning to make the new pipe work effectively.

Be warned that having a straight pipe may be illegal. In particular, driving your car without a cat is against emission regulations in most states. Check your local laws to avoid getting into a costly legal situation.

• Find a Catback Exhaust

A catback or cat-back exhaust is a design in which the catalytic converter is positioned at the back. It’s one of the most affordable options to make your car exhaust louder. The design increases torque, boosts airflow, and minimizes pressure on your engine. That, in return, increases the sound significantly.

Cat-back aftermarket exhaust systems are made of stainless steel. That minimizes rusting and enhances the aesthetics of your car. Depending on the design, this modification will cost about $70 to $350. Dual cat-back systems can be quite costly.

• Consider a Turbocharger

A turbocharger can amplify your car’s sound greatly. Although it’s a costly improvement, it can make the difference you need. Turbochargers were initially made to increase the vehicle’s power and overall performance by pushing more air into the engine cylinder. But they have become one of the most sought-after methods of making exhaust louder.

If you already have a turbocharged engine, consider adding an anti-lag system. It’s a kit designed to keep the turbo always engaged, even if you’re not pressing the accelerator pedal. Turbocharger prices start from $400 to $5,500!

Adding a turbo whistle to the exhaust pipe can provide a similar effect to a turbocharger. It could be a perfect idea if your budget is tight.

• Upgrade Cold Air Intake

Upgrading this component is often recommended if your vehicle has a turbocharger or you plan to install one. Cars normally have factory cold air intakes sufficient for your usual driving. However, they are quite restrictive and can lessen your turbocharger’s efficiency.

Upgrading to high-performance air-intake is essential to get the most from your car and increase its exhaust sound. This component will boost the air entering the engine, which means more horsepower for your vehicle, better performance, and, most importantly, a roaring exhaust. The upgrade is inexpensive, costing anywhere from $30 to $120.

• Consider Using Aftermarket Y Pipes

Y pipes collect gasses from the right and left banks of the exhaust manifold and combine them to produce maximum power. These pipes are usually found on vehicles with V6 or V8 engine configurations where only one tailpipe is needed.

If you have a vehicle with one of these engines with one tailpipe, you already have Y Pipes on your exhaust system. However, the stock Y pipes are designed to suppress the engine noise as much as possible. For that, upgrading to an aftermarket type can increase the exhaust noise.

• Upgrade Your Engine

If you have a small engine, there’s only so much you can do to increase your vehicle’s sound. Upgrading to a bigger engine removes the restriction. For instance, you can buy a V6 or V8 engine. The more cylinders a car engine has, the more power and noise it’s likely to produce.

However, before considering the upgrade, you must ensure that your other component can handle the upgrade. The disadvantage of this method is that it’s extremely expensive (up to $7,000, labor inclusive, depending on the car model). It’s also time-consuming, so some people prefer buying a new vehicle.

FAQ

– Why Is a Muffler Delete a Bad Idea for Your Engine?

A muffler delete is a bad idea for your engine because the components help to minimize back pressure issues. Without the muffler, your engine may experience altered exhaust flow resulting in backfires. Consequently, the engine may lose power and suffer other costly damages.

Conclusion

We have discussed the top tips to make your car exhaust roar louder.

Here’s a recap of the points we discussed above:

• You can make your car blast louder by cleaning the exhaust pipes or making holes in the exhaust pipe.
• Upgrading the engine and installing turbochargers are some of the most expensive ways to get a loud exhaust.
• Some practices of increasing exhaust sound can be illegal, especially if they involve removing the cat.
• Check your local laws before embarking on any of these modifications to have a loud car.

We ultimately leave it up to you to decide which modifications to carry out based on your budget and requirements. So, go ahead and make your exhaust pop!