I havn't had this too long and it looks like there was probably a cover on it when new. What does it do and what would happen if I just had a muffler shop cut it off and put a piece of pipe in it's place?

LOL sorry thats the rear resontor well its now your tail pipe leaking there.

You dont need it.

What do you want to do replace the whole exhaust or just fix it.

FIX it cut that piece out and weld in a piece of straight pipe done.

This may sound silly but what does a resonator do?

I think it just fine tunes the noise coming out of your tail pipe. Mine rusted out and I replaced it with a short section of straight pipe.  Can't tell any noise difference.

A resonator basically lets noise and pressure go through those little holes into the outer shell (which on mine  fell off too). you don't need it,  weld on as pipe.

Resonator does as its called. Takes the exahust pulses and calms them down. Gets rid of the resdence like buzzing.

But with a small exhaust like that its useless. I taken a few off. I just did one on my buddies 2.0 tracker and it did not get louder or quiter.

Just weld a piece of pipe in its place.

Josh

Dittoes on cutting it out and welding in a short straight pipe.  Done my last three trucks the same way.  A weal link in the OEM exhaust  NO noticable difference in exhaust note, EXCEPT straight pipe is much cheaper than replacing with another worthless resonator. 

Why even weld in a new piece? Can't see any harm in just cutting off the exhaust there and calling it done.

Can't see any harm in just cutting off the exhaust there and calling it done.

Actually, thats how mine is now,  ever since my welded on tailpipe  fell off  I'll probably leave it that way just for extra tire clearance.

While I agree the resonator is worthless - I would get a pipe welded in there. Allowing the pipe to exit under the vehicle increases the likelihood of carbon monoxide entering the cabin. Additionally, if your state does vehicle inspections, you'd never pass unless the pipe gets fixed.

Just my $0.02

David

Mine broke off over a year ago. I passed inspection, just plugged it into the ODB2, never looked under it at all.

I also wonder if the extra condensation might make it rust a little faster??

I also wonder if the extra condensation might make it rust a little faster??

explain

Sorry, I should have said  condensation/vapor in the exhaust might make the floorboards rust faster.

Sorry, I should have said  condensation/vapor in the exhaust might make the floorboards rust faster.