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Do the Gen 2 diesels have a muffler? The Gen 1 diesels did not have one.

I wouldn't hold your breath on being able to delete - thus far, there has been no delete made available for the Gen 2 - and that was before the EPA crackdown that saw the Gen 1 deletes become extremely scarce (and expensive). Tuning would be a major issue in deleting the Gen 2 - it's proving extremely difficult to crack.

 

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I had a good look under my vehicle when installing splash guards but didn’t really pay attention to anything but what I was doing. I know that the gen1 gas models had a massive muffler that ran down the middle of the vehicle. But I don’t think I remember seeing anything but just a regular pipe on mine when I had it off the ground.

The Gen 2 has what looks like a resonator/muffler but is part of the SCR system. It might have a muffling effect but isn't really a muffler and couldn't be removed without the full "modification". I am guessing the DOC/DPF have enough muffling effect that it wouldn't make much difference to have a muffler downstream.

Okay, so it sounds like it's similar to the Gen 1s - SCR is the last piece of the exhaust, middle-ish of the car. Looks like a big resonator, but it's the SCR and definitely is needed on non-delete vehicles.

Another approach...some here have reported switching to a Cold Air Intake (CAI) provides some added turbo sound and diesel rumble.

You would be correct. The amount of turbo noise the car has (especially when you let off the throttle quickly) with a "CAI" (really more of a short-ram) is pretty crazy, but not surprising, given the turbo is like 8 inches away from the cone.

@Snipesy posted a good video of his with a K&N intake (it's the one on ours, I bought it off him, haha) on his 1st gen CTD:

 

[MP81]

If you get a chance, can you snap a few pics of the exhaust system?

We have a really good thread that shows the entirety of the exhaust system (via a lift), not long after they came out, which has always been super helpful - but that is only for the Gen 1. Can't say we have anything similar to reference on the Gen 2s.

I'm expecting there to be no muffler, as GM doesn't have any mufflers on any of their other diesel products, since the turbo, DPF and SCR do such a good job of lower the exhaust decibel level.

 

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Don’t forget my VGT video which has an under hood mic for dramatic effect.

I highly doubt the gen 2 will sound that way but hey cool turbo noise.

I'm not sure it's much quieter inside the car, in all actuality, haha. It's loud. But in a good way. Usually.

The VGT definitely makes for some very interesting transitions, since it doesn't always need to use the wastegate, and doesn't really recirc - it just changes the blade angle. Makes for a lot more constant noise.

That said - the 1.6L does have a VGT, so it should sound pretty neat.

Here are a couple pics I took with the full pan off, that might be helpful. In hindsight I should have taken a couple of behind the engine too where the DEF injector is. The DPF can be seen in front of the engine, with the DOC out of site on top of the DPF (can be seen under the hood to the right of the turbo ... the DOC and DPF are combined in one unit. There are two EGT sensors in the DPF/DOC unit as well as the two thin tubes that attach to the rubber lines for the pressure differential sensor (you can see the tubes in the corner of the third photo). The NOx catalyst is the resonator looking things you can see at the middle of the car. The DEF injector is behind the engine and a little harder to see as it's fairly high up there. It is before the NOx catalyst. There is an NOx sensor in the tailpipe after the NOx catalyst. There is a particulate sensor just behind the flex pipe seen in the photo under the engine. And the third EGT sensor between the DPF and flex pipe. Unfortunately I didn't take clearer pics of the exhaust parts behind the car, maybe @FlagrantBacon94 could add those to round it out.

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Those are a great set of shots - yeah what I see there in the middle of the car looks similar to what we see under the Gen 1s. If there is no muffler out back (I think either the sedan and hatch mufflers are clearly visible underneath), then they went the same route as their other current diesels.

That sounds like the NOx catalyst which is unfortunately a part of the emission system. The oil drain door on mine loves to come loose. And those screws are really hard to get "set" right. The concept of the access panel is great, makes oil changes really easy, but man, the design is a mess.

Oil drain door for...the oil pan drain plug? Or to access the oil filter?

 

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Yeah - what is the access panel for? We don't get one of those on the 1st gen, but the drain plug is accessible without removing the under-engine cover. The oil filter is on the back lower passenger side of the 2.0L, sideways (cartridge-style), but it has a gutter that allows it to drain out a hole in the panel. Well, it does if it hasn't fallen off and onto your CV joint...ours is currently sitting in the basement after it did just that.

 

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You'll see tuning that can increase power but it still leaves emissions equipment in place.

Trifecta wouldn't even tweak the tune for the CAI I put on the car (which, being a K&N, is 50-state legal). They don't want to take any chances, and I do not blame them.