Mmmmm. That does sound quite nice with no exhaust. Make sure to give it a good run to let the neighbours know you're around
I wonder what is going on eh.
As for the Varex, I have always been a bit "hmmmm" about the idea of running it in the closed position for your situation. When closed, I think it ends up being more restrictive than the stock resonator. Either way though, if that was always closed and it only got to a bad state then, I would be saying the problem isn't entirely with the Varex... though that could certainly be a contributor to your bad fuel economy. That said, it the bypass chamber has managed to get blocked somehow, then that may be the cause for the latest issue. Still, me thinks there is some more troubleshooting to be done.