Updated Engine, Exhaust much louder... Opinions

[54bug]

Hi All

Just completed a top end rebuild on my Bus! 1776 now has new Pistons/Cyls, CB Panchito 044 heads, & matched Kadrons. I'm still running heater boxes and an EMPI Stainless header, and matching stainless Phatboy exhaust.(Still need heat) The Kadrons replaced a set of Weber 34 ICT's.

The changes are profound, the bus is now fast and very loud. It runs great but the noise, while marginally OK at slow speeds, makes my ears ring after highway driving. I didn't expect the change in exhaust volume. I never liked the EMPI muffler's output pipe, as it is 6" short of clearing the bumper.

Looking for suggestions on a "quieter" muffler that will fit on the bus, and have a tip that extends out near the bumper. I' leaning toward the A-1 muffler sold by Aircooled.net: the site asks for vehicle type when ordering. I'm hoping that changes the setup. I have an A-1 on my beetle with a similar, but stock valve head, motor. It's fairly loud but not painful.

Looking for suggestions to:
1- Minimize the noise, and avoid tickets.
2- Fit in the body of my Double cab.
3- Minimally Dampen performance

Thanks in Advance, Scott[/list][/list]

[theDrew]

in experience..the A-1 is quiet loud. Fun for a bit, but after a few minutes on the freeway the drone rattles the teeth
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1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[sactojesse]

IME, the Phatboy/Mondo mufflers are loud. Try switching to dual quiet packs with the same exhaust. Or, since you are running 044 Panchitos, upgrade to 1 1/2" flanged heater boxes and the Bugpack system that is designed to bolt up to those.
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1966 Karmann-Ghia convertible

[Max Welton]

Don't forget that a lot of noise may be coming from the intake. Most dual-carb filters do nothing to dampen the sound. This is something stock intake systems do very well. You can certainly engineer something for your Kads that does also.

Max
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1967 Type-3 Fastback
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[dgsaz]

[esde]

The stainless Fatboy mufflers are loud as hell. I think they use as thin a gauge stainless as possible, and the mufflers are much louder than the plain steel equivalent, at least that's my experience.
I shit canned the stainless muffler from a stainless AA sidewinder, and modified a small magna flow to fit. Much less Honda-fart-can/ snare drum rattle, better constant low rumble. Might not be quieter, but certainly less harsh.
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[74 Thing]

Get rid of your current muffler and go for a single quiet pack like in that photo with the bus and make sure you extend the exhaust tip past the rear bumper out the back.

[bugguy1967]

Buy a Vintage Speed muffler, Annendorp BAS muffler, or other non-4-1 style system. It will hurt peak power, but will be quieter.

Also, not related, but unless your Kadron manifolds have been match-ported all the way to the top, with attention to maintaining the Panchitos' minimum cross-section, you're power is suffering. The Kad manifolds might even need welding to accomplish it. Hopefully you're not using the steel ones.

[54bug]

Hey All

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to try the smaller EMPI ceramic muffler... Hoping the reduction in noise isn't paired with a reduction in flow, more to come.

As Bugguy 1967 noted, the Kadronn manifolds needed a lot of work to match the new heads. I did heavy mods to a set of aluminum manifolds to get things to fit. Also needed a lot of work to smooth out the low quality castings.

Contemplating a new Header/Muffler, but that's for another day.

Scott

[pyrOman]

[mikedjames]

My EMPI muffler went like that afer a backfire. Some of the fragments hit the ground a second or so after the backfire..
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1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
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1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
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