Loud engine

[Kevin31]

So since I have gotten my engine wiring complete, and have had to drive my 6x6 more, I have realized that it is extremely loud. (Not just sissy loud, but seriously loud ) I always where shooting muffs when driving machinery, but this engine is so loud that it scared my dog so much he ran non stop a 1/4 mile away when I started it. I don’t know if that is the beauty of an older 2 stroke, but it is a little loud. The whole neighbor hood knows when I am driving it. Is there anything that I can do to make it a little quieter? Should I consider a new muffler? Any ideas/ tips would be great.

[Kevin31]

new muffler

Thanks for all the suggestions-

I have decided that I am going to redo my exhaust system. I am planning on routing it out the back, instead of the side, that way if I can ever afford to buy 6 new tires at once I can put bigger tires onto it. Should I be looking at a car muffler, an ATV muffler, or a motorcycle muffler? What would be the best one to use? Also I may need to build a support that attaches the body to help keep the muffler stable. Is there any possibility that by putting a support onto the new muffler, that when it heats up it will melt the tub, or parts near the tub? I am planning on routing the new muffler out the back right side of the 6x6. Any suggestions would be great.

[jerseybigfoot]

Basically 2 stroke engines do not like can type mufflers. They like tuned chambers. Very scientific, lots of experiments etc... The best compromise is a 1980's vintage snowmobile muffler. Older Vintage Polaris and Artic Cat snowmobile mufflers are "can" type and maybe abetter fit. Some of the better mufflers are very long and will fit outside the body. Very long pipes between the engine exhaust port and muffler will probably lower your top rpm. Richard Relics has replacement Hustler mufflers if you think the baffels are just rotted away. Check out e.bay snowmobile parts. Stay within the same cc's and it will probably work.

[hydromike]

Sorry for the lack of responses, Kevin. Maybe no-one has a real good answer? I'll try to give some ideas/advice.

If your engine sounds extremely loud, (yeah, two strokes are always louder), have you checked for any exhaust leaks around the flex-pipe and/or manifolds? One of the bad parts about mounting the body is exactly what you alluded to. The heat... you might be able to mount it in there and not have issues, and proper insulation will help that happen. Check your clearances on that side of the engine b/f you start cutting the body. I would try to find a muffler that has the same general size as the one you're replacing. The performance of two stroke engines (like jerseybigfoot shys) depends heavily on the design of the exhaust system. It's a black art, and the performance could go up or down with changes in the exhaust. You might get a good start your system by getting a new manifold and start from there. Really, your machine shouldn't be loud with a stock 2-stroke hustler exhaust system. I have a loud machine that causes genuine pain when I drive it, and that's with ear plugs in. It's fun.

~m

Thanks for all the suggestions-

I have decided that I am going to redo my exhaust system. I am planning on routing it out the back, instead of the side, that way if I can ever afford to buy 6 new tires at once I can put bigger tires onto it. Should I be looking at a car muffler, an ATV muffler, or a motorcycle muffler? What would be the best one to use? Also I may need to build a support that attaches the body to help keep the muffler stable. Is there any possibility that by putting a support onto the new muffler, that when it heats up it will melt the tub, or parts near the tub? I am planning on routing the new muffler out the back right side of the 6x6. Any suggestions would be great.

[Kevin31]

Thanks for the tips

If your engine sounds extremely loud, (yeah, two strokes are always louder), have you checked for any exhaust leaks around the flex-pipe and/or manifolds?

Really, your machine shouldn't be loud with a stock 2-stroke hustler exhaust system.
~m

As I quoted you on, the header is solid, but bailing wire holds up the flex piping and the muffler; basically not connected. When I start the engine up, the engine compartment fills up with blue smoke (form the oil in the exhaust) and it looks like the machine is on fire. So there is defiantly leaking, but I also believe that the bafflers are also bad on the old muffler. As for the size of the previous muffler, it looks like the previous owner welded two mufflers together, so it was never a stock muffler. If I where to find a cheap ATV muffler, or a car muffler, how much would that affect the engine? Also, how would I build supports to keep the exhaust system held in place, without melting my tub?

Thanks for all you suggestions.

[jpswift1]

Kevin, back when I swapped all sorts of different 2 stroke snowmobile engines into a Max II that a friend and I owned, we tried the car muffler, the tractor muffler, etc. The baffles in the mufflers all blew out and they were totally useless after a short while. As the guys have said, look into a snowmobile chamber style exhaust, or try to find a factory Hustler 2 stroke exhaust system. I learned that by doing it right and spending a little more time researching it, you will be much happier with the results and spend much more time riding and much less fixing things that break. Good luck.

[Beeman]

From what I understand of two-stroke engines is that they require a tuned muffler or "tuned pipe" (like jerseybigfoot said) inorder to get into the proper powerband range. I had a rotax 503 two stroke, and after trying a couple things to tune it, I gave up and went with a 4 stroke.

just did a quick search and found this link:

eBay Guides - How a 2 stroke Muffler works.

[Kevin31]

All tightened up.

Today I fixed my whole exhaust system up. I re bolted the flex pipe to the header; re welded up the muffler, and then tightened it all up. I was expecting it to be much quieter, but it really wasn’t. The whole system is now tight, but it is tremendously loud still. The muffler feels solid, so I don’t think that that is the problem. My dad said that the farther away I got that it was much quieter than it was before, but it is still not a stealth machine. I am not sure what more I can do at this point, but if anyone has any suggestions, they would be welcome.

[coloradoterratiger]

RE: 2-stroke Muffler

Actually the muffler issue on a 2 stroke isn't quite as hard as some might say, but its not easy either. I have designed exhaust systems from scratch for sled engines (Senior project at CSU years ago for the clean snowmobile challenge) and you just have to get the car exhaust thinking out of your head. [And I put the following post up with the caveat that these are all generalizations] Your not looking to "open up" a 2 stroke exhaust, but rather to keep the same airflow. (at least on a stock engine) I assume the 2-stroke you have did not come with an expansion chamber (most stock sleds didn't have them until mid seventies), just a canister looking muffler. What you want to do is find a muffler with a decent amount of silencine, and try to shoot for an exit pipe diameter close to stock. That is the place most folks screw up. You can actually squeeze a little more HP out of a 2 stroke with a smaller exit daimeter, as the engines like the increase in backpressure to allow more air/fuel to remain "trapped" in the cylinder after the blowdown from opening the exhaust port happens. So if you find a decent chamber muffler and can get a simlar size pipe diameter and have the ability to weld/have welded on smaller exit pipe sizes if it seems to run poorly, you will be on the road to a quieter exhaust from "scratch". Also i see you are in Aurora, CO I am in Littleton, CO, Where do you ride? I just bought a fixer upper Terra Tiger and I am pretty sure I can register it as an ATV as it doesn't look like CO has a maximum width for them. And If I can fudge some tracks together I may be able to register it as a sled as well, but not sure on that, WHat do you do for registrations and where do you take it?

[Roger S]

I don't know, but be sure and register and figure out the law. Colo like to fine people for unregistered atv's. Which is ok with me, at least catching the guys who mess up the primitive areas by going off trail. Registering as an OHV might be an option if for some reason it doesn't qualify as an atv. OHV is used a lot for buggies and 4 wheel drive that don't turn out street legal/tagable.

[Kevin31]

Thanks for the explanation. I am in the process of re-building my transmission, so i have been out of commission for a while, but i should be back in business soon. As far as where i ride, i live on 4 acres, but i am looking to register it and hit some trails in the mountains at some point this summer. If your interested in riding, drop me a message anytime. thanks again for all the advice.