Kohler K341 Muffler: Suggestions For A Quieter Muffler

[ztnoo 2,298]

I have a Kohler K341 on a GT 14 tractor.

Its always had the typical .....what are they called?........pepper shaker muffler? on the tractor.

I've had to replace them several times....they seem to just eventually burn up.

I can honestly say even from day one whenever I installed a new muffler of this type, I really couldn't tell that it really muffled much noise, maybe a little, but very little.

As usage time goes on, they all got nothing but louder.

Of course, part of this is the sheer displacement of the motor......35.9 cu. in. = 588 cc. Think of it in terms of a slightly bored out Norton Manx 500 cc thumper with an open megaphone exhaust. Deafening! You don't want to be standing 8 or 10' behind a Manx when it being warmed up and the throttle is being "blipped" to do that, without ear protection.

These older flat head engines seem to be much louder than the newer OHV engines which are common in lots of equipment now.

 

I've owned and used this tractor for 35 years now, and I guess I'm beginning to become somewhat of a crotchety old senior, but its becoming annoying to me (the operator), and I in fact had one neighbor that ragged me out over the noise.

It may be because they have a pool and spend a fair amount of time outside, and the pool is about 10-11 feet from a chain link fence that divides the properties.

I'm really not that worried about the neighbor nearly as much as I am myself, or should I say my hearing.

I already have hearing loss from years of firing pneumatic nail guns and listening to compressors and heavy machinery running on job sites.

 

What are you other K341 owners using and doing to get more muffling accomplished?

Surely there has to be a more reasonable solution which will allow you to hear yourself think after an hour or hour and a half of operation.

Is there a viable, positive solution for this problem so my ears and head don't ring for an hour after just mowing my lawn?

 

Regards,

Steve

Edited March 17, 2016 by ztnoo

[Theroundhousernr 589]

    A nice new or used nelson muffler is about the best I have found. Not going to be cheap but surely makes them old flat heads pretty quiet. My C-160 has a nelson on it but it is the smaller version and not as quiet as I hoped for. I think the best muffler wheel horse used is the horizontal muffler made by nelson that runs along side of the hood used on the newer magnum motors on 300 and 400 series tractor. Its about twelve inches long and about 4 inches in diameter. I would think you could adapt that to make it work. I heard a 314 running at the show with that muffler and I could not believe how smooth and quiet it was.

    Also look for a muffler from a John Deere 316 or 314. Just as quiet and gives you more options when hunting down a used muffler.

Remember to, a lot of the noise you hear from these motors are the motors themselves. Not all exhaust that makes them loud. The valve train is really something to hear on an engine being spun with the plugs out. Some where on youtube I found a video of a V8 being spun over by a big industrial setup for valve train improvements in the R&D lab. I could not believe how loud that was and there was no gas/exhaust involved.

[ztnoo 2,298]

Thanks for the reply.

Can you provide any specific links or pics for these mufflers??

Edited February 18, 2016 by ztnoo

[Aldon 4,826]

Steve,

 

I will also be running a K341 16HP on mine when I get it wrapped up in spring. My second tractor has k321 14hp and a stanley muffler. See that PO ran the exhaust such that it is directed towards the ground. This tractor actually is tolerable although I am not sure I want to route the exhaust similarly and it may/probably will be louder if not directed towards ground. 

 

Does anyone know offhand what is thread size for the exhaust exit? I need to source muffler and pipe etc as well.

[ztnoo 2,298]

I believe its 1 1/4" pipe thread.

I'll go check to make sure.

Edited February 19, 2016 by ztnoo

[ztnoo 2,298]

Yeah, that's right. Full specs on the Kohler 45 068 01-S (pepper shaker) below:

 

Fits Models:
KOHLER K341 and M16; for 16 HP engines

Specs:
Length: 3 3/8"
ID: 1 1/2"
OD: 4 1/4"
Pipe Thread: 1 1/4" FEMALE
 

 

 

Here's the remnants of the last Kohler muffler I had. The extreme heat over time just fatigued the metal so much it just finally blew out, and I do mean BLEW out. The grass was smoking in the places the pieces landed.

Also shown is 1 1/4" pipe nipple.

Edited February 18, 2016 by ztnoo

[roadapples 6,983]

I don`t mean to hijack this thread, but do you know your kangaroo has fleas and their getting on my `puter....

[Aldon 4,826]

3 minutes ago, roadapples said:

I don`t mean to hijack this thread, but do you know your kangaroo has fleas and their getting on my `puter....

Now that you mention it, it must be an epidemic! I have the same issue:)

[ztnoo 2,298]

Dats right mates. Me roo scratched his head while I was standin' nex tu em and I can't ride meself of the beasts. Follow me around wherever I trek. The Doc says there's nuttin' to be dun.

Edited February 18, 2016 by ztnoo

[Aldon 4,826]

There is a Nelson Muffler catalog in docs section. Might be that you can order something more specific to your end design. I sent you text with the muffler part number used on 416-8 (old WH number 112213, new Toro number 94-3739)

 

 

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,037]

1-1/4" pipe (not tubing) has an OD of 1.660". That is about .004" over 1-21/32" or 42.164mm

 

Garry

[Rob R 966]

Put a smaller Nelson on mine (don't have the exact #) which came-off another tractor.... has been a great improvement. Note: I put a homemade cover over it so no one gets burned, also works great.

[Wishin4a416 2,191]

I had luck finding 2 Nelsons on E-bbbbbbby over time at a decent price.

[ztnoo 2,298]

rgrottk,

Very interesting set up!  

1.   What does the heat shield attach to......the bracket nut for the electric clutch?

2.   Does the heat shield help support the muffler in any way?

3.   Is there only one attachment point for the muffler to the head pipe coming from the exhaust port, or is there another point of attachment on the muffler?

4.   What was used to secure the muffler to the head pipe.....i.e. what kind on clamp? Nelson has special clamps for this.

5.   Does the muffler protrude beyond a vertical line from the outside of the right front wheel?

6.   Recall what the muffler cost you?

7.   Where did you buy the muffler and how did you find out about this and what made up your mind to go with this set up?

8.   Percentage wise, how much of a difference would you say this Nelson muffler has made over the old style Kohler pepper shaker mufflers?

 

If you could manage to take a few more pics and post them, that would be a huge help to understanding this setup and very much appreciated:

--- pic from the front of the tractor

--- pic from above, looking down on the hood

--- pic of heat shield attachment point to tractor (or to the muffler), which ever is the case

--- pic from the operators seat looking forward, but skewed to the right side, in a line of sight directly behind the muffler.

--- pic of any other interesting feature of the installation.

 

Great ideas with your post!!!

Hope to learn and see more!  

 

Regards,

Steve

 

 

[ztnoo 2,298]

Wishin4a416,

Please show us your installation.......pics and text would be super!

 

Regards,

Steve

[Rob R 966]

Hi did this a couple or yrs ago so.... I have to tap my memory a bit, I will be traveling for a couple of days but can do some additional pics when I get back......

 

Here's the answer to the questions I remember.

 

 What does the heat shield attach to......the bracket nut for the electric clutch?

Don't remember how I mounted it but definitely securely and then used a screen door spring to wrap it around the muffler have had zero issues and the air gap around it is sufficient to keep the heat down and no scalding of paint (which actually surprised me).  

2.   Does the heat shield help support the muffler in any way?

No

3.   Is there only one attachment point for the muffler to the head pipe coming from the exhaust port, or is there another point of attachment on the muffler?

I made a support point in addition to the pipe(s) coming from the exhaust pipe (this the only way to go with any muffler installation

4.   What was used to secure the muffler to the head pipe.....i.e. what kind on clamp? Nelson has special clamps for this.

The muffler came with a side port from which I welded an exhaust pipe and matted it the final screw-in for the exhaust pipe. This is why the muffler is canted. I used the existing port

5.   Does the muffler protrude beyond a vertical line from the outside of the right front wheel?

No, It does stick out from parallel but has not caused any issues and exhaust fumes do not come back to me

6.   Recall what the muffler cost you?

Nothing got it off a parts tractor (don't remember which make)

7.   Where did you buy the muffler and how did you find out about this and what made up your mind to go with this set up?

See above ....  I hate pancake mufflers this one has a deep throated muted property

8.   Percentage wise, how much of a difference would you say this Nelson muffler has made over the old style Kohler pepper shaker mufflers?

It is easily 60% better

P.s. I made another muffler for a 12HP Wisconsin. I took two (2) spare pancake mufflers cut off the tips and welded them together one had a solid pipe (which I made the exit) and the other a 1" pipe screw-in with I matted to the engine exhaust screw-in via a pipe nipple work equally well.

 

 

 

 

[roadapples 6,983]

Check out gravely mufflers on fleebay for about $35. Seen them used on here before...

[ebinmaine 67,335]

@ztnoo

I found this old thread while looking for an exhaust bracket/support pic.

Just wondering what your final solution was...

Thanks.

[ztnoo 2,298]

@ebinmaine,

To be honest nothing has changed. Still have the pepper pot style on the tractor.

Loud as hell.

I got a different muffler via Aldon and Lane Ranger from the big show.

Too lazy to get my butt in gear to try installing it.

I basically wrench on my 50 year old steed only when I have to in order to keep something running.

I guess I really haven't been infected yet.    

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by ztnoo

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Eric—I love seeing these “older” threads brought back up. Especially if you missed them the first time...

 

@ztnoo isn’t that the way?  Often those things that we learn to live with, even though we are annoyed by them, stay that way unless we are forced to make a change.  Then when we FINALLY DO make the change, we spend the next several days, weeks, months, or even years saying, “I wish I had done that a LONG TIME AGO!”

 

Been there, done that!

[ebinmaine 67,335]

55 minutes ago, ztnoo said:

@ebinmaine,

To be honest nothing has changed. Still have the pepper pot style on the tractor.

Loud as hell.

I got a different muffler via Aldon and Lane Ranger from the big show.

Too lazy to get my butt in gear to try installing it.

I basically wrench on my 50 year old steed only when I have to in order to keep something running.

I guess I really haven't been infected yet.    

 

Thanks for the response Steve. Just curious. I'm going with a stack built by Jim Kemp for now. Same one that was on my 1267 plow horse is going on the cinnamon horse.

Sounds great and built extremely well.

I'm just kind of thinking it would be nice to have it a more quiet ride for going in and out of the woods. That's kind of a long slow trip.

 

52 minutes ago, PeacemakerJack said:

“I wish I had done that a LONG TIME AGO!”

Josh I can't even begin to tell you how many times we've had that thought around here

Edited February 24, 2019 by ebinmaine
Correct auto correct

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

That part number 45-068-01 on ebay

13 dollars free shipping

[ebinmaine 67,335]

2 minutes ago, The Tool Crib said:

That part number 45-068-01 on ebay

13 dollars free shipping

Wally world has 'em for $11.77 too.

 

I'm looking for a much more quiet type though.

 

"Pepper pot" mufflers are more of a spark arrestor than a quieting device.

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Wally world has 'em for $11.77 too.

 

I'm looking for a much more quiet type though.

 

"Pepper pot" mufflers are more of a spark arrestor than a quieting device.

[Lee1977 6,651]

Here is what I did on my Briggs Vanguard 18. The pipe has nothing in it. It had a high pitch piercing sound. I installed this, got rid of the piercing sound. It's still not quite but it sounds good.

The first washer has a 1" hole the other two are 3/4".

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by Lee1977