muffler packing, ever done it?

[JoeM 7,874]

I have one of those shower head mufflers on a 15hp briggs, crackles pretty good. I want to tone it down, anyone stuff spun glass to something similar into the muffler head to quiet it down?

 

[ebinmaine 68,877]

Not something I've done and I've thought about it. I'd like to see what others say.

[rmaynard 15,731]

You can't just stuff fiberglass into the muffler. That would offer too much resistance causing extreme overheating. Glasspack mufflers have a perforated pipe that passes straight through. Between the pipe and the shell of the muffler is fiberglass which absorbs certain frequencies of sound giving the exhaust a different sound.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,133]

My first attempt using fiberglass did not last long. It melted. Replaced it with rock wool and has been good for about 10 years.

 

Garry

[JoeM 7,874]

I looked around and the MC guys use Stainless steel pads, They say like the Brillo pads used to scrub pots etc. I was hoping to get something in the outer perimeter of the muffler head to calm it down. going to look under the sink today!

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

I work for one of the top aftermarket exhaust makers, just like Bob @rmaynard said the fiberglass is loosely blown in between the shell and the louvers or perf tubes "Dynomax" line, the other thing is a solid sheet of fiberglass (much like a diaper) that is wrapped around the internal louver tube assembly then the stuffed into the preformed shells (those would be our "Thrush" line.

[JoeM 7,874]

found this stuff on evil bay. I did cop some Brillo from under the sink going to give it a try today I hope. Before I spend any cash on the real deal.

Stainless steel wool, Type AISI 434 (316L -special order) . Highly Resistant to Exhaust Acids and High Vibration, Making it an Excellent Material for Muffler Baffling

[Stepney 2,325]

We run a 6hp Foos hit and miss engine with a muffler packed pretty good full of steel wool. You'd never know it was running. As for a small high speed engine, I have never tried that. 

I've got an old Maytag 1 cyl that also has some steel woll in the exhaust hose come to think of it. 

[oliver2-44 9,929]

I thought about doing the same with Brillo pads, but remembered regular steel wool (like in Brillo pads) will burn very profusely.  We used them in scouts to help start a fire with flint and steel as they can ignite with a spark.  Be careful.

 

The steel wool in muffler packing is stainless steel, it will not ignite.    

[midpack 913]

I used to re-pack the silencer on my off road bikes. but like others have said, you use it to surround a perforated tube

[WHX?? 49,486]

51 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

We used them in scouts

Along with a D cell battery Oliie!

Be careful of the detergent on a brillo pad, wouldn't want to see it melt and do something nasty to the muff?

[wallfish 17,112]

How about the thicker strand steel scour pads?

 

[JoeM 7,874]

I made up an adapter using a 1 inch flat washer and mig welded a pipe sleeve in place to accept the muffler.

I lightly stuffed about half a brillo pad into the opening, it did help, stopped the crackle but still to loud. It didn't melt down running wide open for 5 minutes.

I need to look closer and try to insert around the inner tube, surgery is necessary. I will post if I try.

Edited April 12, 2019 by OILUJ52

[Pullstart 63,201]

I packed my muffler with glass.... or did I just use a glasspack?

 

 

[wallfish 17,112]

I hate those pepper shaker style muffler/spark arresters. Just a loud pinging noise. They work OK for the smaller engines 4 - 6 hp but that's about it. If you're looking for a lower tone just go with a canister style muffler. Or build something. Maybe 2 of those pepper mufflers stacked with a sheet metal cylinder between them?  I made a muffler out of a propane bottle and some black pipe.