Adding a muffler to a portable gen

[kpm]

Ok, I have a collar welded to my current muffler / spark arrester and the flex hose with clamps. Now all I need is a muffler with a 2 1/4 od inlet.

Does anyone know where I can get a small car muffler cheap (like less than $30)?

 

[herohog]

Motorcycle salvage shop/yard if any are available in your area or at a U-Pull-It salvage yard on the small imports. Another source is off of industrial engines when you are looking for small mufflers.

 

[herohog]

I think you're saying that the auto muffler is okay when attached to the factory spark arrester (which is left in place) and is less restrictive than it is. Am I correct, or am I confusing 2 different posts.?

If it is correct, how does one determine restriction levels?

It would generally be less restrictive, yes. As to how to really tell, without a flow meeter, it is all a WAG (Wild Assumptive Guess)

 

[Leonidas]

Thank you.

 

[highstandard40]

Ok, I have a collar welded to my current muffler / spark arrester and the flex hose with clamps. Now all I need is a muffler with a 2 1/4 od inlet.

Does anyone know where I can get a small car muffler cheap (like less than $30)?

Just about any muffler shop can help you. That's where I got mine.

 

[kpm]

Done. I found one at O'reilly Auto Parts for $22.99. I have everything hooked up but can't test until tonight. Watching the little one!

I will post my experience later. One suggestion... Work from the Muffler back the gen. I welded the collar on the gen then bought the muffler. If I would have worked backward I could have avoided adding a collar to join the flex to the muffler inlet. I will share pics later.

 

[kpm]

Ok, I'm finished with this project. Overall it sounds like it makes a positive difference and works. I wish I had a decibal meter to get an accurate impact. Anyhow, it only cost me $40. See finished product. OH, the muffler gets really hot. I know that's a given but I only ran it maybe 5 min and yes it gets hot...

 

[Yrdawg]

Before I bought a better gen that runs quite, I built a two panel wall that was hinged. I put it in front of the gen and it deflected the sound . The wall was made out of some scrap wood (2x's plywood0 from my shop. I used the hinges so it would fold flat and take up less room to store.

I'm doin this now, it is a help , I don't know enough about the specific airflow requirements of a generator to start increasing back pressure blindly ...mufflers and exhaust systems are way misunderstood IMO...they are a major factor in the performance and life of an internal combustion engine

But hey.........thats jus me

 

[dustyk70]

Did the same thing to run my RV on some land that I own (No water or power) and I ended up taking it off because the origional muffler was getting too hot for me to leave it alone comfortably (right next to the gas tank). I ended up putting up a partition made up of three pieces of plywood in a half octagon between the generator and my RV. Worked ok i guess.

 

[my-rifle]

I talked to a couple mechanics about this, and the prevailing opinions are

a) you have to take off the original muffler before you try to attach the replacement, and

b) an unrestricted exhaust gives the best engine efficiency. This seems to translate into "the more muffler, the less efficiency."

I think you're right that the best noise mitigation is a vented box inside of which the generator runs.

 

[herohog]

Think double wall pipe and multiple low restriction mufflers.

 

[my-rifle]

A big box would be a whole lot easier. It requires very little mechanical expertise, and it has the added advantage of doubling as the outdoor shelter your generator's going to need anyway.

 

[chbrow10]

The "big box" method is what is used in the industrial world for quieting large gensets as well.

 

[Jguid54]

If i ever buy a generator it will be one of those super quiet honda's...on game days you see them everywhere but can't hear them. maybe find one of those and inspect the muffler's size, shape, design and depending on the displacement differences in your generators and the honda build/choose a muffle around that size.

 

[my-rifle]

I love the Hondas. The problem is they cost $1000. Is it really worth $1000?

 

[ryan]

I love the Hondas. The problem is they cost $1000. Is it really worth $1000?

my dad has a 6.5k honda and yes, it was worth every penny vs the generators i have/have had.

 

[LACamper]

You could just run a REALLY long straight double walled pipe. Point it at the neighbor you like least

 

[my-rifle]

my dad has a 6.5k honda and yes, it was worth every penny vs the generators i have/have had.

$3000? Holy ****! I guess your dad must have some special needs to be willing to spend that kind of money on it.

I use mine less than five times per year. I have things I consider more important to spend money on (like my daughter's education) than on something I use so infrequently. I suppose it's all about what your priorities and needs are.

 

[ryan]

he picked his up for $1500 from a guy who put 3 hours on it. Would I pay 3k for one? Most likely not unless I used it everyday. Would I pay $1500 for it, heck yes.

 

[my-rifle]

he picked his up for $1500 from a guy who put 3 hours on it. Would I pay 3k for one? Most likely not unless I used it everyday. Would I pay $1500 for it, heck yes.

Sadly no one else is ever likely to see such a price again. Specially now that the economy is recovering, I doubt we're ever going to see desperation prices again. Makes me think I should have got more stuff while the prices were down.