Re: Mufflers

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Tom Harais wrote:
> 
> I let the guy put generic "turbo" style on my Scout and I'm sorry I did. At
> freeway speeds the exhaust resonates and that constant "droning" is hard on
> the head after a while. The Flowmasters were only a few dollars more. Would
> have been well worth it.

Tom - John Landry has already mentioned his use of "cheap lifetime
Turbos" in his Traveler.. I have a pair of the Thrush California Boss
Turbos that John Fleck reckomended and has on his Traveler.  They just
happened to be the cheap Turbos my local Champion carried. ;-)

When my 304 was in my '72, with a new single stock-arrangement exhaust,
the motor felt rather sluggish and "tight".  That same motor, swapped
into my '77, now with dual turbos, is a whole different engine.

Back to John's Traveler - I noticed John's exhaust more than I notice my
own.  I don't know that his exhaust is particularly louder than mine..
but what I noticed more (in addition to the courtesy lights that work,
and doors that close easily) was a "tinny" sound to the exhaust - which
I believe comes from the longer and EMPTY Traveler body tub.  I notice
my Turbos lately when I'm parking at work... in the parking garage,
against two walls, with the top off.. but for the most part, the exhaust
note is *there* but not a nuisance.. even on the 600 mile-and-back trip
to Seattle.  It is nowhere as annoying as the glasspack I had on for a
shirt while.

I didn't check where John's exhaust exists.. I did ask.. he said it
dumped at the rear.. I don't know if that's straight back out the rear,
or angled out at the corner, or a 90deg turn-out at the rear corners. 
One side of mine dumps at a 45deg at the corner of the end cap, while
the other side is a 90deg just before the end of the end-cap.

The difference that I see.. is I have the shorter 100" tub (less "box"
to amplify the sound) with a LOT more "crap" in the back (as lots of
folks have attested).  John had a small toolbox and air tank in his
Traveler.. and a spare tire. 

My Scout sports three Action Packers, some air tools, a 33" spare tire,
some paper towels, an axle shaft, a driveshaft, carpeting, speakers, and
lots of other junk.

So... I don't know that your "annoying" exhaust is a function of cheap
mufflers, or just a "habit" of the LWB Scout II vs. SWB.  Granted, good
mufflers would fix your problem.. 

Try filling the rear of your Traveler up with stuff and see how that
exhaust sounds.  Also, where does your exhaust end?  Being a Terra, did
you end the exhaust under the bed still?  (an "OK" procedure on a
*pickup*)

> Oh well. When I do my "once throug" headers, new 2-1/2" exhaust and the
> biggest Flowmasters I can fit (less backpressure).

Why 2.5"?  Do the headers have a 2.5" collector?  All of my Scouts have
had a 2.25" exhaust pipes.. same diameter as the manifolds.  

-Tom