Briggs & Stratton 12hp muffler???

[oldscooliron]

I got a 12hp Briggs & Stratton motor on my Craftsman tractor & I want to quiet the motor noise down without putting back pressure on the the motor! I've been searching the forums here but don't really see anything. My hearing is more important to me than $100 & since I use to listen to VERY loud music I would like to keep the hearing loss I already have where it's at. I don't like wearing ear plugs or headphones so I rather just buy a muffler that would do the trick! I don't have a lot of space so what would you guys recommend?

[WNYTractorTinkerer]

Get your tractor mdel & serial numbers and go to the Craftsman site and you should be able to scare up a new muffler..

[Walt 2002]

Another option is look for a like sized engine which have a larger, quieter muffler. I am thinking in my case of Kohler CV14s or Kawas, `12 - 14 hp on Dixon mowers which have much larger, quieter, muffler than the 12 - 12.5 hp B&S also used on Dixons. It will be necessary to cut off the exhaust connection and weld on an appropriate one.

Walt Conner

[rscurtis]

Invest in some hearing protection. One of the things you'll find out about a standard B&S engine, or a Tecumseh as a more severe example, is that exhaust noise is only a small component of engine noise. Once you get rid of it, you'll still be overwhelmed by intake noise, gear noise, valve noise, and blower (cooling fan) noise.

[Tractor-Holic]

You can adapt a small car muffler onto it with no fear of "excessive back pressure"..if they can handle a 4 cylinder engine there's no way one will choke a one lunger...even a glass pack muffler silences a one cylinder much better than the stock mufflers do..

I've put many car type mufflers on tractors,and the only thing you'll hear after putting one on is the tappets clicking,you'll think they are too loose,but arent,its just that you never could hear them before!..the blower fan makes a nice turbo type of whine,that I think sounds very cool too,not annoying like the raquet a stock muffler creates..they dont "muffle" much,IMO!..

[oldscooliron]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

[oldscooliron]

I made a exhuast in hopes it would quiet the sound down it lower the exhaust noise but as "rscurtis" said the motor noise is still there. Here's a pic!



What could I use on the metal body to dampen the engine noise down?

[Tractor-Holic]

Looks good!..cmon,HOW noisy IS it now??..it HAS to be a lot quieter with that muffler than the stock one!...what are you hearing now that you want to silence??...fan whine,tappets clicking,or rattling sheet metal??...there aint much you can do about the tappet noise or the blower fan,but you can put some foam rubber on the hood or use rubber hold down clamps to secure it tighter so it wont rattle..

[oldscooliron]

@ Tractor-Holic thanks! It is quieter but thought I could get it quieter Wouldn't foam rubber melt? If not where could you buy sheets?

[Benn]

Originally Posted by rscurtis

Invest in some hearing protection. One of the things you'll find out about a standard B&S engine, or a Tecumseh as a more severe example, is that exhaust noise is only a small component of engine noise. Once you get rid of it, you'll still be overwhelmed by intake noise, gear noise, valve noise, and blower (cooling fan) noise.

thats very true although exuahst is the loudest of the bunch. i know what you mean about ear plugs i hate them too but if you can't find a suitable muffler, earplugs seem like a good plan b. but make sure there not noise cancelling like some of todays new expensive fancy stuff, you might want to hear some noise espescially if its the sound of an engine knocking right before there's a rod hanging out the side of your crankcase.

[cleatusj]

Go to a car stereo shop and ask about sound deadening blanket.

[oldscooliron]

ok thanks!

[SonnyT]

Originally Posted by cleatusj

Go to a car stereo shop and ask about sound deadening blanket.

Cleatusj u r too much!

[Tractor-Holic]

They do sell dampening pads for car doors that absorb vibrations,not sure how well they would take the heat of an engine compartment though..how about the insulation under a car or trucks hood?..

When I said foam rubber,I meant like pipe insulation you could put over the seam where the hood sits on the dash or other areas that have metal to mtal contact..it'll need to be kept away from heat from the muffler and dont spill gas on it either,it could melt!..rubber hose slit down the center would qwork too...