Muffler

[flatfire]

Hi Guys, I have searched topics on mufflers. I have been running my cal-looker with an unknown muffler.
The noise is driving me a little crazy, especially when I have sound proofed the car.
Due to old age  can anyone recommend a muffler to attach to a large flange A1 1 5/8 exhaust that will give me a quieter experience.

[Martin Greaves]

Just get some ear plugs 

[leec]

Don't drive it. Works for Martin 

[flatfire]

Martin that's a proper Scottish way of saving money

I was getting quite excited when I noticed two posts.

[leec]

Dual quiet packs seem to be a lot quieter than a turbo muffler. The turbo muffler on my oval doesn't do a lot in terms of noise reduction.

The only other option on your header is the header that tucks up in the rear wing (turbo trip style) but for merged headers

Lee

[flatfire]

I was thinking dual quiet packs. Thanks Lee.

[leec]

Car looks great Pete as well. It's inspired me to revive my green 63 in time for ebi next year

Lee

[Zach Gomulka]

Are you sure it's muffler noise or is it intake (IDA) noise? Not much you can do about the latter.

[NoBars]

With solid mounts, it's a whole lot of noises. You could have the exhaust dead quiet and it would still be obnoxious inside.

My father (not a VW fan) describes it as it is like you are sitting inside the engine.

[67paulo]

I have had Tiger @ A1 build me a couple different mufflers for his exhaust systems, He can make it quiet......... but you will scarafice some HP

[Fiatdude]

A turbo with its rotating baffles will drop the noise level by a bunch, while adding to heart rate and number of dirty undies..............

[nicolas]

i personally had a quieter experience with the single quiet pack that i bought from Richie, he has them in dual as well. the dynomax or similar turbo was louder, the flange was the small one, but that is not really a problem as it can be easily cut and a bigger welded on. i made an adapter, and as an extra benefit you can angle the header the way it fits your ca best. it was also quieter to a hideaway muffler i have used in the past, that had great performance especially budgetwise, but since it is under the car, it generates more noise in the car.
csp i have now is also very civilized
all this is of course on a type3, but i think it applies to beetles as well.

one more thing: i also have had earplugs in the car for years, and this may be entirely up to me, but if an engine is louder, but very lenient to drive as opposed to a cammy, high rpm-ed horsepower monster, the noise isn't that of a problem. i hated it being in a loud car with earplugs crusing with others in their stock engined bugs at highway speeds.

[modnrod]

When I was looking for a muffler a few years ago I came across this comparison........

http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/119518-muffler-flow-db-comparison-hooker-maxflow-bassani-real-street.html

.......so promptly ordered in a Hooker Maxflow to give it a try.

Really it was quite nice, quiet at idle, excellent with hardly any droning on cruise as well.
Bloody loud with the foot in, all just like they said.

[Andy]

I have a dual quiet pack exhaust and find it too noisy inside. using a phone app I measured sound levels at a peak of 105 db and average of 94db inside the car! Hearing damage occurs above 85db.
I guess the noise is coming from the induction and mechanical noise from the engine, dual valve springs, straight cut gears , all contribute.
Has anyone managed to reduce the noise with soundproofing, my car has the added problem of only having a 1200 headliner so there is lots of exposed metal inside.

[Martin S.]

When I had a guy install my new rancho transmission, I asked him to see if he could figure out why the clutch was chattering. He found that the Berg rear support bar caused the clutch chatter to get worse so he left it off. Wow, I was amazed at not just the quieter interior, but less buzzing vibrating coming through the interior that you could feel. It made for a way more comfortable drive. I still have the HD Berg rubber mounts and the Berg transmission front/mid mount but I don't do burnouts so I can get away without the rear mount. The turbo was fairly loud, like a loud street bike without a muffler, and when Hot Rod Scotts fabbed up a nice SS flat pack (not sure the brand) the sound is now acceptable and no one notices my car sitting in traffic making unruly racket.

[Jim Ratto]

You might consider configuring a muffler system that moves muffler and exit away from traditional location (under RH half of rear apron).
I've read the longer the pipe from muffler to exit is, the quieter the exhaust note will be.

Maybe find a good sized traditional turbo muffler (NOT a straight thru Magnaflow style) and have it mount under 1/2 valve cover and run exit pipe forward and have it exit near RH jacking point?
Use a U bend to exit from header and then run forward to the muffler.

[Neil Davies]

I've seen something on a UK hot rod forum where it was recommended to run extra bends if possible - each 180 deg bend on a V8 system can take out as much as 5dB if I understand it correctly.

[Zach Gomulka]

When I was looking for a muffler a few years ago I came across this comparison........

http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/119518-muffler-flow-db-comparison-hooker-maxflow-bassani-real-street.html

That's very cool, thanks for the link. The top 11 are within 1% hp, pretty negligible difference. I also like the looks of the Hooker Maxflow, quiet as possible down low and rowdy as hell at WOT.

[leec]

I've seen something on a UK hot rod forum where it was recommended to run extra bends if possible - each 180 deg bend on a V8 system can take out as much as 5dB if I understand it correctly.

So all Pete needs is an 18 bend muffler and it will be almost silent

[modnrod]

That's very cool, thanks for the link.

No worries Zach, worked for me.

[Martin S.]

The other thing you could check are the channels that run along the drip rail (roof edge).
They channels are open in the engine compartment just above where the carbs would be barking.
The factory I believe stuffs in some left over interior vinyl from the headliner originally, but that could be gone from those access holes under each end of the air intake grill in the engine compartment.
If they are open, the sound can travel from the engine all along the roof line inside the car 

[flatfire]

I have an 18 bend muffler being constructed in our local ship yard.  Thanks for all the ideas guys. Old age is great somtimes

[Martin S.]

The other aspect to a quiet engine is the header itself. 2 stroke dirt bikes, when they were around both race and streetable, had a dual wall exhaust for the street version which made them a lot quieter due to the header transferring noise to the surroundings. You can use header wrap to help quiet it down, plus it looks old school cool