88 Marathon Exhaust Packing?

[jaykump]

I have a 88 Marathon and was going to repack the exhaust with new packing to quiet it down a little for the campground park.....will this hurt the motor? I did not want an electric cart and don't need something with extra power just cruising around the park. Should I cut and repack the exhaust or is their a better way of quieting it down?

[BrewCityMusic]

The 88 muffler is a one-year-only design (meaning it's specific to 198 and is not a packed muffler, rather it is a series of perforated tubes within a series of internal chambers so generally, once it gets to where it's becoming loud You're stuck getting a new one. Also, the flow characteristics are matched to the BV21 carb on the 88 only, so again, for performance reasons You are pretty much stuck with the stock-style muffler (on the upside, the BV21/exhaust combo on the 88 gives it 2hp more than the 87-down or 89-up 2-strokes)

[jaykump]

Love having a one off.....but I will enjoy the 2hp extra! So packing it would not quiet it down and it would prob cause more backpressure and detune the motor....I guess I bought some pillow stuffing if anyone needs some.

[BrewCityMusic]

Pillow stuffing would be a really really BAD idea, even if it WAS a packed muffler, btw - if it's acrylic it will shortly melt and crate a worse mess, if it's acetate it will start on fire (or vice-versa, I can't remember which is which, just that they're both bad ideas, LOL) ...

Fibergalss Muffler Packing is cheap, but again won't help You out, sorry. As to that extra HP, it's nice to have, my 1988 runs circles around any stock EZGO including the 4-strokes hands down

[jaykump]

Thanks for the Info!

[rthompson]

I threaded the end of the exaust pipe 1/2 inch pipe thread then put a 90 degree 1/2 to 3/4 fitting and bought a muffler for a Briggs and Stratton, Tecumseh and Kohler 4-8 HP engines using mufflers with a 3/4 inch pipe. It is made by Arnold replaces B&S #294599. It made my 1978 Marathon a lot quieter. And no noticeable reduction in power.

[BrewCityMusic]

the 88's tailpipe is basically rolled sheetmetal, no way to thread it - maybe weld a threaded adapter to it or ?!?!?! I actually have seen people solder or braze a chunk of copper 1/2" pipe to the outlets to get the noise out and or to the side a bit (it slips tightly into the tailpipe if You ream it out w a wire brush or battery terminal cleaner) - perhaps start there, then a 3/4" fitting, muffler, etc - I'm going to nickname the project "Frankenshutup" if it actually works and does quiet things down, LOL ...