# Quieter muffler?!



## ou2mame (Dec 23, 2019)

I was running my generator last night and realized how quiet it was compared to a snowblower.. same engine. Obviously the generator has a much larger muffler. Why don't snowblowers have larger mufflers? You'd think that this would be a feature by now.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

I don't believe modifications would work unless the muffler is damaged and can be repaired. It's possible to replace your existing muffler with a quitter one. However, mufflers create resistance (called back pressure) and adding resistance can have an adverse impact on your snow blower.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

The answer is cost. No one is going to pay $3000 for a snowblower. I quiet muffler will be bulky and have exhaust restriction. They just don't think snowblowers need to be that quiet. An OHV engine is already much quieter than a two cycles engine.

Same thing with the auto-turn feature. Trust me, it is nothing new. They just didn't put it on snowblowers back then. Now, they start to have electric fuel injection on snowblowers, so you can see where it is heading to.

The muffler on snowblower is simply just a vent tube.


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## RC20 (Dec 4, 2019)

Different markets. 

Loud generators in campgrounds were a major issue. Disturbed other people, so they came up with quiet. Less so in or after a storm but we had one place in our neighborhood that ran their for 3 weeks with a noisy one. Area power was back, their service was still knocked out. It was annoying as they ran 24 hrs a day. That was a block away, not sure why the neighbors did not pull their plug. No reason not to shut down at night other than convenience to them vs rude to the neighbors. 

Snowblowers are in your yard and snow muffled and no one cares (well my brothers straight pipe machine got looks) - everyone is clearing snow one way or the other and seldom after 9 pm. 

The quite mufflers are designed for a specific back pressure so putting one on your blower might well inhibit its power output. Ways to measure that. Tony P is wrong that you can't have both, you can, it just cost more as its a much higher engineered device and fabrication cost. 

But kind of what is the point? Ear muffs or ear plugs and its not an issue for an hour or two on an irregular schedule.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

I love straight pipes!!!! ran em on my Harley's all the time.

On a motorcycle you want to be seen and one way to do that is to be LOUD.


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## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

I don't think there's all that much higher engineering involved, MTD/Powermore has a quiet muffler blower out. It really is quite a bit quieter, but the muffler is very large.


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

I have noticed that the noise level on snow blowers is getting less and less each year, we all remember the old Tecumseh 8-10 hp Snow King..pass me the ear protection please.
Briggs and Stratton are a bit quieter and then we have the Powermore which is even quieter.
Haven't had the opportunity to try one of the new Champion Power Equipment machines yet, but thinking with their history of generators they may even be quieter.
As for quieting your current machine, most snow blower exhaust is also intended to heat the air around the carb..which calls for a flatter muffler (I could be mistaken), and as someone pointed out, cost to manufacture these will drive up the machine price..


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

RC20 said:


> The quite mufflers are designed for a specific back pressure so putting one on your blower might well inhibit its power output. Ways to measure that. Tony P is wrong that you can't have both, you can, it just cost more as its a much higher engineered device and fabrication cost.


RC20, I make my share of mistakes and try to appreciate comments letting me know. I just don't see it here. I said, 


> It's possible to replace your existing muffler with a quitter one. However, mufflers create resistance (called back pressure) and adding resistance can have an adverse impact on your snow blower.


And you said,


> The quite mufflers are designed for a specific back pressure so putting one on your blower might well inhibit its power output.


There is no difference between our statements. But, if I'm wrong again I'm certain you'll let me know.


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## Fat City (Feb 11, 2017)

To prevent Carb. icing, snow blowers use a heat box to enclose some exhaust heat . A bigger muffler would run cooler,and may require a different heat box . I would like to hear how HF ' Predator ' engine converters handle this .


My predator iced up, removed air filter, much better . Would like to see a * Winter * version of these engines .


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

dman2 said:


> The answer is cost. No one is going to pay $3000 for a snowblower.


Oh, yes, we do... Honda, Yamaha, Ariens & others all have models that sell well and are above the $3K mark, and the really serious 36"+ machines go for more in the $8-12K neighborhood. To each his own... No different than for cars, motorcycles, boats, houses, etc. Quite a range of everything out there!


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> I love straight pipes!!!! ran em on my Harley's all the time.
> On a motorcycle you want to be seen and one way to do that is to be LOUD.


Actually, I can't agree with that; that's just being HEARD and not seen. My Honda bikes are all quite quiet, and I can easily listen to music that is not inflicted on others when riding through in-helmet speakers.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tabora said:


> Actually, I can't agree with that; that's just being HEARD and not seen. My Honda bikes are all quite quiet, and I can easily listen to music that is not inflicted on others when riding through in-helmet speakers.


they do know something is around and look for it.

works for me.

to each his own.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> to each his own.


It doesn't work that way; you have the right to make as much noise as you want if you're where NO ONE else can hear it. I have the right to QUIET enjoyment (at least at the minimum regulated level) where I am.


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## BazookaJoe (Oct 6, 2019)

I've always wondered why Harleys don't direct some of that noise forward. Think of the safety then! LOL



When I street ride, I focus on other aspects to be safe-
a) Safety gear.
b) Wearing contrasting color jacket to match the seasons.
c) Positioning myself to be visible to other cars.
d) Riding a good handling bike with excellent brakes and suspension.
e) Being skilled at riding. 

And I take pride in being very quiet and respectful to the people whose houses I pass along the ride. 



Anyway, back the snowblower muffler noise output.... There is likely a consumer product standard and that is what the manufacturers design to. Sure, the engines could be hush quiet with a larger volume muffler, but at at cost.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Even Harley knows how to make them quiet....https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/...keJyf0xdpCBM8EohsuMaAjWeEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## aldfam4 (Dec 25, 2016)

tabora said:


> It doesn't work that way; you have the right to make as much noise as you want if you're where NO ONE else can hear it. I have the right to QUIET enjoyment (at least at the minimum regulated level) where I am.


Not a fan of the loud Harleys for one particular reason, they scare the heck out of my dogs when I'm walking them!!!!!!!!


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> to each his own.


 feel the same way. living on my street one hears 8 loud harleys, 2- ss 454 chevelles, 6 old hot rod fords , 3 classic C2 corvettes , 1 cobra all with side pipes. all with loud pipes we love noise and love to jam our bands on weekends .


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

back to the op. won't belong before CA forces cat converters down on every ope.when that happens we will hear even less noise from the motors, yes they do temper them down as i found out on my Vtwin lawn tractor that i put one on

https://www.nettinc.com/products/3-...-small-spark-ignited-engines-emission-control


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

87powershiftx2 said:


> feel the same way. living on my street one hears 8 loud harleys, 2- ss 454 chevelles, 6 old hot rod fords , 3 classic C2 corvettes , 1 cobra all with side pipes. all with loud pipes we love noise and love to jam our bands on weekends .


bunch of freakin Outlaws.......when can I come visit?


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Heh, that's quite a collection of cars! A Cobra? Awesome. 

For the original question, I'd expect that cost is certainly half of the issue (probably more than half). But as was said, the usage situations probably also factor into the generator being quieter. A machine that might run 24 hours a day is going to have more motivation to be quiet (especially when the neighbors may not have their own ability to even make white noise!). Nobody wants to listen to something roaring away at 2AM. While the snowblower will be used for a shorter period of time, and probably during waking hours. 

A few years after we bought our house, an ice storm hit, and we lost power for 3 days. We didn't have a generator, of course, so were sitting in the cold and dark. After a day, our next door neighbor procured a generator, so we got to listen to that (rubbing salt in the wounds  ). The kicker was that it had a bit of a carb problem, so it surged the whole time. It's a bummer trying to sleep in the cold house, listening to a generator facing the bedroom that's going vrrrRRROOMM-vrrrRRROOMM-vrrrRRROOMM-vrrrRRROOMM.....  

Now we have an EU2000i setup, so the lights stay on, and they just sit there and purr. Ahhh, much better. To each their own, but I'll happily take quiet equipment.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Fat City said:


> To prevent Carb. icing, snow blowers use a heat box to enclose some exhaust heat . A bigger muffler would run cooler,and may require a different heat box . I would like to hear how HF ' Predator ' engine converters handle this .
> 
> 
> My predator iced up, removed air filter, much better . Would like to see a * Winter * version of these engines .


I have a Predator 212cc on my snowblower and it is a lot quieter than the anemic Tecumseh 5hp that was on it. The Predator 212cc has a multi baffle muffler which is modeled after the Honda designed. Much quieter especially if stock with the factory intake. I have a baffle straight pipe on my 50+ mph Rupp Roadster 2 with Mukuni and that is louder along with the bilit rod and flywheel had it up up to 52 mph on a short drive last fall.


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## aldfam4 (Dec 25, 2016)

RedOctobyr said:


> Heh, that's quite a collection of cars! A Cobra? Awesome.
> 
> For the original question, I'd expect that cost is certainly half of the issue (probably more than half). But as was said, the usage situations probably also factor into the generator being quieter. A machine that might run 24 hours a day is going to have more motivation to be quiet (especially when the neighbors may not have their own ability to even make white noise!). Nobody wants to listen to something roaring away at 2AM. While the snowblower will be used for a shorter period of time, and probably during waking hours.
> 
> ...


I understand your pain. I have a 10HP Coleman Portable Generator, this thing sounds like it came off a Harley. The few times I have used it I'm sure half the block could hear. I have changed over to a Standby generator and it is much more quiet.

A few people here commented that the Honda mufflers are very quiet. Could they be retrofitted onto a Ariens snowblower?


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## Snowbelt_subie (Dec 20, 2016)

GustoGuy said:


> I have a Predator 212cc on my snowblower and it is a lot quieter than the anemic Tecumseh 5hp that was on it. The Predator 212cc has a multi baffle muffler which is modeled after the Honda designed. Much quieter especially if stock with the factory intake. I have a baffle straight pipe on my 50+ mph Rupp Roadster 2 with Mukuni and that is louder along with the bilit rod and flywheel had it up up to 52 mph on a short drive last fall.


I agree out of all the equipment I've had come through. I think the honda small engine is the quietest.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

In my opinion they don't want them quiet as to hide all the other noises the machines make while in operation.. Many would be trying to get repairs that were not needed

Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using Tapatalk


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## Tony-stewart (Apr 6, 2021)

Tony P. said:


> I don't believe modifications would work unless the muffler is damaged and can be repaired. It's possible to replace your existing muffler with a quitter one. However, mufflers create resistance (called back pressure) and adding resistance can have an adverse impact on your snow blower.


The back pressure was only true on 2 cycle motors with a resonant length to match the half wave
Length of air pressure at max RPM which is why at half speed the muffler added a load


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## Elfiero (Apr 9, 2019)

If people riding Harleys truly wanted to be noticed by all, they would point their loud exhaust forward, not backward. of course, then you would also be noticed by law enforcement. this is coming from a 35 year Motorcycle rider, who was run off the road twice by distracted drivers. Loud pipes would not have helped in either case. I always try and make everything I own as quiet as possible- that way, I can get away with whatever I please.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF Tony










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