Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:41:56 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: muffler
In-Reply-To: <20120224142544.RS47F.664232.imail@eastrmwml301>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
LOL,
there is ALWAYS a good reason to not go to your local exhaust shop..
since so many of those shops to sloppy short-cut work and they are not
very vanagon savvy.
I thought you were going to ask about just repairing that little
hole...which is an option , a temporary fix ..
and not something most exhasut shops would be interested in do.
see..".welded the tail pipe to the muffler."
that is EXACTLY what I am talking about , about exhaust shops and
short-cut work and not being very vanagon savvy.
The stock system is SO NICE !
just comes apart, nuts and bolts. Very sweet. Rust can be an issue ..but
is overcome-able too.
here is a warning about 2.1 mufflers from the aftermarket.
'somehow' some muffler makers have managed to come up with a 2.1 muffler
that is the right length ..
the right flanges on both ends ..but is too small in diamter ( it
matches the 1.9 muffler smaller diameter ) .
So ..
the hold-down straps don't hold the muffler properly...
People, or perhaps muffler shops, have been known to do things like put
an old brake pad under the muffler hold down straps to make the fit
tight like it should be.
or ..some have shortend the hold-down straps to fit right ..on what is
actually the wrong dimension muffler.
so be careful !
I get good aftermarket ones like ...forget ..made in italy, Perhaps Ansa
brand......
Van Cafe I am sure can supply the right 2.1 muffler and tail pipe and
gasket.
I can too ..but am not a new parts business per se. Too much fixin'
and restoration and preservation to do on vanagons.
sure ..just have the muffler and cat welded together ...lol..
then the only people that can work on it is a muffler shop that cuts and
welds back on.
the welding didn't cause the hole.
short trips and cold running on gasoline cars eats out the exhaust
system 'very nicely.'
Basal ..generally a good brand. ..though as you have found out ..
not really right.
Eanrst ..
there, remembered it .. .a classic good european brand of muffler. I've
seen them for diesel vanagons but not waterboxers I don't think.
fwiw I just paid about $ 165 plus some shipping for a quite good
euro-made 2.1 muffler that's just fine.
scott
On 2/24/2012 11:25 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote:
> I see that there is a tiny hole in the end plate on the muffler of my 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile. Is there any reason not to just go down to the local muffler shop and have the muffler replaced? Do I need to order the muffler from one of our online vendors in order to get the right muffler? Also, I did have a tail pipe replaced at a muffler shop a couple of years ago, and the guy who installed it welded it to the muffler rather than using a gasket and bolting the new pipe on. I suspect if I go back there, the same thing would be done again. Is there anything wrong with this -- does it impair the function in any way or does it shorten the life of either the tailpipe or the muffler? the corrosion and hole in the end plate of the muffler are on the opposite end, so I do not believe the welding had anything to do with that.
>
> My mechanic mentioned that the Bolsa muffler offered by some of our vendors is a tad undersized, and that the last time he installed one he had to shim the straps to hold it properly. He said I should get a European muffler (the Bolsa is from Brazil, I understand).
>
> mcneely
>