Muffler finally installed

Fellow air-cooled drivers,

I finally installed the muffler yesterday. I had no choice but to drop
the engine and remove the heat exchangers. I was able to get the
muffler onto the 4 studs but it wasn't easy. When I got the muffler on
the 2 studs of the right head I had to force the left side of the
muffler onto the 2 studs of the left head. I was really worried about
damaging the threads of the studs because it was metal scraping against
the threads. As soon as the muffler was on all 4 studs I positioned the
heat exchangers onto the muffler. I then installed 2 bolts from the
manifold into the right muffler flange. I next installed 1 bolt from
the left manifold into the left muffler flange. I had to use a big
pliers to bend the manifold over the muffler flange. When all 4
manifold bolts were in I tightened the heat exchanger nuts and 4 nuts
onto the head studs slowly. The heat exchangers didn't fit correctly
into the muffler. After tightening everything I don't know if I have a
gas-tight seal from the head to muffler.

I can't install the stove pipe and I can't clamp the right preheater box
onto the heat
exchanger. The right preheater box is cocked at an angle and I can't
align it with the heat exchanger. I live in Southern California and the
car is garaged. Do I absolutely need the stove pipe and right heat
exchanger connected to the preheater box?

The car appears to drive normally. It idles ok. Can I check for leaks
around the head to muffler by spraying carb cleaner around the fitting?
If the idle increases does this indicate an exhaust leak?

Thanks in advance

Well, with respect to you spraying, I don't think this will tell you
anything, idle is due to the burning of gas, where you are spraying,
the gas is already burned. If you had a leak between the muffler (I
think you mean heater box here) and head joint, you would hear it; if
you had a leadk form the muffler to the heater box with respect to
exhaust, I think you would hear it - they both would be loud - I would
think.

You need to clarify for me about what is meant by "stovepipe" and
preheaterbox. Preheater tube goes to the mufler - and they can be a
bear to line up. There is a debate in having a preehater tube
connected up in warm climate, I tend to believe to do it, but others
block it off without any apparent ill affect

Matt S

Matt,

The "stove pipe" is called the warm air pipe according to Mid America
Motorworks. There is a picture of it on page 78 of their latest catalog.
It goes under the pushrod tubes on the right side of the engine and is
connected to the breast plate. A hose goes from the air cleaner to the
warm air pipe. I know that warm air is added to the air/fuel mix when the
engine is cold but since the car is garaged in Southern California where
it is hot I wonder if I could get away without it.

Over the engine noise I don't know if I would hear an exhaust leak. I
will drive the car tomorrow morning and if it drives normally on the
streets and freeway I will assume that I have no leaks.

If this is really a Dansk muffler I question their quality control.



Matt S wrote:

> Well, with respect to you spraying, I don't think this will tell you
> anything, idle is due to the burning of gas, where you are spraying,
> the gas is already burned. If you had a leak between the muffler (I
> think you mean heater box here) and head joint, you would hear it; if
> you had a leadk form the muffler to the heater box with respect to
> exhaust, I think you would hear it - they both would be loud - I would
> think.
>
> You need to clarify for me about what is meant by "stovepipe" and
> preheaterbox. Preheater tube goes to the mufler - and they can be a
> bear to line up. There is a debate in having a preehater tube
> connected up in warm climate, I tend to believe to do it, but others
> block it off without any apparent ill affect
>
> Matt S