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Curious if a new muffler is worth the effort.
Has anyone actually replaced one and found it reduced the engine noise?
I've got a 2354GXLS from 2009 with the B&S 386777 23hp twin motor.
The machine has about 500 hours on it and has become louder over time.
Question is do these mufflers have baffles & internals that actually wear out or are they just an "echo box". The muffler on the machine now has no rust and is solid on the outside.
Has anyone replaced theirs and found it reduced the noise level ?

Yes new ones do reduce the noise for a while .
and yes they have internal baffels plates that burn through, rust through or crack from vibrations & fall off .
They are not the quietest thing on a twin as they are basically the old single cylinder muffler with another hole in it.
What does make a difference is the end cap .
FWIW
I did do one for a customer with a pair of cheap motorcycle exhaust and a custom headder than went down across the floor then strait up like a big truck exhaust
Put a right angle end cap on them so the sound went at about 45 degrees backwards
Customer was stoked as it was a tow around unit
IT did not make it all that much quieter for any one but the driver
A bit latter he added a chromed punched plate cover so it really looked like truck exhaust
Cute but a disaster to service because no way to get at the engine without being burned but he likes it .

Just wear some ear plugs like you are supposed to do. Need that PPE on. Last I checked you can't go down to walmart and purchase new ear drums. Running trimmers and backpack blowers at your ears...... These are what I use.

SARG said:

Curious if a new muffler is worth the effort.
Has anyone actually replaced one and found it reduced the engine noise?
I've got a 2354GXLS from 2009 with the B&S 386777 23hp twin motor.
The machine has about 500 hours on it and has become louder over time.
Question is do these mufflers have baffles & internals that actually wear out or are they just an "echo box". The muffler on the machine now has no rust and is solid on the outside.
Has anyone replaced theirs and found it reduced the noise level ?

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it’s not very hard to replace the muffler as it is only 2 bolts for each cylinder i believe. You should also get hearing protection after replacing the muffler just in case.

semimechanicman said:

You should also get hearing protection after replacing the muffler just in case.

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What?