Muffler
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BobRip
Elite Member
How does it sound?
Bob Rip
Bob Rip
This picture is the muffler I am replacing. I think it looks a little bit better in the photo then it does live. My machine is the model with the fuel tank as part of the hood and the muffler under the hood with a space shuttle type cover over it. My machine has 200 hrs.. The muffler is $138.00 plus shipping.
I installed the muffler this evening and mowed till dark. Until the muffler failed I never gave the temperature these mufflers run at any thought. After an hour of mowing you can see the whole muffler glowing cherry red, even the exhaust pipes connected to the engine.
IMO there may be a problem with these mufflers. Is the exhaust gas temperature on the Kohler engines supposed to run hot enough to semi melt the muffler. Is the high EGT damaging the engines..
IMO replacing this expensive muffler will be an on going problem
sg /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I installed the muffler this evening and mowed till dark. Until the muffler failed I never gave the temperature these mufflers run at any thought. After an hour of mowing you can see the whole muffler glowing cherry red, even the exhaust pipes connected to the engine.
IMO there may be a problem with these mufflers. Is the exhaust gas temperature on the Kohler engines supposed to run hot enough to semi melt the muffler. Is the high EGT damaging the engines..
IMO replacing this expensive muffler will be an on going problem
sg /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
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pajoube
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I think I have the same muffler on my 425 as you do. I have almost 400 hours and to my knowledge no problems. Should I be looking for cracks? excessive vibration? or what?
PJ
PJ
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Wow. That is cooked good. What type of fuel are you running? Just curious. We run regular old 87 octane in ours, but we have the Kohler muffler, not the custom one in our 2001 model PT425.
I purchased my machine March 2004, so I guess its a 2004 model. The muffler is insulated with high temp insulation, I guess to make sure it stays as hot as possible. I noticed the muffler was loose during a pre-use inpection and found both exhaust connections broken off at the muffler due to what looks like heat exhaustion. Since the muffler is insulated I can only inspect the two small exhaust pipes.
Is your muffler insulated and placed under the hood.
sg
PS: I forgot to mention it is a PT425
Is your muffler insulated and placed under the hood.
sg
PS: I forgot to mention it is a PT425
smartguyz
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Hi Guys,
I have the 'intermediate' design that SnowRidge has - it has MossRoad's layout, but the muffler is a custom one. When I saw the design changes with the fuel tank in the hood, I called and talked to Terry Estep at PT. He said that the muffler wrap was designed to help keep under-hood temps down. It looks like what it does is trap all the heat inside the thermal blanket, and is causing premature failure. I haven't noticed anything particularly unusual about the wear my muffler is experiencing. It looks nearly brand-new, except for some minor heat discoloration, which is normal. I suspect that moving the fuel tank to integrate with the hood has caused some problems associated with needing to keep the heat down in the engine bay (to avoid heating the fuel tank, I assume). The thermal wrap does help to localize the heat to stay within the muffler, but at the cost of premature muffler wear.
Although I am sorry to see this apparent deficiency in the new design, I am happy that PT is continually trying to make things better. Perhaps this particular layout has some problems.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have the 'intermediate' design that SnowRidge has - it has MossRoad's layout, but the muffler is a custom one. When I saw the design changes with the fuel tank in the hood, I called and talked to Terry Estep at PT. He said that the muffler wrap was designed to help keep under-hood temps down. It looks like what it does is trap all the heat inside the thermal blanket, and is causing premature failure. I haven't noticed anything particularly unusual about the wear my muffler is experiencing. It looks nearly brand-new, except for some minor heat discoloration, which is normal. I suspect that moving the fuel tank to integrate with the hood has caused some problems associated with needing to keep the heat down in the engine bay (to avoid heating the fuel tank, I assume). The thermal wrap does help to localize the heat to stay within the muffler, but at the cost of premature muffler wear.
Although I am sorry to see this apparent deficiency in the new design, I am happy that PT is continually trying to make things better. Perhaps this particular layout has some problems.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Your are right. I also think the design is deficient. I was thinking about fabricating a stainless steel header pipe that would move the muffler to the outside. This would solve the problem. But!! why should I have to do that shouldn't the machine be designed to be reliable.
How many PT owners think the manufacturer will step up to the plate and do the right thing. I have been dealing with equipment manufacturers for years and I have never had one do the right think unless they were forced to do it .
sg
PS: It gets hot enough that it is deteriorating the insulating cover. I will most likely have to replace the insulation along with the muffler the next time.
How many PT owners think the manufacturer will step up to the plate and do the right thing. I have been dealing with equipment manufacturers for years and I have never had one do the right think unless they were forced to do it .
sg
PS: It gets hot enough that it is deteriorating the insulating cover. I will most likely have to replace the insulation along with the muffler the next time.
pajoube
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Yes, mine is a 425 purchased Sept. 03
PJ
PJ
I guess we'll see.. Maybe another member with the same model as mine will take there machine and work it pretty hard at dusk and take a look at the muffler to see if it looks like a glowing meteorite. It would interest me to know if its an issue with the Kohler engine in my machine or they all function this way.
sg
sg
pajoube
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Sure looks like it is the same.
PJ
PJ
bubenberg
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in a commercial environment the Kohler mufflers don't make it much past 800 - 1200 hrs. the 425 has had its second muffler; a pt muffler (basic no insulation) for over a thousand hours and it feels, sounds and looks like a tank .... good going Power Trac.
Talking to Terry is more difficult .... i know you are reading my critical posts SIR /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Talking to Terry is more difficult .... i know you are reading my critical posts SIR /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
FOURTEEN
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<font color="red"> PT-425, 2/4, 220 hours, same Kohler, same muffler, same wrap, Amoco Premium, NO PROBLEMS!!
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Sounds like your engine is running too lean! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif If it is, it will eventually burn or melt other parts of the engine such as valves or pistons!!
Have it checked out at a Kohler Service Center!
PS: I want to put dual exhaust /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif out the back of the PT for less noise and heat, but I have been way too busy with more vital jobs!!
</font>
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Sounds like your engine is running too lean! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif If it is, it will eventually burn or melt other parts of the engine such as valves or pistons!!
PS: I want to put dual exhaust /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif out the back of the PT for less noise and heat, but I have been way too busy with more vital jobs!!
</font>
Thats the way mine looks its whats under that wrap that counts. High idle mixture is set at the factory and I don't think it can be changed without changing the jets. I'm also going to fabricate a stainless steel dual exhaust to lower the under hood heat. This may even help reduce hydraulic fluid temperatures..
sg
PS: Fourteen: When you run your machine hard for 30 min. or so and look in the fresh air side of the muffler is it glowing red.
sg
PS: Fourteen: When you run your machine hard for 30 min. or so and look in the fresh air side of the muffler is it glowing red.
Marks481
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm also going to fabricate a stainless steel dual exhaust to lower the under hood heat. )</font>
It seems like you would be better off with a stainless exhaust manifold that led to an exterior muffler, and left only the exhaust manifold inside the engine compartment insulated.
From an outsider looking in this just seems like a design flaw; way would you put a muffler which is going to be the source of 80% of your engine compartment heat inside the engine compartment, especially when people are complaining about elevated operating temperatures already?
It seems like you would be better off with a stainless exhaust manifold that led to an exterior muffler, and left only the exhaust manifold inside the engine compartment insulated.
From an outsider looking in this just seems like a design flaw; way would you put a muffler which is going to be the source of 80% of your engine compartment heat inside the engine compartment, especially when people are complaining about elevated operating temperatures already?
Charlie_Iliff
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<font color="red"> why would you put a muffler which is going to be the source of 80% of your engine compartment heat inside the engine compartment, especially when people are complaining about elevated operating temperatures already? </font>
I can answer that -- if it's outside, it'll get ripped off. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif We routinely replace or reweld mufflers on our conventional tractors.
There are at least three configurations of muffler on the PT425. The insulated one, and the double-wall one Bubenberg has seem to do pretty well for underhood heat. It appears there is some variation in experience with the insulated one. For those who encounter problems, please post here and let PT know. As this thread shows, they try to make changes to cure known problems.
I can answer that -- if it's outside, it'll get ripped off. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif We routinely replace or reweld mufflers on our conventional tractors.
There are at least three configurations of muffler on the PT425. The insulated one, and the double-wall one Bubenberg has seem to do pretty well for underhood heat. It appears there is some variation in experience with the insulated one. For those who encounter problems, please post here and let PT know. As this thread shows, they try to make changes to cure known problems.
