First -- my PT came with a heat deflector mounted on the tub just below the exhaust outlet. Don't your units have it?
And an appropiate update:
The SuperTrap is still working great. It's canted somewhat out and to the rear from my experimenting with the vaporlock solutions (moving the entire "fuel system" to the right side of the machine fixed that problem acceptably -- it hasn't died from VL since, but after working hard and long, then shutting down, upon restart I can hear the electric pump has vapor in it, but the PT still starts and runs).
I have added to my 'round tuit' list rewelding the SuperTrap back to the vertical but that's not high on the list as it's working fine now. I used the stock deflector plate behind the Supertrap to help prevent it from being hit when I'm backing around in heavy brush.
If I had a decibal meter it'd be easy to get readings "before" and "after" since all of the SuperTrap comes off with one nut, except the part that's welded to the PT muffler.
I have a Fluke multimeter (88 comes to mind but I could be way off as memorizing numbers is not my strong suit). If anybody has an idea on how I can measure decibals with it I'm willing to do it in order to get some definite numbers.
Or if someone has a meter that adapts to a Fluke, or a meter by itself, and wants to lend it to me I promise to return it.
Phil