MTFCA Forum

Getting to learn and drive my fordor over the summer it seems the exhaust or muffler @ times sounds more like a Harley than a model T. My question is there a baffle or something that may have loosened up in side the muffler? All new exhaust manifold/pipe and muffler and do not see anything loose near the outlet of the muffler.

Any input would be great.

You could have a leak in the manifold gaskets. Look around the area where the exhaust manifold bolts to the block and see if you see soot. If so, you have a leak there. Another place would be the brass nut which holds the front of the exhaust pipe to the manifold. This pipe must be flat against the manifold and the nut must be tight. I like to take an offset piece of sheetmetal against one of the flat sides of the nut with a hose clamp against it to keep the nut from turning. This could also be a problem if the threads are worn on either the manifold or the nut. Inside the muffler the pipe goes through with a separation from the back plate, then a larger pipe goes through with a separation at the front so that the exhaust has to go back around the larger pipe before it goes out. The replacement mufflers have a long rod going out the back with a nut threaded to it which holds everything together. I like to put a few spot welds around the outer shell of the muffler to the end plates so things will not fall apart. Note, some people reverse the larger baffle pipe inside the muffler so the exhaust goes straight out. It would give you less back pressure, but a louder sound.
I think this covers just about everything. One other thing is the front of the muffler does not have a clamp to hold it to the pipe. It should be free to move around or in and out as the frame flexes. If it is clamped, it tends to pull on the front of the pipe where it bolts to the manifold causing the flange to break off or the nut to come off.
Norm

A friend of mine has a Speedster that he drives a lot. He does not have a muffler. Just a long straight tail pipe.

The pipe entering the muffler for the pressed steel types can be clamped. The hanger at the rear does the flexing, just like the original setup. The cast iron end type is a different story, they float free at the inlet.

Mark,

I tend to disagree. I had a steel muffler that was clamped to the exhaust pipe. The hanger at the rear broke and the muffler started bouncing off the rear axle. It took a while before I could tell where the sound was coming from. The exhaust pipe was also bouncing on the fuel line. I was lucky I met Dallas and we fixed it until I could return home and replace the muffler and exhaust pipe.

Thanks for the input fellas, all good @ the manifolds as I used the copper clad 3 in 1 style. So with just over a hundred miles on the T when I parked last night I briefly looked @ the hot muffler as the noise was below the rear passenger area.

After reading the posts and climbing under the car this a.m., that nut was barley on and I could slide the muffler shell that almost came apart. Will double nut that rod outlet.

Double nuts on the threaded rod, sounds like a T again, thanks MTFCA.