Muffler Adaptation Questions

[vwlover77]

To keep my wife's sensitive nose happy while near our running Bus, I put a stock crossover pipe and a catalytic converter back on it.

However, I could not use a stock muffler as it would have interfered with the "custom" trailer hitch (for my bicycle carrier) I had made while the Bus was sporting one of the quiet extractor systems.

The muffler I ended up using was from Tractor Supply and is supposed to be for an IH tractor! It is basically a "glass pack" design and I'm tiring of its noise.


So, I'm looking for a quieter option that will fit in the available space. I found this dual-inlet single-outlet muffler for a fuel-injected Beetle on thesamba:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1247128

Do you think I can successfully "plug" one of the inlets and use only the other? (And how do I tell an inlet from the outlet?)

Or, is it possible to consider shortening a stock muffler somehow?

[Amskeptic]

To keep my wife's sensitive nose happy while near our running Bus, I put a stock crossover pipe and a catalytic converter back on it.

However, I could not use a stock muffler as it would have interfered with the "custom" trailer hitch (for my bicycle carrier) I had made while the Bus was sporting one of the quiet extractor systems.

The muffler I ended up using was from Tractor Supply I'm looking for a quieter option that will fit in the available space. I found this dual-inlet single-outlet muffler for a fuel-injected Beetle on thesamba:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1247128

Do you think I can successfully "plug" one of the inlets and use only the other? (And how do I tell an inlet from the outlet?)

Or, is it possible to consider shortening a stock muffler somehow?

Get rid of the bicycle carrier. Install a decent stock system. Now figure out how to modify the carrier around the exhaust system instead of the other way around.
ColinICan'tBelieveIHaveToSpellItOutToYOU-YOUWithThatPrettyBus

[SlowLane]

Judging by the photos in Bentley on Section 1 p. 10, I don't think that muffler on the Samba is going to help you much. It appears to be the muffler for a Beetle without a catalytic converter, and is pretty much as long as the Beetle engine is wide.

On the other hand, this might be what you're looking for: http://www.busdepot.com/043251051can

[dtrumbo]

If you go with Colin's suggestion, I highly recommend Jamie Rivers' hitch found here.

http://www.globalserve.net/~jrivers/latebayhitch.htm

I have it installed with my stock exhaust, albeit with no CAT, and everybody gets along pretty well.

[vwlover77]

This story has a happy ending. I decided to take Colin's good advice to get a stock muffler and modify the trailer hitch to work around it. As it turned out, the hitch fit perfectly between the end of the muffler and the tailpipe flange as shown in the photos! I expected there would be interference as the engine moved in its mounts in operation, but there has been none! For once, a job that was far easier than expected!

[Amskeptic]

Wow, that is a close adaptation. No interference in operation? That is impressive when I see how much these engines like to rock around their crankshaft axes.
ColinItRainsInSaltLakeToo