Exhaust question - Can I eliminate the center muffler?

[joeforum123]

I'm loving my new '78 Spider, but the center muffler is rattling and making all kinds of noise ... its internal to the muffler, not touching the frame or anything. This is the muffler roughly in the area below the passenger seat. Can I just remove it and go with a single muffler at the rear ??

[ga.spyder]

Many of us have eliminated the center muffler,and even the cat.The cars are old enough that in most cases they are exempt from emission testing.I think on yours that is called a resonator,and is not needed for much of anything,They sound better without them!

[narfire]

As Craig mentioned many have done it. I have when I went with a 2" pipe and took the cat out. I have the Ansa twin tip and is definately louder but still tolerable for the driver and public.

[joeforum123]

Thank you both for the replies. I'm definitely going to give it a try and remove it and see how it goes. The worst that can happen is it will get louder ... that could be a good thing

[joeforum123]

Ok -- So I went to Meineke and had the entire exhaust replaced from the header back, with a straight 1.75" pipe all the way back to the muffler. No cat or resonator or anything. Problem is, they put on a (I believe to be) a really cheap muffler and it sounds just awful. I don't mind the volume, but the tone is buzzy and flatulent (if you get my drift) ..... Can anyone recommend a universal replacement muffler that I can put at the end of the straight pipe, that would give me a better sound? I don't mind a little volume, but I can't stand the fart-can sound. In fact, I wouldn't mind if it was quieter either. I'd give up some air flow for a quieter sound, ... or I wouldn't mind the volume if the tone were better.......... Any body have a fairly inexpensive alternative muffler brand to recommend?

[bradartigue]

Ok -- So I went to Meineke and had the entire exhaust replaced from the header back, with a straight 1.75" pipe all the way back to the muffler. No cat or resonator or anything. Problem is, they put on a (I believe to be) a really cheap muffler and it sounds just awful. I don't mind the volume, but the tone is buzzy and flatulent (if you get my drift) ..... Can anyone recommend a universal replacement muffler that I can put at the end of the straight pipe, that would give me a better sound? I don't mind a little volume, but I can't stand the fart-can sound. In fact, I wouldn't mind if it was quieter either. I'd give up some air flow for a quieter sound, ... or I wouldn't mind the volume if the tone were better.......... Any body have a fairly inexpensive alternative muffler brand to recommend?

What's wrong with the stock rear section? It fits, it sounds nice, and it is not restrictive. For that matter, neither is the center muffler. The only restriction in the line is the catalytic convertor.

[joeforum123]

I guess I could try a stock rear section and keep the straight-thru center section. My center section was rattling internally and I just wanted it gone. The Meineke guy said my stock rear muffler was also rusted out, so that's gone now too. So I suppose I can try the stock rear muffler by itself..... but was asking to see if anybody else had an alternative non-stock rear muffler that that were happy with ....

[bradartigue]

I guess I could try a stock rear section and keep the straight-thru center section. My center section was rattling internally and I just wanted it gone. The Meineke guy said my stock rear muffler was also rusted out, so that's gone now too. So I suppose I can try the stock rear muffler by itself..... but was asking to see if anybody else had an alternative non-stock rear muffler that that were happy with ....

Most exhaust experiments are failures and lead back to stock equipment. For multiple reasons, the most obvious being that the stock stuff works. It will also outlast anything Meineke sells you and you can do it yourself with a 13mm wrench and a beer.

Lets get some terms right here, because you're saying "center muffler" but I think you're referring to the catalytic converter. The stock exhaust system on all Spiders manufactured since around 1970 has been a header, a downpipe, an adjustable pipe [flanged] with three bolts on carbureted cars on four on fuel injected, a catalytic convertor, a center section with a small muffler, and a rear section that is what most people call the muffler and hangs off the ass end of the car. There are also a few clamps and two hangers in the rear. Some cars have a hanger that affixes to the transmission house.

If it were my car I would remove everything from the adjustable pipe to the end of the car and place it to the side. I would then reinstall the adjustable pipe (or get one since Meineke probably welded something to it) and the new center and rear. This will leave a large gap where the catalytic converter went, but you'll have both flanges (on the center muffler and the adjustable pipe). Then I would either have your Meineke guys fabricate you a pipe to go there - one with flanges so you can bolt it on - or I would buy a catalytic converter - or I would buy a used catalytic converter and jam a pipe down it and bust the guts out, making it no longer a converter.

What was banging around inside yours was the catalytic converter guts. If you still have it and the flanges are intact, use it.

[joeforum123]

Brad - thanks for the reply. I appreciate the input. Maybe I need to step back and get out of "experiment mode." Since my old stock system is gone to a scrap yard somewhere, I was trying to salvage what I now have on the car (which is a custom fabricated straight pipe beginning from where the cat was ... and going all the way back to a crappy muffler. I thought a good muffler at the rear of this set-up may do the trick, but I agree, it would be a sure bet to purchase and install a new stock style center section and rear section. That will cost more, but I guess that would be a lesson learned for me. I'll see what I can do ..... Thanks.

[TX82FIAT]

Joe, I think you have some sound advice from Brad and i would also think you were referring to the cat converter. On my 82 the brick inside the cat had cause a partial blockage. I did the clear the contents option with a crow bar and a sledge hammer. The car had a tin sound from the exhaust. Short story, I installed a small bullet resonator where the cart was and purchsed a single tip muffler from VICK's autosports in Ft. Worth/Dallas. Car sounds great now.