Car muffler filler - the best stuffing options
Content
When choosing from the family of non-woven mineral materials the most suitable for filling the muffler, stone wool should be preferred. Coarse shavings of stainless steel grades also proved to be quite a suitable sound absorber in several experiments.
Tuning the exhaust system of a car is in demand. Car owners exchange factory exhaust parts for unique craftsman products. Therefore, the task of how to stuff a car muffler has become interesting to many.
car muffler filler
The question of a filler for a car muffler makes sense when discussing direct-flow devices that automakers do not install as standard. But many people become clients of tuning shops, wanting to change the usual sound of their car into an expressive roar or add another 5-10% to engine power. Such an additive is real if all the obstacles that the exhaust gases have to overcome before being released into the atmosphere are removed:
- catalyst;
- limiters and reflectors of standard exhaust systems;
- narrow curved pipes that create significant flow resistance.
Their principle of operation is based on the fact that many holes are drilled in a straight pipe, through which the acoustic wave propagates outward and enters the porous absorber layer. Due to the friction of the particles and vibration of the fibers, the energy of the sound wave is effectively converted into heat, which solves the problem of reducing the noise of the exhaust.
Mineral wool for muffler
The stuffing material used is subjected to extreme influences of incandescent gases, the temperature of which can reach up to +800°C, and work under pulsating pressure. Poor quality fillers do not withstand such operation and quickly "burn out". The sound-absorbing properties of the part disappear completely and an unpleasant loud ringing hum appears. You need to replace the stuffing in the workshop or yourself.
Basalt wool
Stone or basalt wool is made from molten rocks of the basalt group. It is used in construction as a heater due to its durability and incombustibility. Able to withstand temperatures up to 600-700°C for a long time. Thanks to a wide range of densities, it is possible to choose a material with the required load resistance.
Basalt wool is easy to buy in construction supermarkets. Unlike asbestos, it is not hazardous to health. It differs from other mineral slabs in its structure, in which the fibers are located in two planes - both horizontally and vertically. This increases the service life of the material used as a car muffler stuffing.
Glass wool
Another type of mineral fiber material made from the same raw materials as in the conventional glass industry. It is also widely used in construction as a heat-insulating and sound-proofing material, therefore it is inexpensive and available for purchase. However, the temperature limit of its operation is much lower than that of basalt and does not exceed 450°C. Another unpleasant property: the substance under mechanical action (having found itself in a stream of hot gas) quickly decomposes into microscopic crystals.
Asbestos
Sometimes a person who undertakes to repair the exhaust of his car on his own is tempted to fill the car muffler with asbestos. Really outstanding heat-insulating qualities of this material, which is able to withstand heating up to 1200-1400°C, attract. However, the strong harm to health that asbestos brings when inhaling its particles has been irrefutably established.
Exhaust gasket kit
For this reason, the economic use of asbestos is limited only to those areas where it is indispensable, subject to the observance of protective measures. The need to risk oneself for the conditional pleasure of the "signature sound of a car exhaust" is seriously questionable.
Improvised means from craftsmen
In search of the best solution when replacing the muffler gasket, folk art finds original options. There are reports on the use in this capacity of metal washcloths for washing dishes, a variety of heat-resistant fibers. The most reasonable is the experience of using steel shavings from the waste of metalworking production.
Pros and cons of different padding options
The advantage of mineral slabs (glass wool, stone wool) is the low price and ease of purchase. However, not all such materials will provide a sufficient period of preservation of the packing in a volume sufficient for the effect - the substance is quickly carried away by hot exhaust gases. An additional factor limiting the use of asbestos and glass fibers is the damage they cause to health.
Therefore, choosing from the family of non-woven mineral materials the most suitable for filling the muffler, you should prefer basalt wool. Coarse shavings of stainless steel grades also proved to be quite a suitable sound absorber in several experiments.
