Can you make honda GX engines quieter?

**DeanBrown3D** · 03-25-2006, 08:51 PM

Is there a muffler mod or something else I can do to quieten down a (13 HP) Honda GX engine on a log splitter. I hate the annoy the neighbors, that's all.

Thanks,

Dean

**04ultra** · 03-25-2006, 08:56 PM

Look for muffler made for generator ..Try ebay .. I have seen them out there.

Honda does make a super quiet muffler ..

**ShoerFast** · 03-25-2006, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by DeanBrown3D

Is there a muffler mod or something else I can do to quieten down a (13 HP) Honda GX engine on a log splitter. I hate the annoy the neighbors, that's all.

Thanks,

Dean

There are a few things you can do, put an extra muffle after the exsisting helps, it should have a space of flexable tubing to keep things from cracking.

Another thing is to deflect the final exit blast into the air or ground as opposed to bouncing the sound off solid things that echo it back.

Honda puts some fair mufflers on there products, make sure that there isant anything broke or let lose in the one you have.

Checking and isolating the engine mounts can help also.

Kevin

**04ultra** · 03-25-2006, 09:46 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/Honda-low-tone-g...QQcmdZViewItem

Look at this one ..

**DeanBrown3D** · 03-26-2006, 06:49 AM

Thanks all - I suspect that the muffler on ebay (thanks Ultral) is still just a regular lo-tone muffler, because they all say super quiet even when that's a blatant lie. (Once I got 'whisper quiet' generator from BJ's and it was like standing next to a chainsaw at full blast! Geez)

Maybe I can weld a car muffler onto the mount? Not sure how much of the sound is coming out of the muffler and how much is from just the side of the engine.

**Koa Man** · 03-26-2006, 08:55 AM

I once welded a full size car muffler after the exhaust pipe of a B&S 5hp engine on a generator and it made NO difference. I think the basic noise comes from the internals and design of the engine itself. If Honda or any other maker could greatly suppress the noise of the engine by a mere muffler, don't you think they would already sell the engine with it? Look at the huge cost difference in Honda's EU3000i (57 db) vs their cheaper generator running at around 72 db. I'm sure the price difference is not just because of a better muffler.

**RaisedByWolves** · 03-26-2006, 10:27 AM

The intake noise shoudnt be underestamated.

**DeanBrown3D** · 03-26-2006, 08:58 PM

Koa Man - that's great info, and sadly it makes sense, but thanks. I will put the idea to rest.

I have to build a log pile wall around the thing instead.

Cheers

Dean

**ray benson** · 03-26-2006, 09:28 PM

I tried a small car muffler on an 8hp Tecumseh motor. It made very little difference. A real disappointment. After a couple of years I put the original muffler back on the motor.

**stihlatit** · 03-26-2006, 09:39 PM

Just stop putting gas in her she will quiet down eventually>>>>>kidding>>could not resist.

**Zodiac45** · 03-29-2006, 05:58 AM

I use a pair of shooters hearing protectors and muffle my ears versus the motor. Cheaper and it works well. Those foam plugs aren't too bad either.

Zee

**BlueRidgeMark** · 03-29-2006, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by DeanBrown3D

Koa Man - that's great info, and sadly it makes sense, but thanks. I will put the idea to rest.

I have to build a log pile wall around the thing instead.

Dean

Hmmmm. What about building an enclosure for the engine? Even 3/4 plywood should make a big difference. Make sure it's got some way to ventilate, or you'll toast the engine.

**Koa Man** · 03-29-2006, 09:14 AM

That's what I did for my emergency generator. I built a plywood box lined with sheet rock with lots of room around the generator and some good sized cut outs for venilation. Inside the box, plugged into the generator, I ran a 20 inch box fan to blow the heat out. It quieted down a lot, but not even close to a Honda 2000 and 3000iu. Those quiet (57db, normal conversation loudness) Honda generators cannot be beat. Best thing if you want a quiet generator is to spend the money for it.

On a log splitter like Dean's application, I don't know how one would build a box.

**ShoerFast** · 03-29-2006, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by BlueRidgeMark

Hmmmm. What about building an enclosure for the engine? Even 3/4 plywood should make a big difference. Make sure it's got some way to ventilate, or you'll toast the engine.

Good idea Mark

I have a 6HP 3500W gen in the cab of my service truck, 2 layers of plywood, or sound board for the inside layer packed with insulation, I bet I would have to check if it's running with a mirror.

Using car mufflers or anything bigger then what would handle the exhaust flow for the rated HP would be counter productive,,,,, adding an extra muffler , it should be just a tad smaller then the primary, as the exhaust flow is now less as it has cooled considerably as it gave up it's pressure through the first muffler,,,,,,, just as an experiment, if you would like, take a small Brigs muffler and couple it to the outlet,,,,,,,,,,, plumbing it to a pipe the same size as the outlet, splittings the pipe and hose-clamping would work for a temporary test.

Granted, it will have nothing to do with the other engine noises next to the splitter,But at a distance, it's the exhaust burst that carries, it would also be a topic of conversation with your neighbors that you tried.

Kevin