Cleaning out an old muffler? It is crimped together.

[ANewSawyer]

I have an old muffler off of a cheap Homelite timmer that needs cleaned out. It is full of oily build up. I can't even see light through either the input or output. The muffler is square and of a crimped clamshell construction with the spark arrestor screen in the middle of the two halves. The spark screen can't be removed without disassembly. Input from the cylinder is about half way between the top and bottom of the muffler. The muffler output is at the bottom and is entirely in the far half of the muffler. By "far half of the muffler" I mean the half not containing the input. And output is in the form of a tube running from front to back of the muffler. Following me? Good. I wish I had pictures but it will be a couple of days before I could pull the muffler.

What do you guys think? If my description was not clear enough, tell me. I will try to answer any questions you folks come up with.

 

[old-cat]

Crimped mufflers can be opened up and re closed but it's a real pain!

 

[ANewSawyer]

Crimped mufflers can be opened up and re closed but it's a real pain!

I suspected that but I can't find any thing on how to do it.

 

[old-cat]

I suspected that but I can't find any thing on how to do it.

Give some detailed pics, maybe we could help. I ground a 16 p nail like a mini pry bar to do the one and only I ever did.

 

[Rockjock]

Is it like this?

 

[Milkman31]

The best way I have found is put the muffler in a vice. Take a hand held propane torch, flat screw driver. Hold the torch in one place till almost glowing red and walk the screwdriver around the crimp edge.

 

[scallywag]

Remove the muffler and soak it in carb cleaner or combustion chamber cleaner for a few days.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Is it like this?

I am not going to say that is the EXACT muffler but it sure looks a lot like mine. So yes, like that one.

 

[angelo c]

Lots of guys say good things about the STIHL de-carbonizer

 

[dgb84]

I had an old nasty muffler like that one time and I threw it in the fire for a bit. Repainted it and it was good to go. I'm not necessarily suggesting this for you ........ but it worked ok for me.

 

[ANewSawyer]

The outside looks pretty good but the inside is the problem. Much better than the one Rockjock posted. I just need to clean out the insides.

 

[sunfish]

Never heard of un-crimping a muffler just to clean it?

I like the 'throw it in a fire' idea...

 

[dgb84]

The fire does a good job of cooking off the goo on the inside. You can blow it out with an air compressor to get the ash out if there is any. I only mentioned painting it because it'll burn all the paint off and rust pretty bad if you don't.

 

[jughead500]

The fire does a good job of cooking off the goo on the inside. You can blow it out with an air compressor to get the ash out if there is any. I only mentioned painting it because it'll burn all the paint off and rust pretty bad if you don't.

You beat me to it dgb.learned that method from the cycle board I was on in the dawn of the internet.works very well on expansion chambers.

 

[Rockjock]

I have used a propane torch to clean up a 024 muffler then cleaned off the flaked carbon and painted no worse for ware. Just do it in a well ventilated area.

 

[dgb84]

You beat me to it dgb.learned that method from the cycle board I was on in the dawn of the internet.works very well on expansion chambers.

Well it's about time I was finally able to contribute something useful to this forum. Lord knows I've learned enough from yall.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Not quite the answer I was expecting but I can go with it. I have some brush to burn in my burn barrel anyway. Should I just drop the muffler in the bottom and build the fire on top of it? I think will add a long piece of wire through the bolt holes so I can find the muffler after the fire goes out.

And that was barbacue paint? Thank guys!!!

 

[dgb84]

I used some high temp paint I had for a smoker I worked on. I think it was just super high temp rattle can paint. You don't have to build a giant fire to take care of the problem and I wouldn't think it would need to burn longer than 30 minutes or so. If you burn it on a giant fire for hours you could probably damage it.

Jug head can prolly give you more info as I've only done it once.

 

[Rockjock]

I used some high temp paint I had for a smoker I worked on. I think it was just super high temp rattle can paint. You don't have to build a giant fire to take care of the problem and I wouldn't think it would need to burn longer than 30 minutes or so. If you burn it on a giant fire for hours you could probably damage it.

Jug head can prolly give you more info as I've only done it once.

I agree you do not have to have it cooking for hours I used a normal propane torch and got it a nice cherry red once the smoke stopped bellowing out I knew it was done. Then let it cool brushed and cleaned out high temp black paint, and it was ready to mount.

 

[67L36Driver]

This thread gives me an idea how to separate the muffler halves on an Echo CS330T. They are brazed together.

Use my Bernz O Matic to un braze it