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Muffler Delete with FAE Questions


95echelon

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So I believe that @formulaben , @jhartt3 and @Nitrousbird have all deleted mufflers. I am going FAE but debating on muffler delete. I didn't think about the space issue but it would rock to have more working room. FAE says to only do it if my muffler is bad, but I would like more opinions from folks who have done the deed. Here are my questions:

  1. How did you delete the muffler: FAE Kit / DIY / Other?
  2. What was the reasoning behind it?
  3. What are your perceived benefits: Top End, Noise, Ease of Maintenance?
  4. What are your perceived drawbacks?
  5. Are there any risks you are aware of such as safety, watertightness, etc?
  6. What was the approximate cost?
  7. How much time did it take you to complete the modification? Either including or excluding FAE?
  8. If FAE, did you get the flappers option? if so, why?
  9. Bonus Question: Should I be worried because I am nearing 1400 hours?

 

My Setup (if it helps)

2005 21.5 VLX, Monsoon 340, Manual Wedge, and an Acme 2419 prop (15x12 no cup).

We cruise 30%, Wakeboard 30%, Surf 20% and Tube 20% (have a kid with some balance issues due to a post birth complication, it's hard for him to do anything but Tube and ZUP)

My all around performance and planing time is fantastic with the low end prop, but I am spinning in the 3000's at wakeboard speed and top out about 36-38. I don't want to lose a ton of top end, but I don't mind a 1-2 MPH drop. I am sick of shouting over people or having to blare the HLCD's for a surfer who is 15 feet back...

 

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2 hours ago, 95echelon said:
  1. How did you delete the muffler: FAE Kit / DIY / Other?
  2. What was the reasoning behind it?
  3. What are your perceived benefits: Top End, Noise, Ease of Maintenance?
  4. What are your perceived drawbacks?
  5. Are there any risks you are aware of such as safety, watertightness, etc?
  6. What was the approximate cost?
  7. How much time did it take you to complete the modification? Either including or excluding FAE?
  8. If FAE, did you get the flappers option? if so, why?
  9. Bonus Question: Should I be worried because I am nearing 1400 hours?
  1. DIY
  2. Reduce back pressure (more engine power) and gain more space.
  3. Quieter than with muffler in with FAE installed and for sure a lot easier to change impellers.
  4. None.
  5. I suppose one could argue that you're introducing more points of failure into the exhaust, but just don't use cheap clamps.
  6. Under $60
  7. FAE install took about 2 hours (because I'm slow) and muffler delete went pretty fast.
  8. I removed my flappers.
  9. If your oil changes have been done on schedule I see no reason why these engines wouldn't last 2000+ hours.
  • Like 2
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I hit 2400 with my last echelon.

Did you do a write up on your muffler delete? Sounds like it would be cheaper than anything FAE offers. I can figure my way around an engine, but it's easier with pictures and/or part numbers.

THANKS for sharing your experience.

EDIT: FAE Muffler delete is $250 and I forgot to quote you @formulaben

Edited by 95echelon
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4 hours ago, 95echelon said:

Here are my questions:

1 - FAE

2 - Power and space

3 - Power and space

4 - Cost, bit of time for the install and painting

5 - Nope.  Unless you are an idiot on the install.  Less likely to fail than the muffler.

6 - $200 all in with paint

7 - Paint was probably 20-30 minutes with all prep, not including dry times.  I used a whole can between both with lots of thin coats.  The actual swap was about an hour

8 - No.  Pointless

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

1 - FAE

2 - Power and space

3 - Power and space

4 - Cost, bit of time for the install and painting

5 - Nope.  Unless you are an idiot on the install.  Less likely to fail than the muffler.

6 - $200 all in with paint

7 - Paint was probably 20-30 minutes with all prep, not including dry times.  I used a whole can between both with lots of thin coats.  The actual swap was about an hour

8 - No.  Pointless

 

 

Did you buy the replacement tubing from FAE directly? Did you paint both the FAE and the replacement tubing? 

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Just now, 95echelon said:

Did you buy the replacement tubing from FAE directly? Did you paint both the FAE and the replacement tubing? 

Muffler delete direct from FAE. Painted that as it is ugly raw metal piece welded together.  Did not paint the FAE or the spray plate they sent me (for free) at the end of last year.

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1 minute ago, Nitrousbird said:

Muffler delete direct from FAE. Painted that as it is ugly raw metal piece welded together.  Did not paint the FAE or the spray plate they sent me (for free) at the end of last year.

Huh, I didn't even see a spray plate as an option. I am about to order all this, hopefully the improvement is noticeable.

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I have probably installed 10 FAE and have never removed the muffler. Honestly didn’t even think about it. I have put them on anything from an Lcr up to a supercharged caddy. Guess I couldn’t hurt

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How did you delete the muffler: FAE Kit / DIY / Other?

Shop did it when the replaced the engine just have 2 90's(ish) on each side with exhaust hose connecting

What was the reasoning behind it?

It was cheaper than a new muffler and its not necessary

What are your perceived benefits: Top End, Noise, Ease of Maintenance?

noise cheaper

What are your perceived drawbacks?

none

Are there any risks you are aware of such as safety, watertightness, etc?

none

What was the approximate cost?

$187

How much time did it take you to complete the modification? Either including or excluding FAE?

the shop took forever to swap this engine i wont use them again

If FAE, did you get the flappers option? if so, why?

 

Bonus Question: Should I be worried because I am nearing 1400 hours? no

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1.  DIY, Used @formulaben as a base and went from there.  Ordered 3.5" SS exhaust pipe from Amazon and 2 90 degree silicone turbo fittings from ebay.  Was able to cut down my straight exhaust hose to connect to the exhaust manifolds and old 90 degrees rubber hose in the boat.  

2.  Space. My muffler rubbed the raw water pump as it was and made changing that a pain.  Easier to grease the rudder too now.  

3.  More space.  Not sure it helped lower the sound over the FAE upgrade.  

4.  None.

5. None

6.  $60 for 4 feet of SS T304 3.5" pipe.  (Only needed 2 feet) and $25 for 2  3.5" turbo 90's

7.  Excluding FAE, 2 hours at a leisure pace.  Doing other maitenance that day.  Measuring and cutting SS took the longest.

8.  No flappers, not an option at the time I bought mine.  

9.  nope

 

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formulaben
3 minutes ago, jaciche said:

If I built my own exhaust with a FAE added on, would it be any quieter than the stock silent rider "muffler" with a FAE?

My experience was that adding FAE  made it quiet.  The next season I removed the muffler and it was slightly quieter.  If you have FAE I see no reason to keep the muffler.

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28 minutes ago, formulaben said:

My experience was that adding FAE  made it quiet.  The next season I removed the muffler and it was slightly quieter.  If you have FAE I see no reason to keep the muffler.

Thank you, this just gives me some more ammo to do this to our boat. It really would be nice for impeller changes.

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formulaben
5 minutes ago, jaciche said:

Thank you, this just gives me some more ammo to do this to our boat. It really would be nice for impeller changes. 

This.  Even if it were slightly louder with the muffler off, I would still do it.

  • Like 2
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#8.  Flappers, found a reason to get the kit with them.  

Popped an exhaust hose off over the weekend while we were wakeboarding.  A lot of water can come in before you can get the hose clamps loosened and hoses reinstalled when you have to wait for a ballast bag to drain so that you can get down into that compartment to access the problem.  Had my brother jump in and stuff a rag up the FAE to slow the water down that was coming in.  

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Has anyone done the DIY muffler delete on a 340 Monsoon in an LSV?  I'd like to see pics and learn of your experience.  Planning to do this soon.

  • Like 1
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3 hours ago, kylesullens said:

Has anyone done the DIY muffler delete on a 340 Monsoon in an LSV?  I'd like to see pics and learn of your experience.  Planning to do this soon.

I'll get some pictures this weekend.  

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Just finished the muffler delete on my 2015 VTX.  Ran it for a week, but put the muffler back on due to complaints from the wife and riders who like to jam to tunes while ridding.  I deleted it because I wanted more access to the impeller, and because I miss the sound of my straight piped response.  I first removed the flapper black plastic tips and added SS STE tips ( these have no flappers).  I retained the J shaped hoses that attach to the tips.  Bridged the gap where the muffler was with some scrap 3.5 aluminized exhaust pipe I bought from a local muffler shop for 10 bucks. Bought some 45 degree elbows online for 45 dollars ( I think they are sold for turbo intake hoses rated for 450- 525 degrees), and reused all the existing hose clamps.  Install took about 2 hrs.

I worried about water rushing in, but my dealership approved of the SS STE upgrade, and didn’t think it would be a problem.

I really don’t think that the boat was louder deleted, it just changed the characteristics of the sound, and in my opinion, for the better.

Oh yeah, hrs. Shouldn’t have a bearing on it that I can see.

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11 hours ago, brazosvet said:

Just finished the muffler delete on my 2015 VTX.  Ran it for a week, but put the muffler back on due to complaints from the wife and riders who like to jam to tunes while ridding.  I deleted it because I wanted more access to the impeller, and because I miss the sound of my straight piped response.  I first removed the flapper black plastic tips and added SS STE tips ( these have no flappers).  I retained the J shaped hoses that attach to the tips.  Bridged the gap where the muffler was with some scrap 3.5 aluminized exhaust pipe I bought from a local muffler shop for 10 bucks. Bought some 45 degree elbows online for 45 dollars ( I think they are sold for turbo intake hoses rated for 450- 525 degrees), and reused all the existing hose clamps.  Install took about 2 hrs.

I worried about water rushing in, but my dealership approved of the SS STE upgrade, and didn’t think it would be a problem.

I really don’t think that the boat was louder deleted, it just changed the characteristics of the sound, and in my opinion, for the better.

Oh yeah, hrs. Shouldn’t have a bearing on it that I can see.

Did you do the muffler delete without a surf pipe?

 

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I can give both senario's. I did the FAE last spring and ran the boat with the muffler for 1 full season made a huge difference in boat noise especially since I have 2 little kids. After an overheat issue due to a raw water hose clamp durring the season the muffler paint started to peal so I went ahead and did the delete as well as hoses. If you get the delete from FAE the process is seemless took probably 1hr to install in my 14 VTX. After I would say the noise is about the same maybe a little bit reduced. The room in the engine bay is great though, makes it easy for maintence and other work. If your muffler is good i would leave it as well. Here is a picture mid way through the install. 

20190702_103246.jpg

  • Like 2
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10 hours ago, MadMan said:

Did you do the muffler delete without a surf pipe?

 

Yes. Installed the SS STE tips.

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5 hours ago, martinarcher said:

Here's my exhaust project with some flyby vids to give an idea of the sound.

 

 

That’s why I did the muffler delete. That is the sound I wanted back in my VTX. That SS sounds great!

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  • 3 years later...
Cholder2003

I’m sure the topic has been beat to death but I just got a 2003 21 vlx. And I want more sound can I delete the exhaust and run exhaust pipe straight threw the hull to my stock flappers and get more sound and not hurt the motor??

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