I have a Bobcat MT55. this is a unit with the older SN, thus no muffler support on the other end. the muffler is very bulky and heavy for a small 23 HP kubota diesel. the entire weight of the muffler is on the 4 little bolts on the exhaust manifold. with all the vibration and uneven support, the weld on the muffler finally broke. The muffler it self is in great shape. I'm having a friend weld it up for me. I'm running it without the muffler and it's very loud. Being a diesel truck guy I assume that it will not do any harm on the engine, if not better. However, did not find any writing about muffler delete for small diesel engine. Any ideas? Thx. Eriwn
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SkidRoe
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Just thinking out loud -
I would not think that you are going to damage the engine, so long as you have the exhaust manifold still fitted. Depending on where the exhaust is now exiting the manifold, you may want to add a pipe to route it to a place where it will not melt things or present a fire hazard.
One of the other reasons that the muffler is likely so heavy is that it may contain a spark arrester. Obviously, eliminating the muffler means that this function is gone too, if this is important to you.
FWIW
I would not think that you are going to damage the engine, so long as you have the exhaust manifold still fitted. Depending on where the exhaust is now exiting the manifold, you may want to add a pipe to route it to a place where it will not melt things or present a fire hazard.
One of the other reasons that the muffler is likely so heavy is that it may contain a spark arrester. Obviously, eliminating the muffler means that this function is gone too, if this is important to you.
FWIW
Thx, that comforting to know for sure. As far as the hot exhaust melting things, I only operating the machine with the engine bay lid open. If I decided to go permenently without a muffler, I would route it with a steel pipe. Spark arrester does not concern me for our operation. Eriwn
Not a concern at all. I left the hood gulley open when I have to run it briefly before I have the muffler welded. I installed the repaired muffler shortly after. I runs we'll only for a few days before I broke again. If u ever owned a MT55 u know that there was a design flaw on the earlier sn machain. The entire muffler ( quite large and heavy). The only airport is the exhaust tube on one side. It does not take many operating hour to break a brand new muffler ( and it cost way over 300 dollars!). I did install the additional airport bracket which comes with later model years. It looks like that it's still not very good. I'm going to have it welded one more time. If it break again, I'll make a delete tube for it, althought not very easy.
Can you add a support to take the load to help prevent it breaking again? The later model machines use flexible tubing to handle the vibrations, could you mount the muffler to the frame and use the flexible tubing to join the muffler to the exhaust manifold?
I don't think there is any reason why you can't run it without a muffler, but after housr of poeration, your ears will know it, evem with ear protection, you will probably be feeling it a little.
