8HP Briggs I/C extreamly loud

19 years ago

I have a 15+ year old Little Wonder blower that has a 8HP Briggs I/C engine. From a cold start the engine always starts on the second pull and develops plenty of power.

The only problem I have with the machine is that the exhaust from the engine is unbearably loud. I wear ear protection but the noise is so loud that if you were across the street you would need to cover your ears.

Were these engines normally loud or do I simply need to replace the muffler? How long do mufflers last on these engines? The muffler threads are rusted and I imagine getting it off of the engine would be a difficult. The exterior of the muffler looks okay but I have no way to tell what is going on in the inside. If you have any tips on how to replace it that would be appreciated.

Besides the muffler could there be anything else wrong with the engine that would cause it to be loud? It doesn't smoke or burn any oil and otherwise runs great.

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Comments (6)

canguy
19 years ago
The muffler is probably rusted out inside. Try a Lo-Tone from Briggs, it should help. The after market 'mufflers' will not be much of an improvement. With the wind noise, those machines are inherently noisy.
weed_cutter
19 years ago
Penetrating oil on the muffler threads that is allowed to sit a day or two helps wonders. A lot of people swear by P B Blaster but I haven't changed over from the old standby, Liquid Wrench. WD-40 won't help much.
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doopstr
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks, I'll get a Lo-Tone replacement, some penetrating oil, and a whole lot of elbow grease.
canguy
19 years ago
Broken muffler bolts in an aluminum block are not hard to remove as long as there is a stub sticking out. Tap the side of the stub in four places with a flat punch and hammer then wind it out with vise grips.
stripped_threads
19 years ago
With my luck nothing ever breaks with the stub sticking out.
doopstr
Original Author
19 years ago
Back to post a followup.

I got a replacement muffler for $10 from JacksSmallEngines. Replacement of the muffler was a snap. It was just a matter of loosening a nut and the old muffler came twisted out easily.

What a world of difference the new muffler makes. It is still loud but not run for the hills loud. I was actually able to stand next to it without ear protection and not feel like my eardrums were going to explode. It will still need the ear protection to operate but at least the neighbors won't need to duck for cover anymore.

Hopefully the Little Wonder continues to run great.