Another Exhaust / Noise Thread

[jconover]

I read about 3 dozen threads on exhaust noise, including posts from at least two other owners of PS190's with 454's in them. Like others, the engine noise in the drivers seat is quite tolerable... and of course sounds really cool. But if you are behind the boat, or especially in the rear seat, it's pretty darned loud. now, I take a whole cadre of 5-8 year olds on skiing/tubing runs quite regularly, and while I love the rumble, several of them are in tears over the noisy boat. This won't cut it. Also, I worry about exposing their young developing ears to high dB noise levels.

My boat has the stock mufflers in it -- beige-ish yellow tubes with what appears to be a fiberglass coating. When the engine is running, I can hear a distinct rattling noise (sounds like someone throwing a pair of dice in a ceramic bowl) from time to time. I'm guessing that might be a baffle or two come lose in the muffler, but i'm not really sure.

I know there is only so much you can do to quiet down a noisy 454. Anyone here had any great success stories? Can you recommend a muffler that will fit in this boat and quiet it down significantly?

Thanks in advance - i don't want to throw money at this problem if it isn't going to have a significant impact, but I am willing to tackle this if it yields a good reduction in noise.

[DooSPX]

The rattling could be a broken piece inside the muffler.
But IMO the only thing that is going to quite it down enough for young ones is a FAE. (Fresh Air Exhaust).

[vision]

Originally Posted by DooSPX

The rattling could be a broken piece inside the muffler.
But IMO the only thing that is going to quite it down enough for young ones is a FAE. (Fresh Air Exhaust).

Second. It will be amazingly quieter.

[jconover]

I think i'd buy a quieter boat before I went with an FAE - i've looked at their site before, I just can't dig that below water discharge. It's fugly :-) Thanks for that suggestion though.

[DooSPX]

I agree, they are ugly. but my 351W with better flowing mufflers than the stock is still much quieter than that 454. (I wish I had a 454)LOL
if I had a 454 and NEEDED to make it that quiet, I would suck it up and get a FAE.

[vision]

Originally Posted by jconover

I think i'd buy a quieter boat before I went with an FAE - i've looked at their site before, I just can't dig that below water discharge. It's fugly :-) Thanks for that suggestion though.

Fortunately, no one ever sees the FAE on my boat unless they drive by my dock and lift up the waterline cover when the boat is on the lift.

My little MCX was darn loud with MCs new muffler system. I can imagine that the 454 is throwing out some decibels when you are behind the boat. Nice motor though.

[DooSPX]

I just thought of this... what about turndowns?
BU has SS turndowns, but I have seen aftermarket SS turndowns, and regular turndowns.
that might help a bit.

[Archimedes]

I dunno but if you discover something, please go on every boating website and pass it along. The loud exhaust issue is out of control on our lakes right now. On Shasta this past week there were dozens of boats with obscenely loud exhausts that could be heard for miles I'd bet. I think it's only a matter of time before the government steps in just like they are with motorcycles. Soon we'll have a South Park episode about boat owners similar to the Harley episode "braprapraprapraprap..."

[DooSPX]

I agree with that Archimedes. While I like a little rumble of a V8, there are some jet boats and larger V8 IO's on the River in WV that when they are coming you have to STOP talking on shore and wait for them to go by.
Mind you this is coming from a Drag racer too who likes cammed cars, but that is at a RACE track, not a public water way where there are houses along the shore.

[Thrall]

Tell the kids to suck it up. haha I would have been thrilled to have a ride like that as a kid even if the exhaust sounded like nails on a chalk board!
(Of course my dad had a '74 Chevy K20 with 3" side pipes. SOunded like a poor mans stock car and I loved it!) Maybe I'm weird, just cut the muffler out of my diesel too!

Seriously, I'd try some turndown tips first, that should help with the noise from the rope.