Kohler 12 hp Series (Quiet)

[tomtractor 71]

What is the best way to make a kohler k series 12hp engine quieter?  Certain muffler etc...

[rmaynard 14,926]

I like the sound of my K-series engines when they are equipped with the stock muffler that Wheel Horse put on them. The Nelson muffler is very expensive though when you can find one.

[WH nut 553]

Keep it in the shed

 

 

You can try different mufflers, but let the old girl breath and do her job. let her snort.

[boovuc 1,090]

Thinking back reading the older posts over the years, the best solution was an NOS muffler. Nelsons were still available about 5 to 7 years ago. Not anymore unless they have been hoarded by a few wise men here.

 

Next would be taking the muffler off and giving it a shake and visual inspection. If it is shot, try to find a used one in better shape than yours.

 

Others have made their own mufflers based on the original designs or have modified a new outlet/bracket system. I guy had a muffler he made out of stainless for his 867 and it was pretty quiet compared to mine.

 

The salt shakers and baloney mufflers you can buy just about anywhere don't cut the noise much more than a bad stock muffler. 

 

The TSC stack mufflers, (aka farm tractor stack), in my opinion are louder than some of the salt shaker mufflers and what makes them worse is the output is now closer to your face.

[tomtractor 71]

Thanks.  What is a salt shaker muffler?  So is the salt shaker muffler as loud (or louder) than the stock muffler?  What about stack mufflers (are they quieter)?  What about the gravely muffler?  Has anyone ran a pipe from the manifold to the back of the tractor with a muffler?  Would that work our would there be to much back pressure?  Perpetually confused - Tom

[AMC RULES 36,954]

 ...or try a pepper pot.

[boovuc 1,090]

A salt shaker or pepper pot muffler is what you see on a lot of small engines.

 

They really don't quiet down a bigger tractor engine much.

 

I don't know much about the Gravely muffler. I do know a few people who have run exhaust pipes towards the back with a muffler installed. I can't say I've seen them on a Wheelhorse.

Back pressure is a concern but how much is too much I can't answer. I see straight pipes on a lot of Kohlers where there is very little back pressure.

Edited February 11, 2014 by boovuc

[Kelly 1,028]

The muffler pictured above are noisy but the cheap ones are just plain loud, you get what you pay for, and just because a engine is loud does not mean it is breathing properly, you can have a quite exh. and it work better than a loud one, and yes the factory Nelson mufflers are the best for noise but are getting hard to find in good shape, and when you do expect to pay for it, $100 is not uncommon to pay for one.