Cleaning Muffle Baffles

[gearhead222]

Dear Fellow Members-Is it recommended to clean the muffler on the 48cc Grubbee 2 stroke at a certain mileage? Wouldn't ask, but I'm guessing that the lube oil has got to contaminate and start to build up inside the muffler eventually. Thanx for any feedback concerning disassembling the muffler, inspection and cleaning-Gearhead

 

[GearNut]

I have always cleaned out the mufflers on all of my 2-stroke motorcycles. I considered it routine maintenance. I never had an hour or mileage schedule though, I just did it when I felt it was prudent.
I disassembled them, soaked them in gasoline overnight, scraped and wire brushed them, then burned them clean with a propane torch. Expect alot of fire and black smoke to be involved. You can also soak them in kerosene or mineral spirits instead of gasoline. The soaking just helps dissolve the oily carbon gunk that builds up on them.

 

[gearhead222]

Thanx again Gearnut! How difficult to disassemble and how?-Gearhead

 

[bigtrucker2007]

I fix lawnmowers and other yard equipment on the side and in all the 2 strokes that i fix. Big and small. I burn the oil and carbon out. all u do is start a small fire and place the baffle and muffler in the fire for about 7-10 mins. carfully remove it from the fire with a stick or tongs and let it cool. once done shake the left over carbon off.

 

[GearNut]

I fix lawnmowers and other yard equipment on the side and in all the 2 strokes that i fix. Big and small. I burn the oil and carbon out. all u do is start a small fire and place the baffle and muffler in the fire for about 7-10 mins. carfully remove it from the fire with a stick or tongs and let it cool. once done shake the left over carbon off.

That's how I clean out expansion chambers.

gearhead222,
As for how to disassemble the muffler, some are held together by 3 tack welds where the end cap slips into the muffler body. You can grind out the welds, clean the muffler and re tack weld it or drill 3 small holes evenly spaced around the muffler/ end cap joint and use 3 small screws to hold it together. Just be very sure that you are drilling through both the muffler body and the end cap, not just the muffler body alone.
Other mufflers are held together with a single nut on the very bottom center of the end cap, next to the outlet pipe. Unscrew the nut.
Either way the muffler is assembled, you have to typically wrestle the end cap off of the muffler body. The baffles and baffle tube are all attached to the end cap and usually do not want to come out into the sunshine.

 

[gearhead222]

Thanx again guys! Sounds like a real chore. Should I wait until the back pressure becomes excessive? My muffler has only one screw at the end, but I am afraid of buggering up the muffler flange where it attaches to the jug. I guess that the best way to do this is to remove the muffler from the motor prior to disassembling, eh? Take care!-Gearhead

 

[GearNut]

Yes, remove the muffler from the engine unless you can determine that the end cap and baffle core will actually come out and go back in easily. Every once in a while a muffler is built where it will. If it is proving difficult,there is no reason to risk messing up the cylinder exhaust studs and/ or exhaust flange on the head pipe. You fiddle with it and make the call.

 

[gearhead222]

Thanx again Gearnut-Sound advice!