Thinking ahead to this winter, it appears that I have two ready options for the waterlift muffler. Fiber-plastic unit by Vetus, or stainless steel by Moyer.
Does anyone know if either of these has better muffling performance than the other?
Waterlift muffler
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Tim
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In addition, there are fiberglass versions, in both cylindrical and rectangular shapes. Fiberglass and stainless versions cost quite a bit more than the plastic Vetus models.
The space you have available to fit will play a large part in your decision in the end. The cylindrical types are typically rather bulky, and can be hard to fit in the appropriate location.
The Moyer stainless unit isn't as large as some, at 6"x8".
The advantage of the Vetus plastic version is that it fits nearly anywhere, and the inlet swivels to accept various hose directions. This can be very handy with the stiff exhaust hose.
The Vetus works well. The main potential disadvantage is that the plastic will not hold up well if the exhaust is ever run without water for any reason. The heat from the exhaust will quickly damage the plastic. As long as your engine cooling system works properly, this isn't an issue. But it's one consideration in the puzzle. I suspect you'd be able to shut down before creating a melting problem, assuming you have gauges and the proper eyes and ears to notice problems (no problem there in your case), so from a practical standpoint this probably doesn't matter that much. If your engine is prone to overheating regularly, though, the Vetus might be the wrong choice.
All waterlift mufflers work the same, and offer similar performance. The internal baffling and water retention of each type may vary, but in the end the sound deadening is similar. There are probably dB ratings or some nerdery stuff available for the various types if you were interested, but in practical terms I doubt you'd notice a difference regardless of which choice you made.
The difference in the sound of your exhaust when you shift to this wet system will be dramatic. All you'll hear is the water splashing out of the outlet, with no more actual exhaust sound.
On a calm, still, day, I've heard a jacketed exhaust system travel several miles across the water. It's a very distinctive sound.
The space you have available to fit will play a large part in your decision in the end. The cylindrical types are typically rather bulky, and can be hard to fit in the appropriate location.
The Moyer stainless unit isn't as large as some, at 6"x8".
The advantage of the Vetus plastic version is that it fits nearly anywhere, and the inlet swivels to accept various hose directions. This can be very handy with the stiff exhaust hose.
The Vetus works well. The main potential disadvantage is that the plastic will not hold up well if the exhaust is ever run without water for any reason. The heat from the exhaust will quickly damage the plastic. As long as your engine cooling system works properly, this isn't an issue. But it's one consideration in the puzzle. I suspect you'd be able to shut down before creating a melting problem, assuming you have gauges and the proper eyes and ears to notice problems (no problem there in your case), so from a practical standpoint this probably doesn't matter that much. If your engine is prone to overheating regularly, though, the Vetus might be the wrong choice.
All waterlift mufflers work the same, and offer similar performance. The internal baffling and water retention of each type may vary, but in the end the sound deadening is similar. There are probably dB ratings or some nerdery stuff available for the various types if you were interested, but in practical terms I doubt you'd notice a difference regardless of which choice you made.
The difference in the sound of your exhaust when you shift to this wet system will be dramatic. All you'll hear is the water splashing out of the outlet, with no more actual exhaust sound.
On a calm, still, day, I've heard a jacketed exhaust system travel several miles across the water. It's a very distinctive sound.
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