Carbon Fiber Muffler for SR3?
Discussion
I bought a very lovely Akrapovic carbon can for the Speads when we were first building it, but Jedi (who did the engine install and have probably been using bike engines in cars for longer than anyone) advised me that carbon cans need lots of cooling (like, they get being on the outside of the bike!).
Just my $0.02.
Just my $0.02.
I was not aware that there were heat issues with CF mufflers, thank's for the info.
I wonder how much of an issue it is in the Radical as it has relative good airflow when compared to other race cars.
By the way I found a very interesting muffler made by Yoshimura. The TRS comes in SS, Titanium or Carbon Fiber ($375 seems very well priced).
It also has a noise reducing insert available for noise sensitive tracks.
It is spring mounted and has a 2 1/4" inlet. I am pretty sure that is the same as in the SR3. I have to take my muffler off and measure. Does anybody know without me having to take my muffler off?
I wonder how much of an issue it is in the Radical as it has relative good airflow when compared to other race cars.
By the way I found a very interesting muffler made by Yoshimura. The TRS comes in SS, Titanium or Carbon Fiber ($375 seems very well priced).
It also has a noise reducing insert available for noise sensitive tracks.
It is spring mounted and has a 2 1/4" inlet. I am pretty sure that is the same as in the SR3. I have to take my muffler off and measure. Does anybody know without me having to take my muffler off?
Regarding CF muffler heat issues - after some internet browsing it turns out that CF mufflers do not like to be low on fiber packing material.It is recommended to pack CF mufflers every 3000 to 5000 km with a special hi temperature sound absorbing fiber. Care must be taken to ensure that carbon fiber mufflers are kept well packed to avoid heat damage.
Seems a manageable problem in exchange for a minimum of 3.5 kg in weight saving.
Seems a manageable problem in exchange for a minimum of 3.5 kg in weight saving.
BioBa said:
Count Johnny said:
If I had and SR3 (and hadn't just spent a grand on a custom made job for the Speads) I'd be spending the dollar on titanium.
The Yoshimure muffler in Titanium is actually cheaper than CF and quite a bit heavier.
To return to the original question, I'd say definitely forget it; it gets extremely warm inside the confines of the engine bay of a Radical (vastly so compared to any bike application) and I doubt a CF muffler - due to a combination of temps and fettling in its vicinity - would last/survive very long at all. I.e. what looks 'good and racer' on a bike (and let's be honest, that's mainly why they feature as 'aftermarkets' and get fitted) is pretty irrelevant in a Radical application.
Compared to a normally aspirated Radical on say 'Gas Mark 3', Simon's mighty turbo motor engine bay will be more like 'Gas Mark 9' within say a 450 - 600mm radius of the turbo; in that environment, I doubt that anything other than 'Inco' (a difficult and demanding, therefore quite specialist, material to work with) would do/be up to the job?
Compared to a normally aspirated Radical on say 'Gas Mark 3', Simon's mighty turbo motor engine bay will be more like 'Gas Mark 9' within say a 450 - 600mm radius of the turbo; in that environment, I doubt that anything other than 'Inco' (a difficult and demanding, therefore quite specialist, material to work with) would do/be up to the job?
splitpin said:
To return to the original question, I'd say definitely forget it; it gets extremely warm inside the confines of the engine bay of a Radical (vastly so compared to any bike application) and I doubt a CF muffler - due to a combination of temps and fettling in its vicinity - would last/survive very long at all. I.e. what looks 'good and racer' on a bike (and let's be honest, that's mainly why they feature as 'aftermarkets' and get fitted) is pretty irrelevant in a Radical application.
Compared to a normally aspirated Radical on say 'Gas Mark 3', Simon's mighty turbo motor engine bay will be more like 'Gas Mark 9' within say a 450 - 600mm radius of the turbo; in that environment, I doubt that anything other than 'Inco' (a difficult and demanding, therefore quite specialist, material to work with) would do/be up to the job?
1200c at manifold Compared to a normally aspirated Radical on say 'Gas Mark 3', Simon's mighty turbo motor engine bay will be more like 'Gas Mark 9' within say a 450 - 600mm radius of the turbo; in that environment, I doubt that anything other than 'Inco' (a difficult and demanding, therefore quite specialist, material to work with) would do/be up to the job?
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