Smoke from Muffler

[Mockmaw]

Hi all, '72 - 1.7 that's been running pretty good for the last few months.. until a chunk of my bursch muffler blew out in downtown SF. Well, I was planning on just running with the busted bursch until I decided which muffler I wanted to go with.. unfortunately, the incredibly loud noise got to me so I broke down and picked up a 1.8 muffler for real cheap to quiet things down for awhile. Had a ***** of a time getting it on, had to hacksaw off 3 stainless bolts, then broke two studs off the 'new' muffler. Ugh.. if I decide to keep it, next time I'm in San Diego I'll drill the studs out, use new stainless nuts, bolts, and washers, and paint it using that POR-15 stuff.

My problem, though, is that the muffler smokes now. Here's the sequence of events as I can best remember it.

1. The old bursch system, broken and not, did not smoke. The car does not have an oil leak, no oil dripping onto the heat exchangers, etc.

2. Put the 'new' muffler on. Ran it around the block once and I start smelling (and seeing smoke.) Whitishc.. bluish.. not really sure. At idle, it was smoking a little.. definitely coming out of the pipe, nowhere else on the engine. Waited a few minutes at idle, the smoked stopped. Got back in the car.

3. Drove around the block a few times taking it very easy >2500 rpm. Little to no smoke.

4. Drove it very hard 5000+ for 2 stretches of road.. it was smoking.

5. Drove around for another 20 minutes testing the theory.. pretty much correct.. car likes to smoke after hitting high rpms.

Sounds like an engine problem, but I'm disturbed since the car did not smoke at all before I did the muffler swap.. I mean I didn't even touch anything within 3 feet of the engine!

Could increased backpressure be a problem? Could there be some old crud in the new muffler that just needs burning out (although, why it only burns out at high rpm is beyond me.

Thanks for your help. -Tyler

Oh yeah, I remember seeing references to header-setups for the 4-cyl's.. yet I can't find any now. Does anyone have any links/references to headers for this car?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Could be paint on the muffler burning off... Though that probably wouldn't last for a whole long time.

Header setups--
http://www.tangerineracing.com
http://www.triadwestperformance.com
http://www.kerryhunterenterprise.com

The EuroRace header that Br@d sells is supposed to be similar to the Triad one above in both cost and performance. The listing above is in decreasing order of both price and reputed performance.

--DD

[Mockmaw]

There isn't any paint on the muffler, it's a used one (in the 'surface rust' color.) On top of that, the smoke is clearly coming from the tailpipe, not the outside of the muffler.

[chrisreale]

Not to doubt you, but have you checked the inside of the muffler? Maybe the PO got something inside it.

[Mockmaw]

I have not, but then again, I'm leary about simply cracking it open. The part was purchased from a local parts shop (not just a normal owner.) Don't know if that leaves it more or less likely to have something in it.