besides being embarrassing, Is there any problems from continue driving?
Pretty sure a lot of my ticking and rattling is exhaust related. while lifting rear, I tapped the right muffler and it sounded like a cymbal!
any one have a method to correct less cutting a window in muffler.
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No way to fix loose baffles inside without taking the pipe off. Might be able to blow compressed air through it to see if the stuff is loose and would blow out. If not, gotta cut the can open. OR, find a used pipe from someone and install it.
I was "thinking" . . . the rattle would be broken welds for the across plates. right / wrong / maybe ?
Is the normal rattle the preforated tube, coming loose?
I don't know if this found pic is a Wilkinson (what I have).
thus also thinking a repair might be drill into side and spot weld plate to housing ?
https://pantera.infopop.cc/top...80#22864114501334880
Check the Pipes First...
One horsepower-increaser fix that was common in the late '70s- early '80s was to remove the 'final baffle' in some ANSAs. This was a steel washer tack-welded across the perforated output pipe inside the case, which cut 2-3 dB from the exhaust noise... and about 25 bhp from the engine! Its one of two differences between a GTS ANSA and a 'normal' one. Note- not all ANSAs were built the same- there were at least 5 different variations on Panteras over the years. Some were baffled, some weren't. Easy enough to check with a long screwdriver.
If you remove the muffler, cut out the circular shim inside the inlet plus remove the washer-baffles, now you've got a faux-GTS/GR-3 muffler with a much less restricted 2.25" OD inlet instead of 2". For several hundred $$$ less than factory parts (real GTS mufflers had 2.50" OD inlet pipes w/bracing gussets around the inlets and no washer-baffles). To remove the baffles, one rams a piece of pipe up the chrome tip and smacks it with a hammer to break the washer-tacks. Some called this the 'broomstick power-fix'.
What none of us thought about was, now you've also got chunks of steel rattling around inside the mufflers unless they got stuck somewhere. I cut a small hole in one side, bent it up enough to get a magnet inside and fished the washers out from both mufflers. Then bent the cut back down and rewelded them. Bingo- rattles gone and wife Judy was happy!
I believe the Wilkinson reproductions are already freer flowing than the originals, Steve often has great ideas followed up by poor Chinese execution unfortunately...
Wilkinson’s mufflers (and Dennis Quella’s) use a straight though “Y” pipe made of perforated tubing for noise reduction. If you drop a ball bearing into the inlet, it will roll out the tip. They may be a bit louder than a baffled muffler but they have none of the dreaded “drone”. BTW, I believe Dennis’ mufflers are made in the USA.
I can't speak for Steve's, but I have a set of Dennis' mufflers. They are beautifully made of polished stainless, sound great, and are not obnoxiously loud.
