New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

I’m running a 1990 Baja 250ES that I redid last winter with my dad. Built a 540 up in our pole barn (live between Holland and Grand Haven) from scratch. I can go into details later if anyone’s curious. Also added full hydraulic steering from XS as well as K-planes. We built offshore mounts to improve upon the former setup (2 lags in each stringer). I chose lightning headers with tailpipes – dry to the tips.

Also added a new XZ outdrive with a billet marine top cap. I’m planning to have the drive blueprinted before the season, thanks in advance Dick! I’m currently working out a water leak issue I had last year with my transom assembly – no transom damage thank goodness!

That out of the way, I have a few questions:

W. Michigan noise issues:
Have any of you had issues with the Grand Haven/Holland area for noise using dry headers? I’m periodically using inserted glass packs to quiet things a bit, just seems like I’m a bit loud even yet. Any issues with police/DNR?

Stellings/CMI question:
I have an internal water exit through holes in the last inch of the tailpipes. This allows me to use shotguns/external rubber flappers. For those of you using dry stellings or cmi’s – where does the water typically dump? Pictures would help immensely. With my setup, the water comes out with a lot of force with the help of the exhaust. When I use a secondary rubber flapper on the outside, water or water vapor appears to be reverting just due to the flapper being slightly in the way. Just a little bit a condensate in the header, but I want to eliminate all issues.

I just want to say thanks to everyone for the kind of quality question/answer information there is on OSO! I don’t know many of you, but I’m a regular in Grand Haven – would love to meet fellow OSO’ers. I’m not very forum savvy, seems like last year I was just learning from what’s already online, never posted anything. I wanted to get my name out there in case I see anyone in the West Michigan Area this spring/summer, sick of being a stranger!

Thanks!
Tibbstoy2/Jeff

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

You need to be talking with Waterfoul. He's in that area and was/is running the same boat as you. PM me and I'll see if I can get you his number.

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

I am from Grand Haven...they were starting to really crack down there when I moved about a year ago.

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

Alot of my friends have been given tickets and warnings for loud exhaust. Mine is louder but I have the Drew Marine shotguns. My exhaust is dry to the end of the my pipes and dumps water at my shotguns. I usually idle with one engine through the channel w/ shotguns shut, if they open I have been stopped and showed the sherrif that my shotgun had opened. I put it back down and he had no problem. I think It was more that I showed the effort to silence my exhaust. But in 3 years and only stopped once I don't think that is to bad.

One of my shotguns fell off.

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

I have stainless marine dry with no flaps on the end of the pipes and have never had an issue from New Bufallo to South Haven. I was told by a sheriff that if you are not reving or throwing a wake in the harbors, you wont be bothered. If the boat doesnt sell by mid June, I will be in Grand Haven to watch SMOKE. Maybe they are different up there.

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

Rebel4845, that is also what I have Stainless Dry

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

Thanks for the input.

Rookie - When I installed shotguns, the water would hit the outer valve, most would go through the holes, but some water or water vapor anyway would get sucked back up the pipe. What size engines are you using, and what type of cams?

I'm running a custom grind Comp Cams hydraulic roller cam - lobe separation of 112* with .633 intake/.648 exhaust lift. Not too radical, but will have some overlap. That's why I went with an exhaust system that is dry to the tip.

One of the reasons I'm inquiring on this thread is that I'm thinking about plugging the water holes inside the tips and adding a bung on the top of the tip, forcing the water to leave without touching the vortex in the exhaust stream. Problem is, by doing that, I will not be able to run shotguns, or external flappers (I do have an internal at least). That would put me at completely dry exhaust - with no way to get quieter than the glass packs I currently use. The last thing I want to do is mess with reversion though!!!! :eek:

Here's a picture of what's going in inside...

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

I only have some 468's, cam is just a little more than the stock 425-525sc cam. I also have 2 more feet of exhaust pipe cause of trannies. I also think I had a little problem when I had the springs to tight in my shotguns.

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

One fear I have of having shotguns is popping one off - almost out to have them on teathers :D . The tight spring wouldn't help that situation due to high pressure.

When I ran shotguns - only in the driveway - I shut the motor down, had a look up the tailpipe with a flashlight - condensation through the collector on the header. Glad I never let the engine get warm. My only option seems to be to run dry, with only an internal flapper, before the water mixes in at the tip. If anything else gets in the way - even the flapper, reversion seems to happen.

Anyone running big cams with shotguns and similar exhaust?

Thanks!

Re: New guy – West Michigan noise/Lightning Dry Headers vs. Stellings or CMI
 

I have a similar set-up. My tailpipes had 8 holes at the tip for the water to exit. I had all but 2 welded up and have the water going to a thru transom dump. Enough water goes out the tailpipe to cool the mufflers but no reversion problems. I'm running 540's, AFR335 heads, 236,240 duration @ .050, .630 lift. Stainless Marine made the tailpipes.