Vince gets in front of the camera again to share some knowledge on the Burns Stainless lightweight racing mufflers and the variety of packing for them. He talks about the strength and lightweight qualities of Stainless Steel as well as how to re-pack the mufflers. #relentlessInnovation in exhaust technology.
Quiet Enough to Race.
Free Enough to Make Power
Race cars are supposed to make noise. The problem is, many racetracks increasingly don’t want quite so much of it.
As neighborhoods have moved closer to racing facilities, sound restrictions have become a real performance consideration. Road courses, drag strips and other motorsports venues now enforce limits that can make even a street-legal high-performance car too loud under full throttle.
That creates a challenge:
How do you reduce sound without restricting the exhaust and giving away horsepower?
That is exactly where the Burns Stainless Single-Stage Race Muffler comes in.
Sound Limits Have Become Part of Racing
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a well-known example. Depending on the event, strict sound limits can apply, and a high-performance street car that is perfectly legal on public roads may still have trouble passing at the track.
Modern performance cars often use exhaust valves that open under heavy throttle. That may be fine during normal street testing, but on a racetrack, wide-open throttle is where the car spends much of its time.
Suddenly, a muffler is not just about keeping the car quieter.
It can determine whether you get to race.
Reducing Sound Without Choking the Engine
The Burns Stainless Single-Stage Race Muffler uses a straight-through design intended to reduce sound while keeping exhaust restriction to a minimum.
Exhaust flows through a perforated stainless-steel core surrounded by sound-absorbing material. There are no complicated chambers or restrictive baffles forcing the exhaust through a maze.
The idea is simple: control sound while preserving flow.
Lightweight Stainless Steel Construction
Burns builds these mufflers from 20-gauge 304 stainless steel, approximately .035-inch thick.
That is thin material for a muffler, but stainless steel retains strength at elevated exhaust temperatures. This allows Burns to build a lightweight component without automatically moving to more exotic materials such as titanium.
Titanium may have a lower density, but comparable durability can require thicker material. In some applications, Burns has actually replaced heavier titanium exhaust systems with lighter stainless-steel designs.
For extreme custom applications, materials such as Inconel can also be considered.
The goal is not to use the most exotic material.
It is to use the right material for the job.
Choosing the Right Muffler Packing
The packing material inside the muffler plays a major role in both sound reduction and durability.
Fiberglass
High-temperature fiberglass is the standard choice because it is:
- Lightweight
- Cost-effective
- Highly effective at reducing sound
For many applications, fiberglass is the best overall solution.
Stainless Steel Scrubble
For hotter or more demanding exhaust systems, Burns can use stainless steel Scrubble, a material made from continuous stainless-steel lathe shavings.
Scrubble is more durable than fiberglass, but it is also heavier, more expensive and generally louder.
Stainless Steel Mesh
For severe applications, including high-temperature rotary engines or endurance racing, stainless-steel mesh may be used.
It offers even greater durability, but with additional weight, cost and sound.
There is no single best packing material.
The correct choice depends on temperature, exhaust pulses, durability requirements and the amount of sound reduction needed.
Combining Sound Control and Durability
On larger Burns mufflers, different packing materials can be combined.
For example, stainless Scrubble can be wrapped around the perforated core for heat resistance, with fiberglass surrounding it for improved sound absorption.
That gives the muffler durability where it needs it most while still taking advantage of the superior sound-control properties of fiberglass.
Built to Be Repacked
Muffler packing does not last forever, especially in racing.
That is why the Burns Single-Stage Race Muffler is designed to be disassembled and repacked.
Fasteners allow the muffler to come apart so the core and packing can be inspected or replaced. This makes the muffler serviceable rather than disposable.
Vince also recommends periodically checking and removing the fasteners before the muffler actually needs repacking. After repeated heat cycles, that simple maintenance can make servicing much easier later.
Multiple Sizes and Custom Configurations
Burns offers Single-Stage Race Mufflers in different inlet diameters, body diameters and lengths.
Examples include:
- 3-inch inlet with a 6.25-inch body
- 2-inch inlet with a 4.5-inch body
- Standard and custom lengths
Custom mufflers can also be built for specialized applications.
Burns has supplied mufflers for road racing, drag racing, off-road trophy trucks, boat racing, Corvettes, Cobras and hot rods using side-pipe exhaust systems.
The muffler should be treated as part of the complete exhaust system—not simply something added at the end.
Sound Control Is Now a Performance Requirement
Racers have always paid attention to horsepower, torque, weight and reliability.
Today, many also need to pay attention to decibels.
A race exhaust that makes great power is not much use if the car cannot get on track because it exceeds the sound limit. At the same time, heavily restricting the exhaust simply to make the car quieter defeats the purpose of building a high-performance engine.
The answer is balance:
Control the sound. Keep the weight down. Maintain durability. Preserve exhaust flow.
That is what the Burns Stainless Single-Stage Race Muffler is designed to do.
Because the best race muffler is not necessarily the loudest one.
It is the one that lets you stay on the throttle.
Need Help Choosing a Race Muffler?
Muffler size, length, packing material and exhaust configuration all influence the final result. Burns Stainless offers standard and custom race muffler configurations for demanding motorsports and performance applications.
Contact Burns Stainless to discuss the right combination for your engine, exhaust system and sound requirements.
