Halfass Backwards Walker Muffler for Jeep Cherokee

[dibbons]

Is a Cherokee a Mopar?

Anyway, I purchased a special order muffler through my local parts store (El Progreso) for our spare car, a 1992 Jeep Cherokee that we purchased from the original owners back in 2000. I wanted to make sure it fit factory perfect.

Last week, I had picked up the muffler and it was in the front seat beside me when I came to a stop at an intersection and I heard a loud thump. When I pulled away I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a muffler in the middle of the roadway.

Today, I went to have the muffler installed at a local shop (Mexican) that uses o2/acetylene. I guess that is a satisfactory method to weld a new muffler. Before we got started, the welding tech showed me the tube centered in the muffler, which seemed to match the catalytic converter was stamped "outlet" and the offset tube which seemed to match the tail pipe was not stamped anything. Since my spouse has a 2001 Cherokee as her daily driver, I went home to see how her muffler was set up (since mine was lost on the roadway, I had no reference). The 2001 exhaust system was setup just like the 1992 as far as I could see, except the newer model had some heat shields on the floor pan above the cat/muffler. The center pipe obviously connects to the convertor on both vehicles. Otherwise the muffler and the driveshaft will share the same space.

So I returned to the muffler shop and had no other option than have the tech install the muffler using the end marked "outlet" as the inlet. I don't think it matters performance wise, but just another example of someone trying to avoid problems by doing the right thing, and it backfires on 'em.

According to the label on the box, it is direct fit and made in USA (see foto)

Now I find three of the four reviews on the Summit website for the same muffler claim it is a piece of junk! Summit link:

Walker Direct Fit SoundFX Mufflers 18568

 

[rustycowll69]

you would think that since they made a million or more of those Cherokees, that it would be easy to find a direct fit muffler for them. You would be wrong, my friend. I've looked extensively, and have yet to find "direct fit". By direct fit, I mean bolt on. I found a close looking candidate, but I don't know if they are really direct fit. I'll see if I can find the numbers. I have a 94, with really bad "muffler bearings".

 

[rustycowll69]

you would think that since they made a million or more of those Cherokees, that it would be easy to find a direct fit muffler for them. You would be wrong, my friend. I've looked extensively, and have yet to find "direct fit". By direct fit, I mean bolt on. I found a close looking candidate, but I don't know if they are really direct fit. I'll see if I can find the numbers. I have a 94, with really bad "muffler bearings".

ok, I have a no. Walker 21489. I do not think it is direct fit. But it is a SS "Quiet Flow", with the bolt on flange on the front. It has a center inlet and o/set outlet. The reason it may not be direct fit, may be because the outlet dia. may be slightly larger, I think. but you can go for a larger dIA tail pipe, or weld in a pipe reducer. I THINK! I havent made the leap, myself yet, but I am curious to what you find out.
PS. I'm assuming this is for a 4.0L.

 

[Daves69]

Lol, and in the description.... "Center in". But in this day and age, maybe it identifies as opposite!

 

[rustycowll69]

yup, I remember seeing the reviews too. I didn't like that their "direct fit" didn't have the inlet with the flange connection for that catalytic connection that my oem muffler has. That's why I was going to go with the SS "Quiet Flow". The picture for the SS Quiet Flow shows a flanged inlet, and maybe the SS version will last longer than a week, like the reviewers for the "Sound FX" were bitching about.
Re OP situation: They're probably made offshore and the factory workers can't read English so they don't know how to assemble the muffler can correctly, which is not very encouraging.

 

[dibbons]

They're probably made offshore and the factory workers can't read English so they don't know how to assemble the muffler can correctly, which is not very encouraging.

Look at the foto I posted of the carton/box: "Made in USA".
Of course, that does not mean that the workers can read and understand English.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

Walker makes one of the worst mufflers I've ever seen. The inside pipe diameter is smaller than the inlet/outlet.

 

[toolmanmike]

Here's a list of applications that muffler fits on. I wouldn't be concerned about the "inlet" stamping. Those mufflers are baffled and not directional. You can install them either way. There's a good chance that the inlet is for another application.

 

[toolmanmike]

Is this what it looks like?

 

[toolmanmike]

Walker makes one of the worst mufflers I've ever seen. The inside pipe diameter is smaller than the inlet/outlet.

They used to be the best. Walker then Marmount.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I sold walker for a lot of years.
The most mufflers i sold were for ford tempos. Lifetime warranty.
Put a lifetime warranty muffler and an econo muffler on a scale.they were within grams of each other.
Lifetime warranty, not lifetime quality. Easily confused.
Sales rep had nothing to say when i asked him wtf?
I lost a lot of faith in walker exhaust after that.
I see now the coverage for older stuf is going away.

 

[dibbons]

Is this what it looks like?

Yes.

 

[1Fast340]

Look at the foto I posted of the carton/box: "Made in USA".
Of course, that does not mean that the workers can read and understand English.

But it may mean that the sticker was printed in USA. Sorry couldnt help myself i will find my way out from this thread without assistance.

Walker makes one of the worst mufflers I've ever seen. The inside pipe diameter is smaller than the inlet/outlet.

Wich one of them? Walker make alot of mufflers,and has different lines of them,i seem to remember the Quietflow SS being the best quality. For what its worth look inside pretty much any stock replacement muffler and you will find smaller tubing inside the mufflers,does not mather if its a Walker,Maremont or Huth/IPC muffler or some other brand,they are what they are.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

But it may mean that the sticker was printed in USA. Sorry couldnt help myself i will find my way out from this thread without assistance.Wich one of them? Walker make alot of mufflers,and has different lines of them,i seem to remember the Quietflow SS being the best quality. For what its worth look inside pretty much any stock replacement muffler and you will find smaller tubing inside the mufflers,does not mather if its a Walker,Maremont or Huth/IPC muffler or some other brand,they are what they are.

Yeah stock mufflers suck for power and usually tone too.

 

[pishta]

I sold walker for a lot of years.
The most mufflers i sold were for ford tempos. Lifetime warranty.
Put a lifetime warranty muffler and an econo muffler on a scale.they were within grams of each other.
Lifetime warranty, not lifetime quality. Easily confused.
Sales rep had nothing to say when i asked him wtf?
I lost a lot of faith in walker exhaust after that.
I see now the coverage for older stuf is going away.

The warranty is the price point. Same goes for starters, water pumps, alternators....anything with a core unless its "100% new parts" which still may be "the parts we replaced were 100% new"....your only paying for the warranty, same part.

 

[1Fast340]

Yeah stock mufflers suck for power and usually tone too.

Sure,but to put things into perspective,the compression or wrinkle bent 2 1/4" tailpipe is probably not going to flow much better than that muffler anyway..
From memory the QuietflowSS mufflers where usualy very quiet,and correct sounding just like what you would expect from a stock type muffler. The cheapest i think they where called SoundFX usualy had a terrible sound to them,especialy when put on classic cars,in those cases most 14" turbomufflers had a much nicer sound to them and usualy not alot louder either.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

Sure,but to put things into perspective,the compression or wrinkle bent 2 1/4" tailpipe is probably not going to flow much better than that muffler anyway..
From memory the QuietflowSS mufflers where usualy very quiet,and correct sounding just like what you would expect from a stock type muffler. The cheapest i think they where called SoundFX usualy had a terrible sound to them,especialy when put on classic cars,in those cases most 14" turbomufflers had a much nicer sound to them and usualy not alot louder either.

I've changed every muffler on all 5 of my cars to dynomax ultras, I quit buying mufflers like walkers in 1998.
The 2 1/4 compression bend is still larger diameter than the ID. of a walker/stock muffler which tapers to about 1 1/2- 1 5/8...
Not saying no one else should run them, I'm stating I dont like them and I am already very well informed of them and their place.

If you want a good "flowing" muffler, buy one.