Thoughts on this exhaust leak??

[Bad Karma]

Found this after riding into work today.
The header pulled out of the muffler. The header seems tight. All header nuts are there.
The muffler mounts seem tight and the muffler bands seem tight as well. Any ideas?? Just wondering if If a 50 mile ride home will not break anything more, but I can't find any obvious issues.

 

[Theycallmecrash]

You run the risk of snapping an exhaust flange stud. (Done it) 50 miles kinda a lot of time to be vibrating around. Stud in the head could be a serious issue. Also something doesnt sit right, no way those should pull apart like that without a lot of play. Or damage somewhere

Possibly a warped header?

 

[oh9bolt]

Also something doesnt sit right, no way those should pull apart like that without a lot of play. Or damage somewhere

+1

Has your bike been down on the header side?

 

[Bad Karma]

Has your bike been down on the header side?

Not on the header side. I did low side it (25mph) the other day on the left side. Minimal damage to bar end and axle sliders only.

I have bottomed the muffler out going off a curb (bigger drop that I thought). But that was a long time ago and since the muffler mates up with a solid bracket I couldn't see it bending the header in ANY way.

Nothing looks cracked, and pulling by hand nothing moves/seems loose.


I don't know what to think.....

 

[d_adams]

Definitely not right, the header should go into the muffler by at least an inch.

 

[Bad Karma]

OK took the muffler off tonight. No issue there.
Header is not loose.....????

Possibility: I run header wrap and the bike sits outside under a tarp but the wrap gets soaked any ways.
I get some steam coming off the exhaust as it warms up. I also ride in heavy rain and see steam off the pipe at stop lights sometimes.
Could have warped the header maybe??

This is the only idea I can come up with so far

 

[Bad Karma]

Bump

Any one see something off in these pics? The collector does look up and out of place but I can't tell where it's warped?

 

[user_deleted]

it's pretty obvious your header assembly is either bent, loose, or has been knocked out of kilter somehow. assuming your muffler front and rear mounts are tight, the muffler is tight against those mounts, and the muffler to mount straps are tight....it has to be the header. as d_adams said, the header end fits down into the muffer flange at least one inch. your problem is your header assembly.

 

[d_adams]

Send it to me and I can add an inch or two if needed. I have a jig set up just for 12's. If you're in the STL area, bring it by.

Based on this pic, it's too short at the header side by about an inch.

 

[stensg]

It didn't break of in the muffler did it?

 

[squidbuellie]

It looks like the two pipes have never been slid together in the first place, and it looks like they used the exhaust clamp as a spacer.
The craftsmenship on the 2006 and up headers are kinda subpar. You can try to loosen the bolts on the heads and try to roll the header down a bit. But I don't think that's going to help you much.

Your best bet is to rewrap your header over the gape and cover it back up with the exhaust clamp and call it a day.

 

[Bad Karma]

Thanks guys!!
Well since it's lined up and just needs to be longer. I'm thinking about just adding an inch to the collector end. I've got the tig welder just need the stainless.

 

[Theycallmecrash]

[up] i like it.

 

[freak2180]

Deff looks warped to me. Just looking at the bends mid pipe it apears go be up and out a bit. This is not the 1st set of headers I've seen warped after being wrapped.....

 

[Bad Karma]

This is not the 1st set of headers I've seen warped after being wrapped.....

Yup not going to wrap any header in the future. Ceramic coating if I can justify the price.

 

[taildraggin]

Resurrecting an old thread. I had to get at the kickstand bolts and I noticed that the header seems to have 'pulled up' as in these shots when I took the muff off. My '08 XB9 city does have wrap from the previous owner.

Rather than mess with adding to the header, I'm thinking that I'd just add to the muffler inlet pipe - it's easier to get the muff off and mod'd.

 

[d_adams]

In theory, you *could* do a stepped slip fit to cover that gap. One end slightly larger than the header outlet, the inlet into the muffler is roughly 2" OD. Get a short piece of 304 stainless about 2" long, maybe 2.5". Expand out the first inch of it so it slips over the header, cut slots in it so it can be clamped down with the stock clamp. Buy an additional clamp for the muffler, put it all together and secure it as required. Any local muffler shop should have an exhaust expander machine. Sure, it would be 2 pieces there, but it would work.