Need help putting my exhaust on all the way

[Guest]

Bought a new oem exhaust for my 650 because the old one had two dented headers. When I go to install the new headers into the head, it slides in fine but then meets resistance about half an inch away from being fully inserted. I searched the forums and played with them for an hour but I can't seem to figure out why they wont go in all the way. If I bolt them on there's still a half an inch between the header bolts and the head. What should I do?

Thanks in advance.

[Mekanix]

What kind of exhaust did you get? Stock ? 4-1

Most of the time its the bolt holding the left set and right set of pipes together in the center that causes this.

Just try installing the pipes with the middle (cross pipe) loose enough. That might let you get the pipes on all the way and then you tighten the cross pipe down.


Did you install new crush seals ?

[overboostin]

it's a stock exhaust. I tried doing them all at once and it wouldn't work so I tried just the right side pipe. on its own it wont go in either.

[cowboyup3371]

Did you replace the crush washers in there like Mekanik asked? If not, you probably need to pull the old ones out and put new ones in.

[overboostin]

Any tips on getting the washers out? They seem to be in there pretty good.

[7981GS]

Leave them in and place a bead of Ultra-Copper gasket maker on the pipe mating surface before installation.

Eric

[overboostin]

Leave them in and place a bead of Ultra-Copper gasket maker on the pipe mating surface before installation.

Eric

Ok I'll do that. Any tips on getting the pipes in all the way?

[7981GS]

This '81 1000G didn't want to cooperate.
So, it took some finessing...



Eric

[overboostin]

Ratchet straps, genius! Thanks!

[GS650E_81]

I actually thought that ratchet straps would work. If only I had some!