Header Outside Gaskets (GS650GL)

[Guest]

My situation is that I'm looking for the outside gaskets that bolt the headers onto the engine block. One of mine broke and fell off. The headers are still holding on well but I'd like to fix this as soon as I can. Does anyone know where I could locate one of these? And what are the bolt sizes that are used to bolt them on?

[koolaid_kid]

I think what you are asking about are the flanges. Do you have stock pipes?

[Staninator]

Yes the flanges! I didn't know the term! I do have the stock pipes. Modified a little bit but the headers are stock.

[sedelen]

I think what you are asking about are the flanges. Do you have stock pipes?

Sounds like that to me also, never seen them sold separately from the mufflers,

[koolaid_kid]

I looked at the parts fiche and the way the stock pipes are designed there is no way they can come off or go back on. Sounds like custom part time (split flange).

[Staninator]

I looked at the parts fiche and the way the stock pipes are designed there is no way they can come off or go back on. Sounds like custom part time (split flange).

Yeah man, I looked at diagrams and they don't seem to sell the independently. Hmm... If I pull the pipes off, wouldn't I be able to slide it on from the front?

[Staninator]

Just kidding... I looked at it again. Any ideas how I would go about making a split flange?

[sedelen]

Yeah man, I looked at diagrams and they don't seem to sell the independently. Hmm... If I pull the pipes off, wouldn't I be able to slide it on from the front?

No, because the inside diameter of the flange is smaller than the outside diameter of the ring of the header the flange bolts up against.
You either have to find a flange and cut it in half, maybe weld it up when you get it on the header or find the right or left side of the muffler that has the header/flange already on it, Or............. you can fabricate a custom one up. Ain't much of E-bay unless you have an E model.

[koolaid_kid]

Sure. Take a block of wood, put it in a lathe,... just kidding.
I would find an old bent up pipe, cut the flange in two and use that. It won't be pretty and it won't be easy, but it can be done. If you do this, you need to stagger each cut so one piece overlaps the other.

[sedelen]

Sure. Take a block of wood, put it in a lathe,... just kidding.
I would find an old bent up pipe, cut the flange in two and use that. It won't be pretty and it won't be easy, but it can be done. If you do this, you need to stagger each cut so one piece overlaps the other.

You might be able to do that with an old flange if you can find one. They will come off the inner two headers once the header is removed from the rest of the muffler, problem with the outer headers is they're welded to the muffler. Or cut one with the staggered angle off an outer header.
This would be something I would do, short of replacing the right or left muffler.

[Flyboy]

It had to have come off somehow in the first place, you say your exhausts are "slightly" modified, have the standard mufflers been removed and replaced with something else?
Are they perhaps clamped to the headers, in which case you should be able to remove the muffler and slide a new one on from the back.
Place an ad in the parts wanted section, someone may have an old dinged up exhaust they are willing to cut and take one off for you.

[sedelen]

It had to have come off somehow in the first place, you say your exhausts are "slightly" modified, have the standard mufflers been removed and replaced with something else?.

He said "It broke and fell off!" (Damn pot metal anyway!) And he went on to say he had "modified" stock pipes (whatever that means).

But if the header that's missing the flange is no longer welded to his muffler all he needs is another flange. That would be a blessing!

[Staninator]

Well my headers are factory. The pipes were cut at right at the joint and a straight pipe was welded on. I have no idea how my flange broke... I just noticed it hanging onto the pipe. There's a crack and one ear is missing. The bolts are missing as well...

[Flyboy]

The pipes were cut at right at the joint and a straight pipe was welded on.

Damn, your blessing has just been canceled.
I guess you could always cut and re-weld again, or look for a 4-1.