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1980 GS450L - Bent exhaust coupler

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    1980 GS450L - Bent exhaust coupler

    Hi guys,

    Bit of a newbie here. Last fall I purchased my first bike, a 1980 GS450L, from a coworker who had been keeping it in his barn. I had absolutely no mechanical knowledge at the time, but with some advice I figured it was a pretty good deal ($200, sporadically running). Me and my more mechanically inclined friend have been fixing it up over the winter, and now that it's warm enough we've been test driving and sort-of fine tuning her as we spot new problems. Anyways, this website has been INVALUABLE to my project, and I've been reading the forums almost every evening learning new things. Now that I have a SLIGHTLY better grasp of the way a motorcycle works, I wanted to pose a question of my own.

    I've noticed that the pipe on the bottom of the bike that connects my two main exhausts, I think it's called the exhaust coupler, is pretty bent up. Looks like the previous owner drove it over a curb or did some off-roading (not unlikely in rural Iowa), and it's bent enough so I can imagine not very much air is passing through. My question is: Is this very important? Should I replace it? What kind of problems/symptoms would this cause?

    Thanks!

    PS For your pleasure, I posted a pic I took after her first bath

    #2
    Hey mate, welcome!

    While I'm not 100% sure on the effect that pipe has, you should be able to separate the two pipes and that pipe is where they join together if that makes sense.

    If it's that banged up then separating them could be difficult.

    You could try some rudimentary panel beating to get some more flow, or I've seen people cut them out and use hose clamps to clamp a replacement pipe in its place.

    If you go that path, make sure it fits well and doesn't leak.
    1982 GS450E - The Wee Beastie
    1984 GSX750S Katana 7/11 - Kit Kat - BOTM May 2020

    sigpic

    450 Refresh thread: https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-GS450-Refresh

    Katana 7/11 thread: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...84-Katana-7-11

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for the tips! I'll try to see what I can salvage from the pipe that's on there now.

      My friend and I have been arguing whether or not it even needs to be fixed, he thinks it's not a big deal, but it's so rusted and bent up it has me a little worried. Even if exhaust fumes can somehow move through that mess, I'd be shocked if it wasn't leaking all over the place.

      Surely that can't be a good thing...

      Comment


        #4
        looking at your pic, it doesn't look to bad.......but.......

        putting a bandage on it wont make it heal up!

        take the exhaust off, remove the silly wrap and post up a few more pics. i am sure it could be easily repairable if we can see the proper extent of the damage.
        1978 GS1085.

        Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

        Comment


          #5
          Sorry if I wasn't clear before...the main exhaust pipe, that is everything you can see in the pic (including the wrapped part) is in perfect condition.

          It's the pipe underneath the engine connecting the two main exhaust pipes that is bent up and mangled. I think it's called the coupler, but I'm not really sure.

          In the diagram I attached it's #6. I'd take a better pic of the problem but I'm out of town unfortunately, sorry.

          I don't think it'll be too hard for me to repair, my issue is honestly if it's important enough to warrant taking the whole exhaust system apart to do it. Maybe that sounds lazy, but I'm using a friend's shop space and tools for this.

          Comment


            #6
            ah i see now. quick answer is NO,or YES, which ever way you want to look at it.....

            no it will not hurt to leave it as it is, it may blow a little but it wont hurt.
            yes it will be fine until you get round to repairing it. weld or even just clamp a new section of pipe over it or just cut it out and weld it up. you will not notice much difference in power
            1978 GS1085.

            Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

            Comment


              #7
              Got it, thanks man. Btw, I have been getting some backfiring during high revving, specifically I think when the RPMs are going back down...could this bent up piece have something to do with that?

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Hobbes306 View Post
                Got it, thanks man. Btw, I have been getting some backfiring during high revving, specifically I think when the RPMs are going back down...could this bent up piece have something to do with that?
                yes it will do that if there are rusted holes in it and it is blowing a bit.....
                1978 GS1085.

                Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Good to know, thanks again for the help

                  Comment

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