Exhaust hole

[kerrfunk]

It was this way when I bought it in October. I don't know why the muffler is welded like that but both of them are (got any ideas?). And this hole in the right side, I feel the exhaust coming out when my leg is in the right position, but normally it's fine.

Is the hole anything to worry about, or more along the lines of "merely" cosmetic?

How difficult would it be for a mechanical noob to replace the exhaust, provided I could locate a decent replacement?

[Calvin Blackmore]

It was this way when I bought it in October. I don't know why the muffler is welded like that but both of them are (got any ideas?). And this hole in the right side, I feel the exhaust coming out when my leg is in the right position, but normally it's fine.

Is the hole anything to worry about, or more along the lines of "merely" cosmetic?

How difficult would it be for a mechanical noob to replace the exhaust, provided I could locate a decent replacement?

Looks like someone cut the pipe to open it in order to fix or remove the baffles.

mine have six spot welds along the bottom of the pip and there is no way of removing the end cap as it is rolled into place.

I would get a patch welded over that hole the bike must sound nasty like that.

[Dogma]

If you decide not to have it patched, you can probably manage installing a new exhaust. The only risky part is removing the bolts holding the exhaust clamps to the head. Give some penetrating oil time to work on these. If they break (and many do) you can have a world of headache cleaning that mess up. I currently have one broken off in the head (PO did it), causing an exhaust leak at the clamp. I won't be able to get it out until I pull the head and take it to a machinist. Installing the new exhaust, you may want an extra set of hands to help hold things in place until you get the crossover connected and the rear bolts in.

[doctorgonzo]

Second Dogma, sheared bolts are VERY common if that exhaust hasn't been off in a long time and they are the PIA of all PIAs pretty much. Be VERY CAREFUL.

[mike-s]

I feel the exhaust coming out when my leg is in the right position, but normally it's fine.

To be honest if theres a heap of noise associated with the hole (i.e. if covered its significantly quieter) then its a hole at a point before any major baffling occurs (or where the baffling has broken down)

Is the hole anything to worry about, or more along the lines of "merely" cosmetic?

If you jsut feel some exhaust (not much) then its possible that its a leak along an area where theres a lot of baffling. In either case, decrease in noise or not it is an exceptionally good idea to get that hole patched up as if nothing else, it is an entry point for water and humidity, which is a recepie for your pipe rusting from the inside-out.

How difficult would it be for a mechanical noob to replace the exhaust, provided I could locate a decent replacement?

If the fore & mid section pipes arent in a horrible state (i.e. the crossover and the 4>2 if applicable) then just replacing the mufflters is usually a case of 2-3 bolts (on the collar retaining the muffler to the header/mid pipe as well as mouting bolts to the footpeg) and some muffler putty on the lip of the new muffler (just to ensure the seal IS 100%).

Personally i'd just go with welding the current hole up and getting the repairer to clean up the old welds with a wire wheel, mask off the surrounding metal (hey its shiny ) and spray on some rustproofing to stop that rust eating away at it again.

[mike-s]

Second Dogma, sheared bolts are VERY common if that exhaust hasn't been off in a long time and they are the PIA of all PIAs pretty much. Be VERY CAREFUL.

Oh a single peice each side from header to muffler? damn, that makes it a lot more of a pita to replace, and others have said, snapping bolts/studs that havent been moved in years is a very real risk, especially those that have been heat cycled so viciously as header retaining bolts have.

[Smokinapankake]

I snapped 4 of the 8 on my 84 Kat head. Dammit! However, I used ammonia on all of them, and I felt all 8 move before the 4 snapped. I got impatient. The other 4 came out okay. Be careful, however, as ammonia eats the aluminum. Spray a bit on, tap the bolts a few times with a hammer to help the ammonia seep into the threads, and tweak em just ever so slightly. Continue to spray as needed, tap, and tweak and repeat as necessary. Because the ammonia attacks the aluminum, this allows the bolts to release. Be sure to clean all the ammonia up when everything's apart!

I've used this trick on bicycle seatposts that are stuck inside a steel frame with great success..... Ruins the seatpost but saved a very nice (and now irreplaceable) Fat City frameset this way.

[chef1366]

Looks like it was wrecked.
You have all winter so start soaking in PB Plaster and use heat to get them off. If impatient be prepared to do a head gasket and while you're at it a base basket and rings. Tapping helps too. Do you have studs with acorn nuts or just bolts?

[Imreallycrazy]

I know old thread, grave digging etc. etc...
But they always say search and my question fits this thread.
I have a largeish rust spot at about an inch from bolt and gasket that joins the exhaust to the head. It seems as though the metal will stay for a while yet, but I was wondering, if I try to buff/sand the spot away and it starts to open up, can I patch this with high heat epoxy putty? or will I be risking my engine, being this close to the exhaust ports?

Thanks for your time!

Ben

[Zooks]

You'll only be risking your time. If the spot is that close to the head why worry about it? It gets so hot there that there's little you can do anyway. If you do decide to try and paint it (good luck) and you find that it crumbles away, the putty is unlikely to hold. The headers get almost red hot where they touch the engine. If there's a hole there it needs to have a patch welded in it.