So in the morning when I first start my bike up in the garage I hear what sounds like an exhaust leak coming from the manifold (headder) area of the bike.. after I ride it for a while I don't hear it anymore. Is this normal for the GEN II's? I don't ever remember hearing that with my GEN I bike. Thanks.
Exhaust Leak Question
- Thread starter 04Duramax
- Start date
lil charlie
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Not normal, My 08 never sound like that warm or cold. You may have a loose header bolt.
Mine does not sound like that either. I need to get her in for the 500 mile service. They are supposed to re-check the torque on everything to make sure its good to go.
max1580
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Just to add a lttle more to what BA Busa said, what probably is happening is there is a loose header bolt. When the engine gets hot, the header pipe expands and closes the gap where the exhaust was leaking out when the pipe was cold.
lil charlie
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There is no gasket on the header of the Gen II, if I remember correctly the header pipes have a wedge shaped cone (permanently attached to the header) that fits into the head of the bike. Each pipe has a flange with two bolts on it, when you tighten the flange it drives that wedge shaped cone tight against the head. You will need to make sure the flange is tightened evenly across both bolts. If you tighten one bolt all the way the second bolt will only go ½ way in before it gets tight and the flange will be crooked and cause a leak. Make sure you tighten the 1st bolt a little, then the second bolt a little, then back to the 1st bolt a little more….and so on until they are both sucked tight and the flange is nice and square with the head; not too tight as you don’t want to snap thoes bad boy's off.
Take care of it ASAP before it cut's the head.
1 wheel peel
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Any chance your hearing the 2nd Gen valves under all the plastic? I know my BK is noisey when cranked cold, as soon as the 2nd bar on the temp gauge comes on it quitens down though.
Nah pretty sure it sounds like the exhaust. I'll listen again but I'm almost positive.
i have thought from time to time that my 08 has a leak at the header after installing my full system brocks a while back. Pretty sure it's just valve noise though, the sound/tick doesn't get any louder if i rev it which an exhaust leak would. I would think if it had an exhaust leak i would be able to hear it under slight acceleration also. Doesn't do it nearly as much when warm, a little bit of noise but not as much as on cold starts, so it's probably just valve noise
Mine sounds like a diesel until it warms up!
lol, and mine pumps out black smoke out the rear under hard acceleration
I'm starting to think it's valve tick.. it only does it when it's cold start and it doesn't get any louder with acceleration. Hmm still going to take the fairings off and check the bolts but upon initial visual inspection thru the sides they're all in there nice and tight.
lil charlie
Registered
My 08 has the valve tic when cold so that might be what your hearing. Valve tic... normal; exhaust leak... not normal.
I'm glad I'm running the short meg, all I hear is a nice growl when I crank mine 
Actually the Gen II does have header exhaust gaskets that are woven aluminum. If your header has ever been removed or loosened these gaskets will need to be replaced. These gasket expand to seat once heated.
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