exhaust leak at flange...

[Benxs]

I've had a pesky exhaust leak with my xs... It leaks right at the flange. I cleaned the surface with sandpaper, and I've tried a couple new sets of gaskets. tried double stacking them, even rtv copper as a last resort, but nothing will seal it. Torqued to spec every time. Anyone else have this problem??

 

[angus67]

did you tighten the two nuts equally? inspect the collar of the head pipe for cracks. What exhaust are you running?
There is a hole in the outer tube that if you have just a slip on muffler clamped to the outter tube, exhaust will come out there.

 

[5twins]

Are you talking about up at the head? Do you still have the stock double wall headpipes? Were the stock mufflers cut off and aftermarket ones clamped on in their place. There is a small vent hole in the outer pipe up near the head to vent out moisture from between the inner and outer pipe. If there is a leak between the inner and outer pipes, exhaust gases can flow out that vent hole and it may seem like the header to head connection is the cause.

 

[gggGary]

loosen all other exhaust connections then tighten, if the header is being forced to sit crooked in the port by other hardpoints it will not seal.

 

[Royboy]

Here is an older thread regarding these gaskets. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43119&highlight=asbestos

roy

 

[Benxs]

Sorry for the late response guys, I've been riding the bike all weekend after fixing this issue. It was not the gaskets at all, I checked like ventholes like 5twins mentioned. Sure enough, They were leaking out of there. My exhaust wrap was covering them up, so I didnt suspect anything but I just have some curved tips welded to the outer pipes on the exhaust, thus chambering exhaust in between the pipes, I welded them up, and problem solved.

 

[angus67]

Your welcome