Emergency Exhaust Repair

[Evan]

The following description of my exhaust pipe problem encountered during the first week of our recent five week trip and my emergency repair was originally posted in my thread "Our Venture West". It has been over 10,000 km since I did this emergency fix and it has worked so well and without any exhaust leak that I don't plan on any further repair.

 

While traveling along the Yellowhead Trail through Saskatchewan on our recent trip west, my exhaust noise got louder and still louder again after part of the chrome heat shield cover to the exhaust pipe broke away. The exhaust pipe from the collector had broken loose from the muffler and the muffler was left hanging by one bolt with no support. The end of the exhaust pipe was rusted and broken away so badly that it couldn't be reconnected to the muffler. Truly an "Oh Sh--" moment that could have ruined our trip west. The first picture shows the exhaust pipe after I removed the muffler. I got lucky as the next town had a Canadian Tire Store (open on Sunday) where I bought an exhaust pipe coupler designed to reduce pipe size and some aluminum duct tape. After removing the original clamp at the mouth of the muffler and wrapping both the front few inches of the muffler and the last few inches of the exhaust pipe with the aluminum duct tape for a tight fit, I slid the coupler over the muffler and the exhaust pipe and bolted my muffler back in place. To my surprise, there is no exhaust leak and I think the joint is as strong as original. I would bet that mine isn't the only first gen with a wore out exhaust pipe under the chrome cover.

Attached Thumbnails

[saddlebum]

Like I said in your other thread, Defifnitly a candidate for the Poor Mans Tips and Fixes.

[camos]

Just discovered tonight that my VR has the same problem. Anyone know what size the coupler is?

 

The following description of my exhaust pipe problem encountered during the first week of our recent five week trip and my emergency repair was originally posted in my thread "Our Venture West". It has been over 10,000 km since I did this emergency fix and it has worked so well and without any exhaust leak that I don't plan on any further repair.

 

While traveling along the Yellowhead Trail through Saskatchewan on our recent trip west, my exhaust noise got louder and still louder again after part of the chrome heat shield cover to the exhaust pipe broke away. The exhaust pipe from the collector had broken loose from the muffler and the muffler was left hanging by one bolt with no support. The end of the exhaust pipe was rusted and broken away so badly that it couldn't be reconnected to the muffler. Truly an "Oh Sh--" moment that could have ruined our trip west. The first picture shows the exhaust pipe after I removed the muffler. I got lucky as the next town had a Canadian Tire Store (open on Sunday) where I bought an exhaust pipe coupler designed to reduce pipe size and some aluminum duct tape. After removing the original clamp at the mouth of the muffler and wrapping both the front few inches of the muffler and the last few inches of the exhaust pipe with the aluminum duct tape for a tight fit, I slid the coupler over the muffler and the exhaust pipe and bolted my muffler back in place. To my surprise, there is no exhaust leak and I think the joint is as strong as original. I would bet that mine isn't the only first gen with a wore out exhaust pipe under the chrome cover.

Attached Thumbnails

[saddlebum]

Looking at Ivans third picture if he had the fore thought to rotate the coupler a little so the full label was readable we could get the Canadian tire pert number and size right of the label. Bad Form Ivan

[camos]

Had another look at it and my exhaust is broken on the front end of the collector so I guess it would not have helped anyway. I'll stop by CCT tomorrow and see what they have to offer.

[Evan]

Had another look at it and my exhaust is broken on the front end of the collector so I guess it would not have helped anyway. I'll stop by CCT tomorrow and see what they have to offer.

 

Hey Clive - Not sure if I am following you but coincidentally, the exhaust pipe weld coming out of my collector failed a few mongths ago, as shown in the picture. This happened on the opposite side to my problem last year and this time, I was able to repair the problem with a mig welder.

[camos]

Evan,

I can't weld.

 

It looked to me that the repair you did while on the road was to the rear of the collector where the muffler attaches. My problem is with the front end of the collector where it attaches to the forward exhaust header. Actually "headers" would be more accurate. The right one failed, cracked all around. It had been repaired previously with one of those stainless wire mesh bandages and the left side while it is not leaking yet has also been repaired. I think I will need to pull the collector and get a coupling welded on each side that will accept the header pipes.

 

The most unfortunate thing with all of this is last week the rear header pipe on my Virago broke just before the muffler so I have no alternative transportation with both of my two old bikes down with exhaustion. I've been planning on modding the exhaust on the Virago to duals, one on each side. I have the mufflers but need to get the rear header pipe modified to go out the left side. This needs to be done so the Virago can be my transportation while I re and re the carbs and set the valves on the Venture.

 

That leads me to doing a quicky patch on the Venture exhaust to get it in reasonable working order so I can get to work on the Virago so that I can then get the work done on the Venture.

 

Ain't life grand.

 

I was thinking of wrapping some thin sheet metal around the break between the collector and the header pipe along with some muffler cement and a couple of hose clamps. That's the theory and hopefully it will work well enough until the Virago gets back on the road.

 

I'm certainly open to alternative suggestions.

[Skeeter]

I realize this thread is a year old, but I just put my 99 up on the lift in my shop to see why my mufflers were so loose. Both collectors are rusted and broke where the mufflers slide in. The left side has a couple holes rusted through where the heat shields are attached. I could braze the rust holes by the heat shields, but my step son is a welder so he's going to see if he can fix them. They make replacement parts, but the cheapest I've found is $542 each. I don't really want to spend $1100 right now if I don't have to.

 

Skeeter