EXHAUST

This sounds really loud and I am getting the impression its going to need a new collector box, Cant feel anything blowing but you know that sound and its coming from right in the centre of the bike somewhere. looking at it, It seems like being a huge job to even get anywhere near it, thats if it is even possible to get it repaired or replaced, Anyone got any ideas ?

If it’s the collector box and corroded around all the connection pipes it’s one hell of a job, trying to remove each one without breaking the part it’s attached to. All six connections should have an asbestos bushing to keep steel from steel. They may be corroded after years of use. When I took my two exhaust mufflers off to refurbish them it was quite a job trying to pry the metal from collector and muffler - it will take a lot of patience. The two at the top of the collector are very difficult - they are normally the least corroded but still quite trying to pry apart. Just remember try and locate the asbestos bushing (I got mine from eBay) and possibly a clamp or two. Good luck!

Just to re quote a comment above,. The front exhaust pipes are fixed to the collector you will need to remove the front flanges to drop the collector, and will require gaskets when reinstall. So four asbestos bushing and two exhaust gaskets.

May be a bit more of a “bastard” than that hydra…This is the UK where we like to spread acid on the roads every Winter.

RR…From my own experience you have a horrible job on your hands. However, you can help with plenty of preparation ( something I have now learned I should have done).

As hydra says you have to take the front pipes off and also ease the collector OFF the two rear downpipes.
Well in advance spray all the exhaust studs and nuts with penetrating fluid…day in day out…same with the rear downp pipe exhaust clamps It also helps if you have a friedn who’s a gynaecologist to reach the rear clampbolts.

When your ready to attack the front exhaust nuts…Use one of those small “pencil” butane guns…to heat the nuts…again plenty of penetrating fluid…when you’ve got the balls…use a good quality socket. Hopefully the exhaust nuts wont have lost the plating and rusted…this will make the nuts smaller and a “bastid” size. Be patient using the socket. Small sharp jolts both ways…more fluid…walk away when you get mad at it[:(!]…then come back when you’re calm…[:D]

If you know the collector is totally fooked…just saw/cut the pipes off close to the front outlets…this allows better access to the exhuast nuts.

Fitting “new” collector?..that’s another story…and a fookin bit of a nightmare in its own right if you ask me…But that’s for another day eh!

Good luck.

Be patient. [;)]

Break/damage and exhaust stud and you will end up taking the head off to extract the stump.

Really “teed off” now…every time I reduce power it starts “popping” sounds like a real shed. same when ever I go down hill change down etc. Wondering if I ought to see if anyone does a custom build exhaust for it and strip it all down and start again with a new mod… suppose if it was all stripped down with the engine out? I know a psychiatrist, think thats more appropriate now than a gynaechologist !

There’s a used collector box on fleabay, item number 360267613899. It’s in Germany but the seller ships worldwide. Price is a bit steep, but if you’re after originality and ease of replacement(it’s guaranteed to fit being as it’s the original Honda part), it maybe worth it.[;)]

just some times I wish I had bought a Pan !

quote:
Originally posted by radicalrabit

just some times I wish I had bought a Pan !


No you don’t rr…anyrode the Pan pipes/collector are renowned to go…and are a bastid to change too.

First things first…get yourself the front pipes/collector box…the banging and a popping WILL get worse until it sounds like a Hardley Ferguson on steroids…trust me I know…

You could hang about for ages and ages waiting for a decent price on Evil Bay…but that day may never come…see them…grab them…

Good luck.[8D]

            When I took off my collector I repaired it as only the stub pipes on the collector muffler side were corroded.  I cut off the two stub pipes, muffler side at the collector, where I could find decent steel, then made the new stub pipes from chromolly material - the size isn't standard with any pipe size.  After prepping both collector and muffler we tig welded all the stub pipes back on.  Regarding my exhaust flanges however, whoever had the bike before me must have torqued the flanges down and bent them. It was quite difficult to remove all four studs, just as Tiny Tim  said.  I cut all four studs between the flange and the cylinder head and I had to use a dremel with a small rasp because the flanges would not budge.  I just replaced the studs, I couldn't straighten the flanges, so I drilled the two holes a little larger for the stud.  I think if I had read your info "Tiny Tim" before I started I probably wouldn't have bothered.  The bad news since its been back together - I had an electrical problem, and the engine backfired a couple of times and blew something (I guess similar to radicalrabit).  It sounds really grunty.  I think I will just leave it that way for now seeing as from previous experience this job is a pain.

After reading all these posts, it makes me so glad I shelled out for an unused new old stock collector over a year ago. Not that I’m gloating you understand!![;)]

quote:
Originally posted by scratcher

After reading all these posts, it makes me so glad I shelled out for an unused new old stock collector over a year ago. Not that I’m gloating you understand!![;)]


Agree with you Chris…now where can I get a water pump from?..or can I change that seal on the inside end?

[8D]

I seem to remember a post either on here or on sabmag, by a guy who stripped out the seal from his old pump, and got a identical sized replacement from a seal manufacturer. If it were me, I’d probably strip it down too, and ascertain wether I can get a seal. After all, if it’s already leaking it’s no use as it is. Failing that, it’s that old fallback of fleabay to find another.

quote:
Originally posted by hydra2172
            When I took off my collector I repaired it as only the stub pipes on the collector muffler side were corroded.  I cut off the two stub pipes, muffler side at the collector, where I could find decent steel, then made the new stub pipes from chromolly material - the size isn't standard with any pipe size.  After prepping both collector and muffler we tig welded all the stub pipes back on.  Regarding my exhaust flanges however, whoever had the bike before me must have torqued the flanges down and bent them. It was quite difficult to remove all four studs, just as Tiny Tim  said.  I cut all four studs between the flange and the cylinder head and I had to use a dremel with a small rasp because the flanges would not budge.  I just replaced the studs, I couldn't straighten the flanges, so I drilled the two holes a little larger for the stud.  I think if I had read your info "Tiny Tim" before I started I probably wouldn't have bothered.  The bad news since its been back together - I had an electrical problem, and the engine backfired a couple of times and blew something (I guess similar to radicalrabit).  It sounds really grunty.  I think I will just leave it that way for now seeing as from previous experience this job is a pain.

just wondering do you have any picture of the exhaust job

I am just removing the collector for repairs (if its good enough to fix. Good news is the front header pipe nuts look in good condition and I’ve been soaking them in WD40 for a couple of days likewise the rear clamps. Bad news is I’ve got one rear clamp undone but the right side bolt is buggered and I cannot get any sockets metric or imperial to fit on well enough to loosen it. I see what you say about it being tight on room! I’ve tried drilling the end of the bold but its really hard and is just killing my decent drill bits. My next try will be cutting through the clamp it self if I can get a dremel in there. Othwerwise I’m out of ideas. Anyone hard the same issue?

Ah the bolt from hell has been removed!! After hours yesterday I went out and purchased an Irwin Bolt Grip set from Screwfix this morning(a bit more pricey than on the net, but in stock and down the road) 4 minutes and it was off! Cool gadgets, I’ve ordered the extention pack which has more sizes as I’m sure I will be needing them soon. Worth their weight in gold! Such a relief to get the bugger out.

http://yfrog.com/z/nwiuvgdj

Ah the joys of old bikes. All bolts removed from exhaust, front header nuts easily undone. Now stuck getting the flanges off. The outer holes of each flange seem free on the studs but the inner ones are stuck fast. Soaked in more WD40 and tried heating the stuck side with a pencil torch they won’t budge. Tried tapping the flanges to shake them lose but no good. Bugger. seriously considering just cutting the front headers off as close to the collector as possible then trying to get a new balance pipe/collector made up.

OK as the buggers still will not budge I’m putting two nuts on and spinning out the studs. Well I will when I get some bloomin nuts to fit :wink:

This winter I replaced my collector box with a good 2nd hand one I located in the US, £107 shipped, bargain !! Anyhow I had a hell of a job getting old system off bike, the front two collars had seized solidly onto the studs. Regular soaking and attempts to loosen failed, I ended up drilling them to bits piece by piece, eventual success but knacked one of the studs, not available new of course, and being a stepped stud 6mm to 7mm, not easy to source from any supplier. Ended up getting a couple made locally for £20, expensive but cheap considering work involved, (why the hell did I get rid of my lathe years ago?) The muffler/silencer joints to the collector box were corroded, wanted to keep original mufflers so cut the socket off each one, got a local fabrication firm to weld new stubs on, £30 well spent great job from Car Mills fabs in Leeds, heat proof painted new bits, as well as whole collector box b4 fitting. With new clamps fitted you really do have to bed down and look hard to notice. All in all a gr8 job, sounds well, adding years to the bikes longeavity as original as possible.

Hi this is my first post here… & even though my new VF1000R has a pretty sound exhaust on it, I’m planning to take it off & make a whole new one without a collector box. I’m planning to give it 4 seperate pipes with 4 seperate mufflers, hopefully curved ones if the skills I THINK I have turn out to exist… Any comments on that as a plan? I may lose some power without the interconnection and will need some major re-jetting I guess, but if it sounds as fabulous as I hope, the power won’t matter [:D]
Cheers David