[brian48130]

I finally got my clutch working and took the 929 out for a ride. I had only ridden it for about a half hour after installing the full hindle before my clutch broke. It sounded perfect then, but now I hear a ratatatatatata sound from the front of the bike. It sounds like an old, beat up car at low rpms. It seemed to get worse after riding it for an hour. I parked it in neutral and revved it a little, and listened to the headers. Definitely seems to be coming from the headers.

So, is that descriptive of an exhaust leak?

And how bad is this? I need to fix the exhaust on my VFR, and I don't want to have them both out of service at once. Does it harm anything to run it with a leak?

Normally the CBR would come first, but I have a friend I'm going to train on the VFR.

 

[fl-929]

Did you keep the old gaskets in when you changed the exhaust?

 

[brian48130]

Nope, I bought new ones.

 

[brian48130]

Can an exhaust leak damage anything? Or is it just a noise, possibly power problem?

 

[luvtolean]

An exhaust leak can create a lean condition and burn a valve, especially if the leak is at the spigot...where it sounds like yours is.

After installing a new exhaust the expansion and contraction of the metal can loosen up the nuts. Retighten and try again. Also, the honda gaskets are a copper deal that collapses so maybe they collapsed more under heat (it takes less pressure to deform metal at higher temps) and that gave enough clearance for a leak.

Bottom line, get out a wrench and tighten up the nuts on the header flanges.