I think I have an exhaust leak on my VFR. It's a 95 with a stock exhaust and about 160K km (100K miles). What do you think?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fznwq80megmfmir/1995%20VFR%20stock.m4a
Audio recording was made with an iPhone 5S on the right side of the bike next to the frame.
have you checked the connection from the mid pipe to exhaust! is sounds like a slight leak there....
Or header leak !!! rear !!!
I have checked the mid pipe connection - it's okay, but haven't gotten to the rear headers yet. That will be my next step. How easy is it to get to the header bolts?
auggiusI have checked the mid pipe connection - it's okay, but haven't gotten to the rear headers yet. That will be my next step. How easy is it to get to the header bolts?
Not for the weak of heart ....
SwitchbladeauggiusI have checked the mid pipe connection - it's okay, but haven't gotten to the rear headers yet. That will be my next step. How easy is it to get to the header bolts?
Not for the weak of heart ....
LOL, no, it isn't. I usually use a 1/4" ratchet, a couple of extensions and a universal joint at the end. It's a lot easier if you pull the subframe, but that's hard to justify if you're only replacing a donut...
Ciao,
Darn, I was hoping to get to the bolts to snug them up and see if that fixes the leak. I'll give it a try anyways.
Never hurts to try!!
Hey so that's what it takes you to break cover, eh. The bike is totally naked right now as I'm doing a valve check. Sadly 4 valves are out of spec - all tight - so have to work up the courage to take the next step. But the bike does have 166K km and I haven't done a check since 100K km so that's not too bad. Anyway, hopefully I'll get it done this week.
So with the bike stripped I was able to (reasonably) reach the rear header bolts with a 1/4" ratchet. I don't think I could have reached them except that I'm doing a valve check and with the rear valve cover off there's just enough room. I snugged each one a bit so hopefully that will help, but I doubt it since there wasn't much slop at all. We'll see once I get everything back together again.
Update: It still sounds the same 2 years later. Now I am wondering if it is the muffler itself that is rusted out internally. So by any chance is there a 4th gen owner with a spare muffler I could try or buy for cheap?
Did you put a new donut ring gasket between the muffler and the collector box?
No I didn't because I didn't think that is the problem. But I am going to because it is the easiest thing to try. I will report back on the results.
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My collector is split at the seam. I assume you've eliminated all accessible pipes by feeling for air leaking, right?
9 minutes ago, cbkenisonMy collector is split at the seam. I assume you've eliminated all accessible pipes by feeling for air leaking, right?
I did. And I tried using incense to try and see if the leak would reveal itself. It sounds loudest at the rear exhaust header right behind the frame that is inaccessible.
2016 at 6:33 AM, auggius, May 15Update: It still sounds the same 2 years later. Now I am wondering if it is the muffler itself that is rusted out internally. So by any chance is there a 4th gen owner with a spare muffler I could try or buy for cheap?
Hey Auggius
Don't know if you still have a problem with the stock exhaust on you're 4th gen but I have a barely used stock pipe from a 96 VFR and it comes complete with a brand new mid pipe to header OEM gasket. Shoot me a PM if you're interested. I've sold the bike and the parts are currently just sitting in the garage taking up space.
14 hours ago, zoomzoomHey Auggius
Don't know if you still have a problem with the stock exhaust on you're 4th gen but I have a barely used stock pipe from a 96 VFR and it comes complete with a brand new mid pipe to header OEM gasket. Shoot me a PM if you're interested. I've sold the bike and the parts are currently just sitting in the garage taking up space.
Yep, still noisy. I bought a new exhaust gasket but couldn't figure out how to remove the old one. I since found a thread on how to do it here. But I'm pretty sure that's not the problem. I think it's at the exhaust head because the noise is coming from right behind the frame. It's either a loose exhaust nut, broken exhaust gasket or rusted out pipe. I don't think the sound would migrate back up the pipe if it was the muffle. Anyway, all that to say, I will pass, unless you happen to be coming to Kaslo and bring the pipe and I could try it on my bike and it solves my problem that is. :-)
Hmmmmm, well, I'd be happy to bring the exhaust with me and the ride to Kaslo from Kelowna is fantastic.. You might just have a deal. Hope you get the exhaust leak figured out though. If the header pipes were cracked or an exhaust stud broken that would be less than desirable. I gave a friend in Kelowna a hand rebuilding his 98 VFR800 and finding a replacement exhaust for his bike was a huge PITA. His bike had been ridden VERY hard by previous owner and there was a lot of damage from a slide that the PO said did not happen, despite all evidence to the contrary. When we removed the not so shiny Two Bros slip-on link pipe, we thought the gasket came off with it and that was what the thick piece was that was stuck to the inside of the link pipe. NOPE, it was the end of the exhaust header that had rusted right through and broke off with the link pipe. OOPS. After that fiasco, it just got worse from there.
But I digress, I sincerely hope yours does not go that route. :)
Hey ZZ - That'd be cool. Let me know if you're headed this way. I work from home so I'm usually around during the day. I'm hoping it's a simple fix but I'm not optimistic.
zoomzoom, 2016-06-16 at 7:13 PMHmmmmm, well, I'd be happy to bring the exhaust with me and the ride to Kaslo from Kelowna is fantastic..
Do you still have the exhaust? I may have someone coming from Kelowna that can deliver. Let me know. Thanks.