Front downpipe

[TSM]

I took the front down pipe off to clean it up, on putting it back i sprayed the ends with copper grease. After it starts up i seem to be getting a leak at the two joints.

Do i need to get a new front gasket? Where from?

The link has a allen key bolt that was so corroded that the key has started to strip the head of the bolt. I was just going to get another one.

Also one of the bolts that holds on the front pipe in place, decided to strip itself and so i had to change it for another one i had. I will probably need to get the thread on the engine redone because near the bottom the old bolt did a bit of dammage and cross threaded itself.

And of the guru in london able to help?

[Sid Squid]

Ricardo

You might need new gaskets, they're not designed to be removable although if you're careful they can be re-used. But before spending money take it apart again and refit it all carefully. There's no benefit in greasing the gaskets, just make sure there's a smear on the head of the pipe where it locates in the recess in the head, and on the nuts, don't overtighten, it can distort and won't seal, also there's a real possibility the studs will be damaged, this is grief if they break.
Try cleaning the grease off and re-assembling carefully, fit the pipe and tighten the clamp on the head first, make sure that you bring the clamp plate on the exhaust port up square, and that both nuts are similarly tightened, also ensure that the pipe is entering the sleeve joint fully and correctly, if not the front pipe won't be square on the head, and if the bits aren't touching it's never going to seal.

The original clamps - the bottom of the front pipe and at the rear head - are notoriously rust prone, if it's just the bolt which goosed you could just replace that, if the clamps are rusty get a couple of clamps from a bike shop, but note that the originals are held on to the pipework with a couple of tack welds.

[TSM]

I think the collar is distorted because it is only pushing on the sides of the header pipe. I will take it off tommorow and try to flatten it.

I changed the bolt on the sleave joint to a proper bolt type not allen key. It still seems not to seal properly even when i cant tighten it any more.

I was going to put some of that exhaust sealant on it tommorow when i take it off.

[TSM]

Could not be bothered to wait.

I put it on again and now the front seems sealed but the joint for the downpipe even though it it tighened to the max still seems to give off some smoke.

I dont know if its burning off wd40/copper grease or if it is a leak.

i dont know much about the exhaust, but i do know that WD40 gives off a whitey smokey steam and has a wiered smell when left on a hot exhaust. Take the bike for a 15 minute ride. If it was WD40 burning off, then it will have stopped smoking.
If it is still smoking i have been no help what so even and i will now shut up

SPeeeeDY

[Viney]

I dont even have a clamp on where the down pipe meets the collector and it dont leak Took mine off as it had corroded.

[Sid Squid]

That'll be OK as long as it wasn't leaking when it was last assembled, but it may be necessary to use a clamp to fit it all together to start with, especially if the lower sleeve joint has been expanded by wiggling the front downpipe out without loosening the other fixings on the exhaust to allow a little movement.

[TSM]

All this an excuse to get a full system.