How to remove exhaust headers? (Pointy)

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

I snapped the bolts off on my front cylinder as well, apparently they are really prone to it. I wasted hours trying to do it with the head still in situ, but in the end took it off. It comes off really easy

How? I take it you don't have to take the engine out of the frame then. Any more bolts at risk of snapping?

and for the sake/price of a head gasket

how much?

it's by far the best route. If you have broke a stud extractor off in one of the bolts you could be in trouble, unless you have managed to get it out

think most of it is out

it will be virtually impossible to drill the stud out. Did the bolts snap off immediately behind the bolt head leaving you with about 1/2" of stud sticking out or flush with the cylinder head?

in between

If the former you can try welding a nut over the top of the stud and getting it out that way, if not it's going to be a trip to a good engineering workshop, but it will be worth it, heads are expensive....

cheers

[Red Herring]

Head off is really easy on the front one, no you don't need to remove the engine.
Radiator off, intake unbolted, cam chain tensioner removed, cam cover off, cams out (taking care not to drop cam chain into engine) head bolts out (will need a long 12mm 1/2" drive socket) and head off. I invested in a Haynes manual for all the direction re setting up the cams and torque settings for the rebuild. Helps if you line up the timing marks before removing the cams and don't turn the engine whilst apart.
Good luck.

I had just about the same problem with mine (finished job last night), I just had the one bolt shear off, I tried everything to get it out but had no luck, in the end I drilled it out to 5.1mm and tapped it 6mm then made up a stud thats 6mm on one side and 8mm the other, loctited that in and also put an 8mm stud in other side, the 6mm part of the job is plenty strong enough to nip up the front pipe to get a seal, all is well until I take head off for big bore kit

[yorkie_chris]

A secondhand head will probably be cheaper than spark erosion if bodgetastic ways of removal don't work.

I'd always drill and tap rather than use a stud extractor on account of them being horrible.

[Stu]

Thats where your problem is, someone has replaced the studs with cheap ally bolts!!! Should look like below....

[Rich]

The headers on my pointy had cheap old ally bolts looks a better set up you got though DD, nice shiney pipe there!!!

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

Thats where your problem is, someone has replaced the studs with cheap ally bolts!!! Should look like below....

I've had the bike since it was 18 mths/2000 miles old - don't really know the history, but I'd be very surprised if it wasn't OEM

Sorry for the semi hijack. As this seems to be a common prob with these bolts.... Would it be prudent to change them early on for better bolts and use copper grease to make sure that when you actually need to take the pipes off you can?

Just thinking of poss saving myself some grief in the future!

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

Thats where your problem is, someone has replaced the studs with cheap ally bolts!!! Should look like below....

That's what I thought as well but when i looked at the rear pipe it had the same bolts. Which made me think that maybe they are standard?

Anyone with a pointy that confirm whether they're the same bolts?