Guys I opened a thread yesterday with vid in the title. But could not gt the vid to work in the thread but it works in my photobucket account.

Anyway I want to ask a couple of questions.
First question is should I have to keep tightening the flange nuts? I tightened after 50 or so miles and it seem after 50 miles of riding again and I check and I can still tighten some more. Is this normal?

Secondly the exhaust (not the heat shields) up near the flange where you can see pst the heat shields show some discoloration. It looks like it is a bit brown an blue. I know lean conditions produce this discoloration but am I not expected to get this coloration with my instal of Stage 1 A/C, exhaust and PV?

Do you guys do a leak test on your exhaust install to ensure there is no leak? I believe I did the install right but wondering if this leak test helps confirm your thinking that it is done right. If you do what simple test can you try to confirm there is no leak?

Thanks for the help...

 

Did you change out the exhaust gaskets in the head? The factory style are soft and could cause that feeling of not being tight enough. I used the screamin eagle style on my install and have been great, nuts and studs torque down fine.

Discoloration of the actual pipe is a normal condition. Half of the pipe looks like that.

A smoke check might work to detect leaks, I've always checked audibly and witu a wet finger (like when you use your finger to detect wind direction) when cold for leaks after install when the bike is cold.

 

I haven't had to continually tighten them. I do check them every so often though.

I agree with ebeattie, pipe discoloration is normal. My pipe did the same thing and I did the stage 1 upgrade.

I have not used the smoke check.

 

+1 on the SE gaskets. I torque checked mine a couple times a day untill it stabilized then, I put another set of nuts on the studs on top of the others to prevent them from backing off.

Worked for me.

Best wishes....Tim(HT)

P.S. Although they say not to; a little dab of high-temp anti-sieze isn't a bad thing. IMO

 

Thanks for chiming in. I thought the discoloration was because my bike may be running lean etc. Wanted to check to make sure. Since the exhaust are chromed did not want to further without checking to see if the same condition is with others. So that is out of the way.

To reply to one's question...yeah I used the gasket supplied from V&H. These look like the Screaming Eagle gasket...in that it is much thinner than the original gasket. I went with the SE gasket since this is what everyone says to use.

Think I am going to tighten a bit more and ride and tight a bit more if necessary. Should be fine altho I followed the service manual saying to tighten around 13 N-M. (torque spec).

I think I got all this **** right. I know it took me a bit longer for a first time cuz I initially did not get the bracket bolts from V&H and this laid me down a bit waiting. But if I had to do it again I can probably do it all in 2 hrs or so. I am no stranger with tools but with a HD this is a first time for me which is why I asked you guys.

 

No worries man, sounds like you did a great job. In the world of harley diy, the only stupid question is the one not asked!

 

You should really re-tighten those flange nuts once ---> cold. Meaning tighten them take her for a run 50 mile or so, then let it cool and tighten once. that's it, and blue- brown color is normal = my 2 cents!

 

+1^. This won't protect you from the slings and arrows of outrageous members, but you'll be more educated.

 

X2. Like I mentioned to you in your last thread. If you torque these things HOT, you could wind up breaking stuff.

I didn't start off with the maximum recommend torque setting. That is probably why I had to retorque mine a few times. I bumped up my torque a little each time I found them loose. I'm still not at max recommended torque. But they are tight every time I check the now.