Had my Fuelmoto Stainless 2-1-2 Ceramic coated headpipe installed by dealer along with a Stage 1 SE AC and SEPST They dropped the bike off at my house. I noticed an exhaust leak very quickly on the front header. Drove it to dealer to hear and he thought it was from AC but he heard a tick. Service Manager was not there. I take it home and tighten the front exhaust myself. It helped some but I still hear a tick when it cools off. It goes away after it warms up a bit. I did use the spiral wound gasket that fuelmoto recommends. Would you settle for the tick or have it redone by the dealer? fuelmoto said they must have installed it wrong but this dealership has installed thousands of headpipes. Service Manager thought I was too picky even though he has not even heard the tick in person. Would you try the spiral wound exhaust again(which I ordered extra set) or go with the factory HD gasket? It just kind of bothers me to hear the tick plus the idea of maybe paying the dealership to do the job over with no guarantee the header will not leak again? Bike is 2014 Limited with 1200 miles.

 

I would take it back and make the dealer fix it. Why should you pay for something again that they messed up? An exhaust leak is NOT acceptable...

 

Their response was that they have installed thousands of them and thought I was too picky but they would fix it. I think they would say that the tick is normal. I caught them running a $30 a hour special. Do I chance letting them use the spiral wound gasket or go with a OEM factory gasket. I don't want another leak and I have read of several people of the HDforums with problems with thefront header leaking.

 

I use the factory gaskets, most folks here have also reported good results with the factory gaskets.

 

They should recommend OEM gaskets and save a lot of headache and TIME which is MONEY but they didn't. What's so bad is with the Stage 1 I didn't notice any power difference between stage 1 versus stock with Rush Exhaust.

 

If properly installed, both types of gaskets work just fine. I prefer the type you used but the stock style will work too. It comes down to the "tech" they had do the work. If he can't install an exhaust (the most basic of jobs), I would NEVER let him or that dealer touch my bike again after they fix this f-up...

 

it sounds like they might have tighten the back first and then the header at the head?.... or the gasket not in right..... it shouldn't leak period

how bad is the leak? do you see it? feel it? hear it?

as far as the ticking after you turn the bike off..... that's normal with these non catted bikes.... all the HDs that I have seen out there include mine and my best friend's tick after you turn them off...

 

"Still hear a tick when it cools off" Can you explain further?
I got the standard steel 2-1-2 last Fall, I think it came with a gasket that I used to replace the stock gasket. I'd say it's up to the dealer to clear things up for you.

 

I installed the fuelmoto ceramic 2-1-2 myself had zero confidence that I got it installed correctly. It didn't "snap" into place as in the video and I had trouble with the bracket on the pipe hitting the bracket on the transmission. I used oem gaskets and did the exhaust nut torque sequence as specified in the service manual (bottom nut rear/top nut front/top nut rear/bottom nut front.....or something like that). I was sure it was going to leak. When I did mine we had 5 inches of snow on the ground and it's still here so I can't take it out and ride it. I did do five heat cycle runs for the ceramic on the head pipe and didn't hear any leaks, but those are idle only runs. I used a burning incense stick to see if I could detect any leak at the head and I couldn't........at idle. I had the bike picked up by the dealer for a dyno tune and I told them about my lack of confidence in the head pipe install. I told them that if they detected any leak during the dyno run they had my permission to do what ever it took to fix it and charge me for it. They brought the bike back to me and reported no exhaust leaks on dyno run. So I have my fingers crossed for spring. When it warms up I am going to recheck torque. I think the sequence is critical and anything other than the 99 inch lbs of torque that fuelmoto recommends could deform the gaskets and cause a leak. I REALLY wish that their billet collars had the taper machined in them so they fit LIKE oem exhaust WITH oem gaskets but it is what it is. Try the incense trick and see if you can CONFIRM a leak.

 

Installation and exhaust gasket orientation is very easy and straight forward. The Jackpot head pipe uses flat billet flanges for a precise fit, it is not difficult whatsoever. When using our flat gaskets you are mating two flat surfaces, you just need to make sure the pipe engages square to the port and it will seal perfectly, our gaskets are sized to the pipe and the port. You can also use the OEM style gaskets which will give you slightly more flexibility with the pipe orientation as they squish into place, fitment with OEM gaskets is not quite as precise as with our flat gaskets but they seal up just fine as well, not at all difficult either way. Also note most other aftermarket systems use the flat flanges including V&H, Rinehart, D&D, Supertrapp, etc.. so this same gasket/installation applies to these pipes as well. The best advice I can give is if you are installing any of our products and have any issues whatsoever to stop right there and pick up the phone and contact us, we can walk you or your installer right thru the installation process.