rear pipe glowing
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Likes: 5
From: SE London/Kent Borders UK
rear pipe glowing
Hi All
Was out for a ride last night and a mate noticed my rear pipe glowing when giving it the beans, by the time we came to a stop it had stopped but he kept an eye on it for the rest of night and it happened a couple more times, only really when travelling at above 70mph or accelerating hard.
Bike is running the stock carb with a 190 main and a 45 pilot (if i remember correctly) RSD open filter a Hi-4 ignition that is advanced a bit i think up to number 7 of 10, screamin eagle coil and leads and a pair of supertrapps
The Y piece it was glowing from has been repaired after splitting and i have a brand new Y piece sitting in a box (ebay bargain) that i was going to put on over the winter
I read somewhere the pipes would glow if it was running to lean is that correct? again if i remember correctly the mixture is about 2.5 turns out.
What do i do? will it cause damage? i am off in a couple of weeks on a 600+ mile weekend so would like it to be sorted before i go.
Cheers
Neil
Was out for a ride last night and a mate noticed my rear pipe glowing when giving it the beans, by the time we came to a stop it had stopped but he kept an eye on it for the rest of night and it happened a couple more times, only really when travelling at above 70mph or accelerating hard.
Bike is running the stock carb with a 190 main and a 45 pilot (if i remember correctly) RSD open filter a Hi-4 ignition that is advanced a bit i think up to number 7 of 10, screamin eagle coil and leads and a pair of supertrapps
The Y piece it was glowing from has been repaired after splitting and i have a brand new Y piece sitting in a box (ebay bargain) that i was going to put on over the winter
I read somewhere the pipes would glow if it was running to lean is that correct? again if i remember correctly the mixture is about 2.5 turns out.
What do i do? will it cause damage? i am off in a couple of weeks on a 600+ mile weekend so would like it to be sorted before i go.
Cheers
Neil
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I've seen pics of engines on test beds with the entire system glowing bright and pretty impressive it looks too! That Y pipe is also a bit of a nightmare as exhausts go, so I'm not surprised if it is a hot-spot. Does your mate have a Harley and does his do this too? You could be pushing forward the frontiers of exhaust study here!
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Likes: 5
From: SE London/Kent Borders UK
Yes he does (cross bones) and no his doesnt!
i didnt actually see it myself, couldnt catch a look while riding at that pace! im just a little concerned i could be doing damage somewhere
i didnt actually see it myself, couldnt catch a look while riding at that pace! im just a little concerned i could be doing damage somewhere
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
You're just thrashing the life out of it! Joking aside if you consider the colours that pipe turns to, blues and browns etc when cold, ir is getting pretty hot at some times. My first Harley, a shovel, was my first experience of bikes with shiny heat shields and I was horror struck at the state of the pipes the first time I removed the shields. Nothing surprises me now!
A rudimentary google suggests exhaust temperatures are around 700 degrees C coming out of the head, which corresponds to red hot. So it doesn't sound as if your pipe is unduly hot, although this is hardly a scientific analysis!
A rudimentary google suggests exhaust temperatures are around 700 degrees C coming out of the head, which corresponds to red hot. So it doesn't sound as if your pipe is unduly hot, although this is hardly a scientific analysis!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Likes: 5
From: SE London/Kent Borders UK
I wasnt hanging around
when it was glowing i hadnt dropped below 80 for about 10 mins or so. Since fitting the batwing its just so much nicer to ride it at higher speeds 
when it was glowing i hadnt dropped below 80 for about 10 mins or so. Since fitting the batwing its just so much nicer to ride it at higher speeds
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Could be normal for your set-up, or you could have an air leak at the gasket, possibly a pin hole on the weld/repair on the Y-pipe causing an "afterburn" of the exhaust. Hope this helps. Remember don't ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!!!!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Likes: 5
From: SE London/Kent Borders UK
Ok thanks for the input, i may see if i can get the time to fit the new Y piece in the next couple of weeks to rule that out.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
Be sure to check for an intake tract leak also while you're looking it over. A leak can/will cause a lean condition that will make things real hot. Good Luck.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Decatur, Alabama
"giving it the beans" I like that especially with some fried taters, a green onion, cornbread, and sweet tea. (It's getting close to lunch)
Anyway, have you looked at the plugs? They should tell you if you're running lean or not.
Anyway, have you looked at the plugs? They should tell you if you're running lean or not.
