Glowing pipes
Thread Starter
|
Stage II
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Glowing pipes
I have a 2005 softail standard EFI.My rear pipe glows orange at an idle.My heat shield is starting to turn purple from the heat.I have Vance and Hines pipes and screaming eagle airkit and stage one download.I tried TFI box. changed plugs.The bike runs great the oil temp is always between 180 to 200 degrees.There seems to be absolutely no problem except the pipe glowing.Ive been toldeverything fromchange fuel injectors to if it aint broke dont fix it.I just dont feel comfortable with the pipe glowing.Any help would be great.Thanks
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,269
Likes: 12
From: NJ
RE: Glowing pipes
Try the next colder range of spark plugs.............You can't hurt anything...........The worst that can happen is the colder plugs might foul.......Then you'll know if their to cold. If they work, the heads will run cooler
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Glowing pipes
How were the plugs, normal tan or white? If they're white the mixture is too lean and that's not a good thing. I'm just wondering how the mixture for the map is set. If it it's a download from HD, maybe it's set a bit lean for better mileage? If you can, maybe get somebody to measure Air/Fuel-ratio?
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 97
Likes: 2
From:
RE: Glowing pipes
Pipes on a street bike should absolutly never get that hot and even if there were a time when that might happen it certainly is not at idle. "Cold" plugs won't help. What cold means when refering to plugs is that the heat at the tip will transfer to the case quickly - that is accomplished by increased contact area between the center electrode's insulator and the outer case. It doesn't have any effect what so ever on how hot exhaust gasses are, only on the tip temperature of the plug. Plug heat range is really about the last step in a tuning process and generally has insignificant effect on performance of a stree bike.
Youprobably don'teven have to look at the plugs to know what color they will be. They will be clean nice white or maybe even with little rings of burned looking gray right up by the electrode. From what you are saying its also possible that you may see some scaleing of the insulator (little chunks that break off) or even some slight (hopefully its only slight) melting of the electrodes themselves. In any event the plugs only tell you what's going on, they don't cause the sort of problem you are having - that is a problem fuel control problem.
To misquot the Barb, 'hie thee to a mechanic'. It is difficult to even immagine an ECU gone berserk causing that kind of heat at idle so the problem probably lies in the injector or the delivery system (pump and plumbing). I say that because it seems to me that if the problem was a vaccuum leak it would have to be so massive that I wouldn't expect the engine to idle at all.
Youprobably don'teven have to look at the plugs to know what color they will be. They will be clean nice white or maybe even with little rings of burned looking gray right up by the electrode. From what you are saying its also possible that you may see some scaleing of the insulator (little chunks that break off) or even some slight (hopefully its only slight) melting of the electrodes themselves. In any event the plugs only tell you what's going on, they don't cause the sort of problem you are having - that is a problem fuel control problem.
To misquot the Barb, 'hie thee to a mechanic'. It is difficult to even immagine an ECU gone berserk causing that kind of heat at idle so the problem probably lies in the injector or the delivery system (pump and plumbing). I say that because it seems to me that if the problem was a vaccuum leak it would have to be so massive that I wouldn't expect the engine to idle at all.
Thread Starter
|
Stage II
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
RE: Glowing pipes
Thank you seem very informative.I saw a recall for 06 models where the injectors were firing at an 8Dgr angle instead of 25 or something like that.This was causing fuel to be injected into the pipe where it was combusting.So injectors may be the way to go!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 10
From: Orange VA
RE: Glowing pipes
Not sure if injectors would help but if nothing else you can rule that out. The 8 degree "recall" is really a service bulletin which addresses potential cold start stalls and drivability issues from the use of the 8 degree spray pattern. The 8 degree injectors caused problems with early 2006 models. The fix mid-year was to move to the 25 degree injectors and issue the bulletin that authorized a cost free replacement for you if it can be shown that your injectors are causing the problem.
Having said all that glowing pipes sounds like a really lean setup. There are a few ways you could end up that way. I'd look first at the simple stuff and go from there.
Who did your download? Check for the possibility that you have the wrong map. A lean bike can feel very powerful, make the pipes glow but experience no other negative symptoms, and have the wrong A/F ratio all at the same time.
If the problem persists once you are sure your map is right, check for intake leaks. Its unlikely since you said you had no ridability issues but the red pipes are not normal per se so something is to blame. You have to assume a leak is there until you can say for certain you don't.
If you rule both of those out I'd see a mechanic and have the A/F ratio measured and see if they can find the cause.
For the masses: Would an air leak at the exhaust flanges create overly lean exhaust gases and red pipes? Guessing no, once the gases leave the engine they amount to hot air. External air entering, even from the flanges, would at worst, cool the pipes. Anyway, the base question is what kind of ridability issues should you expect from an improperly sealed exhaust flanges?
Having said all that glowing pipes sounds like a really lean setup. There are a few ways you could end up that way. I'd look first at the simple stuff and go from there.
Who did your download? Check for the possibility that you have the wrong map. A lean bike can feel very powerful, make the pipes glow but experience no other negative symptoms, and have the wrong A/F ratio all at the same time.
If the problem persists once you are sure your map is right, check for intake leaks. Its unlikely since you said you had no ridability issues but the red pipes are not normal per se so something is to blame. You have to assume a leak is there until you can say for certain you don't.
If you rule both of those out I'd see a mechanic and have the A/F ratio measured and see if they can find the cause.
For the masses: Would an air leak at the exhaust flanges create overly lean exhaust gases and red pipes? Guessing no, once the gases leave the engine they amount to hot air. External air entering, even from the flanges, would at worst, cool the pipes. Anyway, the base question is what kind of ridability issues should you expect from an improperly sealed exhaust flanges?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
