Glowing pipes
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 330
Likes: 6
From: Jersey Shore
Glowing pipes
Hello all,
My '05 RKC has SE pipes, and the stage 1 air cleaner and download.
When the bike is ridden about 2 miles or so and I pull into the garage at night with the lights out, the front and rear pipes glow red right out of the heads and it pops pretty good on decel.
I'm told by the dealer this is normal.
My question is: What kind of damage is this doing to my alluminum cylinder and head parts, pistons & rings, exhaust valves, etc......
I'm told it has the correct parts and download.
I've been a mechanic all my life and have never seen any exhaust system glow that didn't have a problem.
In my opinion this engine runs way too lean. What do you guys think?
Thanks, Mixednuts
My '05 RKC has SE pipes, and the stage 1 air cleaner and download.
When the bike is ridden about 2 miles or so and I pull into the garage at night with the lights out, the front and rear pipes glow red right out of the heads and it pops pretty good on decel.
I'm told by the dealer this is normal.
My question is: What kind of damage is this doing to my alluminum cylinder and head parts, pistons & rings, exhaust valves, etc......
I'm told it has the correct parts and download.
I've been a mechanic all my life and have never seen any exhaust system glow that didn't have a problem.
In my opinion this engine runs way too lean. What do you guys think?
Thanks, Mixednuts
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Glowing pipes
They're gonna get hot all right. I had the same goodies installed on my 05 Ultra as feeebies by the dealer. I had exactly the same symptoms with mine. I also got the same canned answer fom the dealer when my left muffler blued. It's BS! Are you fuel injected or carburated? I changed out to duals and the popping went away immediately. Plug check showed good fuel burn. Head to the exhaust section and you'll find a wealth of information that will prove helpful.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Glowing pipes
You need to find anothe dealer that knows something or find you a independent. This is not normal or right. I assume you are fuel injected. Something that is very easy to put on and tune is a TFI http://www.dobeckperformance.com/ . I just put one on my 06. A freind of mine that has a shop said they have had the least problems with the TFI of all the ones they sell. They did there so called Stage 1 and download to mine before I got it. I put my own Rush mufflers on. It would fart back thru the throttle ever now and then and sometimes pop in the exhaust on decceralation always made some rumbling sounds in the exhaust on deccel but no more since I put the TFI on.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 610
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey
RE: Glowing pipes
Your bike seems to be running lean. Probably need a better download. Also check for leaks, especially where the headers attach to the heads. This will also create decel pop. When your new pipes were put on they may not have been torqued properly or had new crush gaskets installed.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,808
Likes: 0
From: Waynesville, NC
RE: Glowing pipes
Not to mention that maybe they were not re-torqued too. Added heat loosens the bolts, and can create a vacuum too.
Bob
Bob
ORIGINAL: Bill918
Your bike seems to be running lean. Probably need a better download. Also check for leaks, especially where the headers attach to the heads. This will also create decel pop. When your new pipes were put on they may not have been torqued properly or had new crush gaskets installed.
Your bike seems to be running lean. Probably need a better download. Also check for leaks, especially where the headers attach to the heads. This will also create decel pop. When your new pipes were put on they may not have been torqued properly or had new crush gaskets installed.
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RE: Glowing pipes
There is no such thing as the "Correct Harley Download." Your dealer is still in the 20th century. Find another dealer and get a SERT (Screamin' Eagle Race Tuner) or a PowerJet (PCIII) and have it tuned properly. You are running EXTREMELY lean.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Glowing pipes
I sold a 2000 BMW R1100RT before I purchased my current '05 Road King last March. The BMW headpipes loved to glow a really purty cherry red after just a couple minutes of fast idle - pipes were stainless steel and were a very nice shade of blue. In fact, the manual warned that upon firing up the bike, you should ride immediately or risk melting the plastic air directors located near the head pipes. I would guess that your red head pipes are something we all might see under the right light conditions. I will check mine when I get a chance. Although it may indicate an overly lean condition, I'd be more likely to think it's the result of the thinness of the headpipe metal and the proximety to the cylinder head where the internal temperatures run awfully high. Too cold to test here in Penna right now - perhaps it'll warm up tomorrow.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 629
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach, VA
RE: Glowing pipes
Lean bikes burn valves. Get the Power Commander III usb and upload the correct map for your bike and then get it dyno-tuned and you will not have any problems......
Good Luck.
Good Luck.