Header Pipe Not Secure

Shelby-Right said:

Hi Baz, do you know if the stsinless header flange part of yours was just tig welded on the end i:e the bit that seals against the head , and or if it was welded like the one shown , this is were its nice to back purge with argon which will remove the sugaring and improve the strength, Cheers.

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Tornado said:

I think some of the clever setups using springs to secure header to exhaust ports, to eliminate the need to use threaded roses and all the issues those give us, would also reduce/eliminate the header pipe cracks, no?

When I helped a guy swap out his catalytic converted cross over pipe on a water cooled bonneville a couple of yrs ago, the headers were clamped to the exhaust ports but had a flexible glass/asbestos? fibre "gasket" btwn pipe and cylinder. Should provide some movement, reduce fatigue cracks.

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baz said:

One thing I have done for many years now is to dispense with the silencer clamps

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Torontonian said:

I'm willing to try this idea of removing the clamps .
Do you run the fit dry , or perhaps high temp silicone to effect a seal ? Or absorb any vibration wear ?

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Tornado said:

While checking over carbs to fix a sooty left side sparkplug, discovered left side header not hold tight at rose nut to head. These are pre-balance pipe headers with a flange and I've fitted the longer type rose nuts. Head has a alu-bronze thread sleeve that is in place and very solid. No matter how tight I make the rose, the header still rocks side to side. Tried either steel or copper exhaust crush seals, no difference. There is enough movement to permit the header to rattle against the side stand nut or tang at certain lower rpm.

Any ideas what to check? Thinking to try wrapping copper wire around pipe flange to help nut compress more evenly...

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