Need Pipe Help! Repair/Replace 650E pipes?

[iDodgimus]

Dang!

The maintenance was going great until we tried to remove the No4 Pipe/Muffler to switch with a non-dented one.

Short story shorter:
- No1 Pipe/Muffler cracked and fell off at the welded joint.
- No3 Header/Crossover was so badly rusted that it crumbled at the sleeve when it was removed.

My mechanic mate seems to think that welding these parts back together isnt the greatest idea and that at most all it'll achieve is just buying a little time. What are you thoughts?

All I can find on Fleabay are parts (and the occasional complete system) for L models - any idea if they'd fit?

I'm at a bit of a loss, buying an unseen 30yr old pipe still has me a little nervous...

oh man, I was so stoked on getting this thing in tip top shape but now I'm already about $800 in the hole with more to come (shipping to canada's a killer)

Any help, advice or comforting would be greatfully appreciated...

 

[Bribird]

hey, sorry to hear about your bad luck. Ya I agree with your mechanic buddy, welding rusted metal is just about crap. And even you could get a decent weld, it would only be a bandaid and would probably rust out again pretty quickly.

Finding a good used one will be a bit tricky also...I could not find a decent one when I was doing my build so ended up going with a new 4 into 1. I do think any 650 header will work but I am not 100% sure... I would imagine some one who knows the subtle differnces between the g,gl model and the e model will be along shortly.

 

[nisom512]

Dang!

The maintenance was going great until we tried to remove the No4 Pipe/Muffler to switch with a non-dented one.

Short story shorter:
- No1 Pipe/Muffler cracked and fell off at the welded joint.
- No3 Header/Crossover was so badly rusted that it crumbled at the sleeve when it was removed.

My mechanic mate seems to think that welding these parts back together isnt the greatest idea and that at most all it'll achieve is just buying a little time. What are you thoughts?

All I can find on Fleabay are parts (and the occasional complete system) for L models - any idea if they'd fit?

I'm at a bit of a loss, buying an unseen 30yr old pipe still has me a little nervous...

oh man, I was so stoked on getting this thing in tip top shape but now I'm already about $800 in the hole with more to come (shipping to canada's a killer)

Any help, advice or comforting would be greatfully appreciated...

I hear ya man I am 500 in the hole with my 550 and I was planning on selling it this summer but I cant even seem to get it to run after doing everything humanly possible besideds rebuilding the entire engine.

I also had exhaust problems with my CB550 and I had my uncle weld it up and it barely fit but all i had him do was put the muffler back on. I would say with all that welding it is gunna be a hard fit.

SRY cant tell you about fit ment. but finding an old fuffler off of one is a good idea or find some bike salvage yards here in america and get one but unless you wanna spend 350 on a 4-1 and rejet your bike I would find a used one.

Good luck
Jake

 

[Clone]

There are still chrome 4-2 sets available out there. If you do a search on here you will probably come up with some part numbers from replacement sets.
No point welding.
You could probably get a couple of clamp on $59 emgo megaphones if your headers are still ok.
Otherwise, you will need to find a complete set or put on a couple of megaphones.

 

[schweighart2]

I saw a couple on ebay yesterday( the 4 into 2 kind ).

 

[iDodgimus]

I saw a couple on ebay yesterday( the 4 into 2 kind ).

yeah, one of them has a couple of holes in the mufflers, some of the other are of questionable quality.

anyhoo, all seem to be from a L models... i'm awaiting confirmation from someone (anyone?) to find out if they'd fit ray:

 

[iDodgimus]

After noticing that the MAC replacement pipes for a GS650 claim to fit ALL gs650s from 81-83 I figured that an 81 L model system cant be so far from an 81 E model that it'll be a bad fit.

Turns out that my local dealership has a garage FULL of old parts and there's a pretty shiny set of stock pipes in there... he's asking $295 for them so I'll be picking them up and putting them on this week.

Back to the scheduled maintenance!

 

[duaneage]

650L pipes fit on the 650G, the only difference is the center stand rest plate is different and can be moved over. I installed a set of 650G pipes on a 650L for a member and that was all we had to do to make them fit. If you look at the plate they are different because the center stand is shorter on the L


For a E model, gee I don,t know, I think they would still work, you might have to make a bracket. E's are rare, but the L and G models are plentiful

 

[donimo]

After noticing that the MAC replacement pipes for a GS650 claim to fit ALL gs650s from 81-83 I figured that an 81 L model system cant be so far from an 81 E model that it'll be a bad fit.

Turns out that my local dealership has a garage FULL of old parts and there's a pretty shiny set of stock pipes in there... he's asking $295 for them so I'll be picking them up and putting them on this week.

Back to the scheduled maintenance!

I am in the same boat as you, any chance he has a set for a gs400/450 in there? (mine is a 1983 gs400E)?

argh, exhaust...

 

[duaneage]

Just keep your old rear mounts, they are model specific. The cylinder spacing is identical on all three but you may need new pipe wrap for the crossover. I use permatex muffler patch, it is 3 dollars a pack and works great. The old packing will be shot and the dealer charges too much for their stuff. The Permatex patch comes in a 2 foot long strip 2 inches wide and is ideal for sealing the pipes again.

 

[iDodgimus]

Just keep your old rear mounts, they are model specific.

Good to know - will do, and any other mods that are needed will be noted and posted!

you may need new pipe wrap for the crossover

I'm hoping to not have to take it apart - its a complete assembled system.
I'm honestly hoping to be able to bolt the thing right on!

 

[iDodgimus]

hmmm... i just checked the part numbers on Alpha Sports and they're different between all 3 models (and we know that G/L are interchangeable), so no clues there...

I guess all I can do is take the busted one out and try comparing it visually

 

[duaneage]

The G pipes had GS650GX stamped on the muffler, and the other one had GS650GLX on it's muffler. But a side by side showed them to be identical. Every inch.

 

[iDodgimus]

a side by side showed them to be identical. Every inch.

I already have a right side header/muffler from an L model and couldn't spot a difference between that and my E's rh pipe...

so... going by your full G/L comparison, my single piped E/L comparison and MACs 'all models' system I think I should be good to go *gulp*

 

[nisom512]

are you gunna offer him the full 295 or less cause 295 seems kinda steep when you could just go and get a 4-1 from dennis kirk for around $325 and that would be bran new.

Jake

 

[iDodgimus]

are you gunna offer him the full 295 or less cause 295 seems kinda steep when you could just go and get a 4-1 from dennis kirk for around $325 and that would be bran new.

Jake

295 is kinda steep, but i'm in Canada so $325US turns into $400CAD, before shipping... plus, it's a stock pipe that I'm looking for.

He's got my by the short'n'curlies and there's nothing i can do about it

 

[iDodgimus]

just rechecked and the part no.s for the G and L models are the same but different to the E.


I compared my E-model rh muffler with an L-model rh muffler that i have and the only visible difference is the the bracket piece with the bolts on:

- the E model bracket is parallel with the muffler (which itself gets wider).
- the L model bracket is angled to so that the front of it is closer to the actual muffler than the back (keeping the bracket on more of a straight line as the muffler gets wider). the bracket is also positioned maybe 1/2 inch further back.

my hypotheseseses:
- the plate that holds the muffler to the frame (at the rear pegs) will need a new hole drilling in it to account for the repositioned bracket.
- the difference in angle of the bracket can be minimised by use of a few washers, and should only result in the mufflers being slightly more flared out at the rear that before, but i doubt this will be noticable.

i'll find out tomorrow by how much the centre pipe differs, and will post my findings.