I noticed that my header pipe is melting the clear plastic intake tube near the air box(it almost touches) I am running some aluminum tape to help shed the heat. Is this common for Big Gun or, is something wrong with mine? The other thing I dint like is gluing the header/silencer joint with copper pookie, and not a clamp. I also noticed the exhaust studs looked like they bent when I tightened the flanges up( the corners of the flanges bent in also) and I did not think I tightened them that much... All else is very nice.

 

I've had my Big Gun for over a year now and have had no problems with the air intake, I did however melt my clutch cable when it was laying on the headpipe and I didn't see it. I have always had problems sealing the pipe junction, I've tried copper sealant, chamber seal, even automotive muffler tape and still can't keep it sealed, it gets really hot and burns everything up, I've seen high-temp rubber gaskets with with round spring clamps at each end on two-strokes, I don't know if this would work on four-strokes though. If anyone has any good ideas, let us know!! Also, the flanges that secure my headpipes look slightly bent in also and I didn't torque them down superhard, no problems though! After a year, the pipe performs good, sounds good, and still looks brand new!!

 

Sounds like you have the old pipe that laid on the clutch arm? Mine is the new bend that clears the side case but I think that made it run too close to the intake snokel. mine seals good so far. I put a wide bead of pookie in the fttg. and tightened the can first then when I tightened the header as the copper gaskets crushed down it wedged them together pretty good.