I'm having a heck of a time with my Big Gun Header. I can't get it to bolt up properly. I think i'm real cose but my friend (who helped me) says he swears there is a leak. It is sort of a slapping Whrrring noise? The two pieces of the header fit so tight that at the point there joined and, held by the spring you can't adjust the angles of the header to install into the ports, you have to keep pulling it out and, adjusting the angle then put it back to see if you got closer.

Is there anyway to tell if you have it on properly? Or, check for leaks?

I tried some wd40 to see if it would help adjust the header when you have it to the ports but, no dice. I called BigGun to ask for a tip and, they said "It Shouldn't be hard, our pipes are some of the easiest to install in the industry: put grease in it, NO DICE.....

Any Tricks?

 

I dont know about the big gun but I all ways had good luck placing the pipe on the rest of the bike and then placing the bolts on the head that mount the header last.

 

what I normally do is mount the header first
and loosely put the header nuts on

then put the silencer on and tighten it up
then go back and torque the header bolts to spec

 

Yeah but, was it hard for you to position the smallest of the 2 peices of the header to where it needed to be? It would be the left side header inlet if sitting on the bike.

How do you know if it is "seated" properly in the head or, not? What is the proper amount of torque for these bolts?

Is there a way to check for leaks? I tried putting my hand around it to see if i could feel air but it is WAY to hot instantly to tell.

 

i put the headers on and then put the rest of the exhaust on. no leaks.

 

You should put the header on before the muffler. This makes sure that it will be straight and with no leaks.
Put the header flanges in the ports on the head
snug the nuts up by hand
make sure that the clamps (big flat things that are loose) are even with the flanges in the ports
tighten it down enough so that the header doesn't move
put the muffler on
start bike and let it warm up
now tighten down on the header nuts a 1/4 turn at a time rotating between all 4 of them

 

Good advise....the only thing I can add is too make sure you have not lost the copper gaskets between the headpipes and the head before installation.

 

I AM only putting the header on first. The issue is i can't budge the Left side head pipe at all while it is inside the rest of the header (it is SUPER tight) So i can't make fine adjustments in angle when i'm bolting up the pipe if it is slightly off line. Bottom Line I can't get the header to line up into the ports correctly (i dont' think).

I think the problem is these pipes have a Ceramic coating on them and, it made the clearances to tight. For instance: I can lossen the clamp on the stock header pipe and, slide it anyhwere i want to get it to go in the exhaust ports but i have to completely remove the New one from the frame hold one end and, my friend hold the other and, try yo wiggle the pipes to make an ajustment. (So you know we are not whimps we both are 240lbs and, workout daily) So it really fits tight! We don't want to "Gorilla It" and, bend the pipe where it is not supposed to be though.

This Blows! Been sitting in the garage for 2 weeks cuz i'm scared to ride it not knowing if there is a leak and, will run to lean and damage something!

 

Capt, forgive me if this sounds like a smart a$$ remark, but If you can place your hand around the given connection, and not feel an air leak by hand why are you even concerned about it? If your having a hard time because the clearance between the pipe to pipe connection is too tight why not sand down the mating surfaces some? If I'm understanding you correctly, your saying that your header to motor connection is fine. Its one of the pipe to pipe unions your having a hard time with right? If thats the case I'd again say take some fine grit sand paper to the mating surfaces and see if that helps.

 

Yeah it is the pipe "union" that is tight, thus making near impossible to line up the header to exhaust port connection. I wasn't sure if i could sand down the "unions", i didn't want a leak there either.

Anyone know the proper Torque for the header flange bolts (the ones that hold the header into the head)?