Hello all, some questions about wrapping exhaust pipes.

[okie_ponygirl]

Hello,

i'm new to this forum and don't know much about working on bikes but love learning by trial and error. bought my xs 400 last summer and would like to fix some minor problems and customize it a bit.

question 1: has anyone here ever wrapped their pipes with the fiberglass wrap? i plan on doing this to my bike in the next month, and i think a tan/cream color would blend nicely with the red tank on my bike. any suggestions appreciated.

question 2: i just changed my spark plugs again, and i've noticed that my right plug keeps fouling up. the right pipe is also not not getting hot like it should, and is cool to the touch after i'm done riding. this is a new development and am trying to figure out what's wrong. obviously it's running a little rough. i imagine the carbs need adjusting, but i'm wondering if something might be clogging the right pipe too. or maybe this is happening because it's running too rich.

like i said, i'm learning as i'm going. thanks for any help.

 

[corruptmind]

I know even standard exhaust wraps without the spray will smolder a bit when new. If it came down to it you could just find some high temp paint in the shade you're wanting or look into getting them anodized. Would have to find out from someone else about the fiberglass wrap.

Could be running too rich or could have gotten cold because the plug was fouled and wasnt firing at all. Check and be sure you have spark on that side first and then go from there.

Also, pics pics. We love them here.

 

[eric123]

Make sure your carbs are sync'd. Also, make sure your carbs are clean, very clean.

 

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

It should definitely not be cool to the touch. The next time you have the plugs out, do a simple compression test just to make sure there isn't a major issue with it. Unless the plug was fouled enough to bridge the gap, I don't see how running rich could prevent the cylinder from firing (in which case you may consider hotter plugs). I wouldn't suggest high-temp paint, since my attempt at that on my car didn't work at all. Not sure about the exhaust wraps, but I think the fiberglass itself will be fine, though I imagine it would need a special resin.

 

[bcXS400-81]

As others have stated, sounds like you may be running on one cylinder if the pipe is cool.

As far as I know most exhaust wrap is made of fiberglass material. Most brands are rated to 2000F so that shouldn't be a problem. I'd be curious to hear if anyone has used the "lava wrap" material they sell on eBay made from basalt. It's a fair bit cheaper than the fiberglass wrap.

 

[FUBAR]

all exhaust wrap is fiberglass.
you dont have to do anything to the pipes, just clean them with soap and water and dry.

the wraps ccome in a roll and you just dip them in a bucket of water and start wrapping at the top and work towards the end. use zip ties to help hold it in place.. once it dries the wraps will tighten and harden and you can get high temp clear silicone spray to spray on the wrap to keep the dirt off. viola done

 

[Stabler]

My tip on wrapping the pipes is that you start at the muffler and work your way up to the cylinder instead. This way you prevent your wrapping from coming loose by the wind while riding.
If you start at the top, the wind will catch in every layer and may pull the wrap, moving it and may create gaps in your wrapping. Just my 0.02.
Other than that, just as Fubar wrote.

 

[drewpy]

soak the wrap overnight and wear gloves.

make sure you buy enough length before you start.

use stainless wires to hold the wrap in place, if you do a search there is a link to a "how to" I used for mine.

Welcome to the forum

 

[okie_ponygirl]

thanks for all the suggestions! sounds like wrapping the pipes will be pretty easy and a fun project. as far as the carbs go, i plan on delving into that this weekend. i've never done them before but i have a manual i can reference.

and i'll be sure to post some pictures on here soon.

 

[PT_247]

is the wrapping of pipes purely a cosmetic thing or is there a benefit to doing so?

 

[drewpy]

is the wrapping of pipes purely a cosmetic thing or is there a benefit to doing so?

keeps the exhaust hot so it gets scavenged out quicker.

...and looks great too


It is not an easy thing to do neatly. Patience and acuracy is the key along with a third hand!

 

[okie_ponygirl]

wrapping helps keep the pipes from burning your legs (which i'm not really concerned about), and it also keeps radiant heat from escaping which in turn can potentially increase horsepower; this also helps in fuel efficiency. we'll see how this applies to a 400 though, it's probably more true for bigger bikes.

and yeah, it's cosmetic too. i love customizing so that everyone will know it's mine specifically and not theirs!

i'll have my boyfriend help me with it since you suggested a third hand. he can stand there and hold things and hand me tools when i tell him too

 

[OleDoc]

welcome to the forum.the wrap does look cool

 

[ace68]

Its more work,but removing the pipes from the bike makes it much easier.

 

[PT_247]

it certainly can look really good

 

[eric123]

The wrap will really do a number on the chrome, so make sure this is what you really want. Also, the pipes may tend to "rot" out. This may take years, but seems to be more pronounced with wrapped pipes. The theory is that the higher heat, amongst other things, makes the metal more brittle.

 

[okie_ponygirl]

that's interesting to note. i assumed that it would help protect them.

 

[eric123]

Header wrap tends to hold in heat as well as moisture...

 

[OleDoc]

yes they do hold in moisture but if you warm it up thoroughly they steam it off

 

[drewpy]

most peeps paint them with VHT ( I don't cause I like the used look)