Topic: Exhaust, drilling a hole?

[Jim Shea]

I read that to prolong the life of a silencer, it is a good idea to drill a couple of holes to allow any water/condensation to drain away. Is this a good or bad idea? Or is this only to be done on old or original pipes?

[KB02]

The motorcycles that I have owned with stock exaust have been few and far between. But, the few that I have had, if I remember correctly have a all (okay mostly) had a whole to vent extra condensation (My Ducati did not have said whole).  I can only imagine that this is where the idea for drilling a whole, if one does not exist, come from.

Mu sggestion is if you don't have one, don't drill it. If the factory placed one in there, it would have been done in a such a fasion so as to not impeed on the baffeling process. If you were to drill a whole, your percision would not be a good (I'm guessing).

If you want the condensation out, I say just ride it more.   

[Jim Shea]

I'm told that if you ride for at least 10-15  miles at least it should warm up enough?

[dpen]

Best way to avoid condensation is to get the exhaust hot.

Starting the bike for a short period and turning it off leaves condensation in the pipe which gathers at the lowest point, therefore a rust hole.

If you're not going for a ride, at least warm the bike up so that the exhaust is too hot to touch before turning the motor off.

[mylittleho]

If you want the condensation out, I say just ride it more.   

DING DING DING.. I talked to a guy who owns a muffler shop. and he said that most muffler (this is for cars) rust out because the exhaust doesn't get a chance to heat up enough to get rid of the condensation in the exhaust so it rots the exhaust from the inside out.. he said a minimum of 30 minutes of constant driving is needed to evaporate any and all moisture in a typical automotive exhaust system.. Probably less time with a bike since there are no catalytic converters and a lot less tubing.. etc..

[Jim Shea]

I met a guy today who had a 1982 Goldwing(I know, what,s this got to do with the SOHC you cry, so I will explain). He had made his bike sound nice and had not affected the performance badly, by putting a hole in the baffles. He said get a rod with a point on the end that will fit down the pipe and make a hole in the baffle and it will sound great. I await your comments and of course any deserved abuse. 

Btw, I have a 4 into 1 with a Motad silencer and when you look in to the end of the silencer there is a plate about 3-4 inches inside, so I can not see how you could do this anyway!?

[dusterdude]

jim,that can happen,i would say just dont get too happy with the rod.

[Jim Shea]

Dusterdude,
I just had a look in to the end of the Motad and I can see a metal plate about 3-4 inches down inside the silencer. So, how would you make the hole, or si that the baffle referred to?
Jim.

[dusterdude]

i would say it probably is,it should have some small holes on the outer edge i would think.as far as making a hole goes,take something sharp or if you can stick a drill bit down there and just make a hole.go slow and test the sound after each sizing.

[Jim Shea]

No holes visible anywhere on the plate, and it is only 3 inches from the end of the silencer? A drill bit would reach easily. I will wait to see if anyone has experience of the Motad before I do something stupid!

[dusterdude]

good idea,thats probably the plate you want to drill,but its good to wait for someone whos been there.

[Jim Shea]

Thanks mate, for once I am not going to rush in there and have a go. The Motad would be costly to replace if I balls it up!

[stevej]

To release water/condensation from your exhaust find the lowest point generally somewhere around the collector box and drill a 1/8" hole,a dab of zink paint will protect any bare metal .Another slightly controvertial tip I was given is to add a thimblefull of 2 Stroke oil to your petrol when filling up this is apparently a good upper cylinder lubricant and coats the inside of your ex system (eventually)!I have done these jobs for over the last 15 years and with the exception of one second hand silencer ive had good results and my 550 engine still runs fine on 42000 miles.

[78_SaltLick]

ive been told my pipes dont have a baffle, they are straight pipes......the bike is loud i guess for that reason its a 4 into 1. Obviously these are not stock pipes. Do i have to worry about condensation with the pipes i got? I dont think so, but not sure.

[Buffo]

I dont have any pipes...I do have a header...I will drill a hole just to add another hole that noise can escape from 

[bowhunter]

ive been told my pipes dont have a baffle, they are straight pipes......the bike is loud i guess for that reason its a 4 into 1. Obviously these are not stock pipes. Do i have to worry about condensation with the pipes i got? I dont think so, but not sure.

Even tho they're straight pipes, unless you ride the bike long enuf to get the pipes hot enuf to boil water, water can still condense inside the pipe. Put a small hole in the pipe at it's lowest point when it's on  it's stand.(center or side) If not, you'll get rust sooner or later,more likely sooner, exhaust gasses are very acidic.

Bowhunter

[Jim Shea]

Is there any need to drill a drain hole in a modern replacement exhaust, such as the Motad on my bike? and do you drill on the silencer or the pipe?

[Gregorymoto]

Hay hear is an old trick to keep your pips from rusting.

1. if it not chromed paint the header with POR Header Paint or have it ceramic coated, no powder coat.
2. Keep the bike covered when outside.
3. Ride it. That will get all the moisture out of the pip.

The reason the stock pipes rust is not moisture build up inside the can it is the build up of moisture in the pressed stamped metal.
If you look at a shot rusty junk exhaust you can see different layers of sheet metal that was pressed together to make the pip. It is #$%* work but fast to produce.