Loose crossover

[Motorfinger]

My 03 Lemans front crossover tube is loose (bands are tight) and

bangs against alt cover?

Local dealer says thats normal. Is it?

[Martin Barrett]

My 03 Lemans front crossover tube is loose (bands are tight) and

bangs against alt cover?

Local dealer says thats normal. Is it?

61829[/snapback]

 

This is my peeve with my bike. I can't remember this being an issue in the first year of it's life. But when the headers cracked and were replaced, on replacing the balance pipe the dealer managed to graunch the gasket so it started blowing within 100 miles. I then went through several weeks of waiting for them to get new gasket, in the end I got my own.

 

I can't get it to all line up as tight as I would like and there is 5-10mm shoulder of the balance pipe protruding at one end.Line it all up and when tighten down at the heads they pull apart and expose the balance pipe spigot(?) further. I have suffered from not having done those nuts up tight enough, lost two and with only one nut per cylinder the balance pipe kept working loose and eventualy fell out, had to keep stopping to kick it back together and retighten thoose bolts.

 

It is still loose to move despite the bands being tight. The bolts are starting to round as well. I have new Allen keys and will be getting some new bolts and will attack it again.

 

I have the same issue on one of my silencers also. Despite stoping on group rides and suffering the attention of first BigJ and then the following day Baldini, apparently it still vibrates when riding. I can't see it so doesn't bother me (untill it falls off)

 

I could be tempted to replace the who lot with pre 02 pipes. Nice shiny ones with a set of Saintunes to match, but would show up my blistering cases even more.

[grossohc]

No it is not normal, Mine done the same, I slackened the exhausts and the bands on the crossover, its a bit fiddly but i got the crossover pipe seated properly tightened them up then tightened up the exhausts, just went out and checked, the pipe is still tight after a 1000 miles since i done it.

Gary

[Martin Barrett]

No it is not normal, Mine done the same, I slackened the exhausts and the bands on the crossover, its a bit fiddly but i got the crossover pipe seated properly tightened them up then tightened up the exhausts, just went out and checked, the pipe is still tight after a 1000 miles since i done it.

Gary  

61835[/snapback]

 

That's what I did. But on tightening at the cylinder heads splayed the pipes pulling out a bit on the cross over. I will do this again when I've got new bolts. The originals have started to round- thats what happens when you use th OE tool kit.

 

Managed over 6000miles since I last did this. I did notice that it has become a bit looser recently.

 

My under the tail spares include gaskets for the balance pipe

[txrider]

My front crossover also moves and so rests against the alternator cover. I emailed Todd at MPH inquiring about this so I could order new seals. His reply was that his does this too and it's normal.

 

Edit- Todd said this was normal as long as the crossover didn't show lateral (side to side) movement. The real test I suppose is whether there is exhaust gas leakage from the down tube to crossover connection junction. I think mine were ok until I removed them for polishing and twisted/pivoted them around during that work.

[grossohc]

thats what happens when you use th OE tool kit.

 

I didnt know there was crush gaskets in the balancer pipes. Something else to order , will be towing a trailer with all these essentials shortly. But i would not use any OE motorcycle toolkit to do any work on my bike as they are just the cheapest nastiest tools there is.

[Mike Stewart]

My front crossover also moves and so rests against the alternator cover.  I emailed Todd at MPH inquiring about this so I could order new seals.  His reply was that his does this too and it's normal.

61838[/snapback]

 

 

If the only problem was movement of the crossover, it would be normal. But my crossover rattles very badly. Very embarrassing when pulling up to a stop light with other bikes around. I have tightened the crossover once and the problem did go away but now it is back and the gaskets are just too worn to get rid of the rattle noise. Last time I checked, the crossover seals were on back order.

 

I did install the header pipes from my 00 V11 Sport and do notice a slight loss of low end torque from the front crossover. I am going to reinstall the 03 header pipes back on when the seals are available or perhaps I will make my own.

 

Mike

[Guest ratchethack]

My Pal's 03 LM had this. The leaking and constant banging against the alternator cover became a first class nightmare. After several aborted attempts by the dealer to kluge up some kind of a fix , he finally round-filed the crossover and had the "spigots" at the headers welded up. He said it was a great relief - like getting a new bike - 'cause he could finally enjoy riding again. He says he hasn't noticed any change in power.

[Martin Barrett]

There was this thread which featured shims made up to replace the OE gaskets which allowed the pipes to be clamped down hard

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2528&hl=

 

Some intresting comments on the pros and cons as well

[Skeeve]

thats what happens when you use th OE tool kit.

 

But i would not use any OE motorcycle toolkit to do any work on my bike as they are just the cheapest nastiest tools there is.

61839[/snapback]

 

Word! There is the occasional fluke, tho', like the circa late sixties Honda 10/12mm open end toolkit wrench I keep in my toolbox. Finish on it is execrable, it looks sandcast, but it's got a nice snug fit on the 10mm end, & a decent not-quite-loose one on the 12mm end. Better than a rubber biscuit, for free. [i consider all OEM toolkits "free," since they're mostly garbage, as you say, so anything found in'em worth [b]not[/b] throwing away is like found money! Hey, it may only be pocket change, but it's worth stooping over to pick it up... ]

[F344]

My 2003 just started this problem. Lucky for me, I ordered a set of the steel shims Martin mentioned above. Actually I ordered 2 sets so I have an extra set if anyone wants it. You could also try contacting the guy that had them made and see if he has anymore. I dont' know if he sold them all.

 

Anyway, I put mine on yesterday, and my crossover is tight now.

 

Frank

[Paul Minnaert]

Isn't it an idea to weld it on one side? so it won't bang the alternator cover. And one side less to have a problem with.

 

I do have a spare set for anyone interested.

[Guest ckamin]

I have a Cruz tool kit for my Harley (which didn't even come with a tool kit, cheap or not!) and another Cruz kit (metric) for the V11. Anything that the factory gives me I consider "extra", "additional", "spare", and "last resort". Both of my Cruz kits are their "top of the line" kits they sell and I wouldn't leave home without 'em!

 

-Carl

[Keith Foster]

My 2003 just started this problem.  Lucky for me, I ordered a set of the steel shims Martin mentioned above.  Snip

 

Frank

61867[/snapback]

 

I too have a set of the stainlass steel shims htat Turtle made up. I've had these in for 6000 miles or so and have had no loosening of the front crossover. It was a little bit of wiggling and pushing to get them to fit up, but they work great.

 

The OE sleeves are a graphite/asbestos (yeah I know it's not but it looks like the stuff) kind of construction, rather soft to my mind for this job.

 

If F344 has a set to give up I'd go for it, I recall $100 was what I paid turtle.