Running engine without Muffler???

[maddoc6974]

Before I start I just want to say how awesome this forum is, it's already helped me out quite a few times.

Anyways, just bought a '92 GS500E at the end of April.  PO was a real space cadet.  He installed a new slip on with a clamp, but the way he installed it is that whenever I make an aggressive right hand turn, I scrape the bottom of the exhaust pipe. I'm taking a trip to Tail of the Dragon next week and just realized that if I have that exhaust on it might catch on the road and send me flying.

So if I unscrew the muffler and leave just the exhaust pipe on for a day or two while driving the dragon, am I going to damage the engine or anything else or will it just be loud?  I plan on purchasing a stock muffler in the near future to permanently fix the problem, but am a broke college student looking to go on this trip.

[Twisted]

It is going to be fricken loud. You would be a cop magnet especially heading to a place frequented by motorcycles and police that are just looking for an excuse to pull you up.

Is there anyway you can get the mid pipe bent up at more of an angle at an exhaust place. I can't see it costing you to much if you pull the pipe off for them then take it in.

Would be better if we had some pictures so we could give you some better advice. But at the moment I would advise you to keep the muffler on.

[twocool]

Before I start I just want to say how awesome this forum is, it's already helped me out quite a few times.

Anyways, just bought a '92 GS500E at the end of April.  PO was a real space cadet.  He installed a new slip on with a clamp, but the way he installed it is that whenever I make an aggressive right hand turn, I scrape the bottom of the exhaust pipe. I'm taking a trip to Tail of the Dragon next week and just realized that if I have that exhaust on it might catch on the road and send me flying.

So if I unscrew the muffler and leave just the exhaust pipe on for a day or two while driving the dragon, am I going to damage the engine or anything else or will it just be loud?  I plan on purchasing a stock muffler in the near future to permanently fix the problem, but am a broke college student looking to go on this trip.

Will change mixture...to too lean......may cause damage.....will run hot...could burn valve...could burn spart plug..could burn piston....

Cookie

[noiseguy]

I'd take it to a muffler shop and have them look at it. Either way you're going to need to fix it at some point. Can you find a used factory system where you're at?

Bike will be running loud and lean/hot without a muffler.

My PO sawed the muffler off. Was quite loud, and sounded like an angry lawn mower. Fortunately he didn't run it long like that, and kept the can, which I welded back on.

[werase643]

if you are near W-S..... i'll take a look at it   have welder, if you have mountain dew 2L

[ben2go]

Before I start I just want to say how awesome this forum is, it's already helped me out quite a few times.

Anyways, just bought a '92 GS500E at the end of April.  PO was a real space cadet.  He installed a new slip on with a clamp, but the way he installed it is that whenever I make an aggressive right hand turn, I scrape the bottom of the exhaust pipe. I'm taking a trip to Tail of the Dragon next week and just realized that if I have that exhaust on it might catch on the road and send me flying.

So if I unscrew the muffler and leave just the exhaust pipe on for a day or two while driving the dragon, am I going to damage the engine or anything else or will it just be loud?  I plan on purchasing a stock muffler in the near future to permanently fix the problem, but am a broke college student looking to go on this trip.

Will change mixture...to too lean......may cause damage.....will run hot...could burn valve...could burn spart plug..could burn piston....

Cookie

It will lean out some.Not sure how much since the airfilter,exhaust,and jetting are unknown.

[twocool]

Before I start I just want to say how awesome this forum is, it's already helped me out quite a few times.

Anyways, just bought a '92 GS500E at the end of April.  PO was a real space cadet.  He installed a new slip on with a clamp, but the way he installed it is that whenever I make an aggressive right hand turn, I scrape the bottom of the exhaust pipe. I'm taking a trip to Tail of the Dragon next week and just realized that if I have that exhaust on it might catch on the road and send me flying.

So if I unscrew the muffler and leave just the exhaust pipe on for a day or two while driving the dragon, am I going to damage the engine or anything else or will it just be loud?  I plan on purchasing a stock muffler in the near future to permanently fix the problem, but am a broke college student looking to go on this trip.

Will change mixture...to too lean......may cause damage.....will run hot...could burn valve...could burn spark plug..could burn piston....

Cookie

It will lean out some.Not sure how much since the airfilter,exhaust,and jetting are unknown.


Also...I have heard..running short exhaust pipe(s) with no muffler can cause valves to warp.....cold air enters thru exhaust when the engine is turned off and rapidly cools valves unevenly...

cookie

[ryott52]

In summary, I believe that the consensus is that it's a bad idea. Take a look for stock exhausts, they're cheap and not terribly hard to find.

[ben2go]

Before I start I just want to say how awesome this forum is, it's already helped me out quite a few times.

Anyways, just bought a '92 GS500E at the end of April.  PO was a real space cadet.  He installed a new slip on with a clamp, but the way he installed it is that whenever I make an aggressive right hand turn, I scrape the bottom of the exhaust pipe. I'm taking a trip to Tail of the Dragon next week and just realized that if I have that exhaust on it might catch on the road and send me flying.

So if I unscrew the muffler and leave just the exhaust pipe on for a day or two while driving the dragon, am I going to damage the engine or anything else or will it just be loud?  I plan on purchasing a stock muffler in the near future to permanently fix the problem, but am a broke college student looking to go on this trip.

Will change mixture...to too lean......may cause damage.....will run hot...could burn valve...could burn spark plug..could burn piston....

Cookie

It will lean out some.Not sure how much since the airfilter,exhaust,and jetting are unknown.


Also...I have heard..running short exhaust pipe(s) with no muffler can cause valves to warp.....cold air enters thru exhaust when the engine is turned off and rapidly cools valves unevenly...

cookie

If the cool air story is true, then all of us that are running flow through mufflers are in trouble.It's the lean condition that causes over heated valves to burn.A clean even burning mixture is cooler than a lean mixture.Too rich of a mixture is even cooler and will quench the burning fuel and cause carbon build up.

[twocool]

If the cool air story is true, then all of us that are running flow through mufflers are in trouble.It's the lean condition that causes over heated valves to burn.A clean even burning mixture is cooler than a lean mixture.Too rich of a mixture is even cooler and will quench the burning fuel and cause carbon build up.
[/quote]


Short pipe is the problem..........if you have a fairly long pipe, even with flow thru muffler, it should prevent cold air from getting to the valve.......(pipes will retain heat, and too far for cold air to go)

My experience is from airplanes......both my planes have no muffler whatsoever  just two Y pipes.....but fairly long altogether......some guys run really short, like 8" straight pipes...these shorties can let cold air onto the valves...


Cookie

[maddoc6974]

Thanks all.  I'm going to try and find a muffler shop and see what they can whip up for me.

[ben2go]

If the cool air story is true, then all of us that are running flow through mufflers are in trouble.It's the lean condition that causes over heated valves to burn.A clean even burning mixture is cooler than a lean mixture.Too rich of a mixture is even cooler and will quench the burning fuel and cause carbon build up.

Short pipe is the problem..........if you have a fairly long pipe, even with flow thru muffler, it should prevent cold air from getting to the valve.......(pipes will retain heat, and too far for cold air to go)

My experience is from airplanes......both my planes have no muffler whatsoever  just two Y pipes.....but fairly long altogether......some guys run really short, like 8" straight pipes...these shorties can let cold air onto the valves...


Cookie
[/quote]

I was a pilot and aviation line tech.Aircraft engines are built different than automotive or motorcycle engines.Most are tuned to run at 2400 to 3600 rpm and the exhaust plays a big part in that.Most aircraft appear to not have mufflers, but they have baffles in the pipes.Yours may run straight tuned exhaust, but it is tuned to the engines narrow operating rpm range.Also,aircraft engines usually run 100LL which burns colder than automotive fuels.Cold air is possible in aircraft engines due to a few things 1)incorrect mixture setting for a specific altitude 2)not using the carb heat controls properly 3)to low rpm at a cold altitude temps.I have been at 10,000 feet and pick up ice when the ground temp was in the 80's.Aircraft are very different animals.My mechanic hated the guys that didn't get to know these things and burnt up engines.So I went and had a set down with him a few times to learn these things.Wish I was still flying.Maybe one day I will be able to pass my airman's med and get the OK from the FAA to fly again.