Spark Plugs and Possible Exhaust Leak

[mrcid]

Can someone help me out here? Thanks in advance for all replies.

Here's the issue: My '07 with V & H setup, and Fi2000 has had the decel cackle since I had the dealer change the pipes last year. I've always thought that the settings of the Cobra unit (3, 5, 0) was the issue, and I just couldn't get it just right, so I messed around with it for a while, and just left it alone. Now is bugging me again, and I want it stopped.

Now, after reading a bunch of related info on the site, I believe I may have the dreaded exhaust leak, but tried to find it yesterday and couldn't. I ran smoke around every joint and connection in the pipes, and didn't notice anything peculiar. Called Cobra, and they advised me to plug up the exhaust in an attempt to see if the bike would stop running once plugged up. Used a towel in both ends, and nothing happened, bike kept running. Does this mean there is definitely a leak? And what else can I do to find it?

2nd issue: I just finished reading the threads and posts regarding spark plugs, and just so happened to have changed mine yesterday. Went to the dealer who looked up the stock plugs (DPR6EA-9), had them on the counter, but then noted a conflict in websites citing two different plugs. Tells me his parts fiche cited the DPR5EA-9 for the '07 Nomad, and sells me those instead.

Now, I am NOT a mechanic, and know nothing about engines, and took his word that the "5" plugs would work fine. Reading about the temperature differences in the engine now has me slightly concerned.

Should I worry about the "5" plugs causing any damage, or will all be good?

Again, thanks for any help you can provide, and my apologies for the long post.

[spirello]

Did you change the air filter housing? like a hypercharger barons kit or anything else? Because if you did there is a possabilaty that you may also have a vaccume leak. And with the v&h pipes you will get a cackle on decel but you shouldnt get any pops or bangs out of it like a loud backfire. It will make the same noise with the stock exhaust to but they are more baffled so you wont hear it.

[mrcid]

All I did on the left side was change out the filter element to a K&N, and left everything else stock.

The noise is definitely a cackle, no pops or backfiring. It's just so much more noticeable over the stock setup.

May just be the sound of the V & H, but I haven't heard anyone else with the same setup to determine if that's the fact.


Thanks for the quick response.....

[dogdoc]

+1, When you go to V&H pipes you will for sure get a popping on deceleration. that is normal because your opening up the exhaust and can hear it alot better over stock. if that bugs you, you can marble that black hose at 2pm in the right air cleaner side. it helps alot but not 100%.

If your getting like a back-fire through the throttle body, then it most for sure could be the Cobra fuel processor could be set wrong, or exhaust leaks. i just went thur all this one with the smoke, etc. turns out it was my TFI needed tweaking, after that it has not popped once.

I believe the 6 is the plug for the Nad, I just changed mine. 5 is maybe a step cooler or hotter, somebody will know. i dont see why you couldnt run them anyway.

Good Luck, Dennis

[blowndodge]

pull your spark plugs and pour a little (1ounce) of Seafoam in the spark plug hole. Reinstall the plugs and start your bike. If you have an exhaust leak you'll see very thick yellow smoke were it is leaking.

[mrcid]

Doc/BD,

Did the marble thing last night, but due to rain all day yesterday and today, haven't had the chance to test her out. Will do, as soon as I get home from work.

Feeling a little better about the plugs now, after doing some more research and understanding the process. Worst case scenario, I'll either put the old one back in (they looked pretty good), or I'll just spend another $10.00 for some new "6" plugs.

BD: I'm definitely gonna try the Seafoam trick you mention, and see if that leak exists or not. That was exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks Guys.....

Reg

[mrcid]

BD,

One more question: That's a total of about 1 oz. Seafoam, right? Not an ounce in each port is it?

[dogdoc]

I think he was saying an oz per hole. But you would only need to do one hole per cyclinder to check for leaks i think. makes real purdy smoke all the way to work. good for mosquitoes too.

[macmac]

Don't go dumping 1 oz in each hole thats for sure... Each clyinder has 2 plugs.

If you want to save a dime return the new plugs. You should get 20,000+ to 30,000 from a set of NGK plugs.....

The exhaust leak.. You must not have sealed the muffs very tight or you would hear hissing if the engine didn't just stall.

You can't breath in if you can't breath out...

Is there a marble in the hose to the reed valves? or have you pulled that garbage right off the bike and capped the reed valves? Or have you installed coasters?

And have you tried cracking the throttle just a bit to kill the bark and babbles? My 06 does that and at times I like to be sneaky and crack the throttle grip a smidgen for quiet, but in traffic i let it bark to heard sheep.

[blowndodge]

1 oz in each cylinder. The first time I did it I had leakage at every joing to the goat belly. Would have never thought to check the clamps there! They were loose.

[macmac]

I kinda like that cakkel, it ain't no family mom and pop ford driver ya know. I wish I could get a meanie intake and even better cam. God knows the pistons are displacing enough, unless you need 350 cubic inches.

A set of better lesser economy cams could be fun if someone made them. A cam that had the low end torque with some more get up and go, never happen though....

Maybe the Chuckster will run out some granny gears for the rear... That could be as fun.

[blowndodge]

I didn't know they grew Poppy in New Hampster???

[mrcid]

Gents:

Finally rode with the "marble" on the way in to work this morning. Noted much less cackle than before, although there is still a slight cackle there. Nowhere near where it was....

Macmac: At times, I like the cackel too. It does get a lot of attention, which is cool. There are just times when it seems to get on my nerves....don't know why, just does.

BD: Didn't drop the Seafoam yet, but will do as you said (about an ounce in each cylinder, and see what happens. I did look at the headers, and didn't notice any additional washers, so I think my problem, if any, may be right there. Will check for sure.

New Adventure this morning:

On my way up the HOV, doing about an indicated 75 mph, I feel something hit my leg. I look down and what do I see? My entire air box and filter completely off the bike, nestled between my calf and the bike, and I'm rolling steady in the left lane. That bolt just disappeared, and luckily, I hadn't kicked my feet up on the pegs like I had just thought of a couple minutes before......

Had to make my way to the break down lane on the right (two lane HOV on I-95), and borrow a windshield bolt to replace the AWOL air filter box and filter.

Had my leg been up on that peg, I would have lost the cover and K&N filter, which would have really sucked........and been stranded on the road, unable to ride without a filter.

Lesson Learned: CHECK ALL THE BOLTS ON THE REGULAR AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING STAYS TIGHT!!!!

That's now been perpetually burned into my head........

I'm going out at lunch and tweaking everything I see, before setting out for home.


Stay Safe everybody.

Reg

[macmac]

"Shaft", try adding a slight bit of twist in the grip and see if it reduces cackel. it does for me and I learned it so well I do it automatic.. When I want attention because a dufus in cage is buggin me I let it snort.

BD what the hell are you talkin about poppy?

If I am off a bit it's normal. If I am off morin' that it's cause bacca has a $25.00 increase in TAX, and I am quitting, like it or not and I don't!

I smoked since I was 12 years old, breathed real asbestous and lots of other crap like fiber glass insulation, glass chop, roving, cloth, and all sorts of other chems, like isocryanates.

I was born with a ornimental nose, piss poor lings and live with bronchitis. I think the tars stick to the goo I choke up and assist is my getting it out. I would be better off as a guppy with gills.

Besides that I fear no death, and didn't plan to live forever anyway. Now these fools want me to live longer to tax me longer, and take away the simple pleasues I know and love.

Had I known this ahead of time i would have grown bacca, but now i am at WAR and will grow the wild woodland weeds just to get even!

'End Rant'

[macmac]

Just what is the 'Dreaded Exhaust Leak'?

Originally Posted by Shaft

Mac,

Try this one on for size, as it's related to my previous post about a possible leak.

My setup is: '07, with V&H, K&N filter on left side (rest all stock), nothing done on right side air box (correction: it's "marbelized").

Right now the Cobra settings are stock (3,5,0), but I note what I would call a considerable lack of pulling power at highway speed, at say an indicated 75+. Bike seems to not want to really do anything beyond an indicated 82 mph, or so, and feels like it doesn't have much left. I can't believe that to be true, and rather believe my settings are off.

For reference, I'm at just about 200 lbs., but doubt my weight is holding her back.

Any suggestions?


Reg

answer my questions as best you can

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On Edit:
82 MPH as Indicated on the clock??? That's all? Something is a miss..

1 are you sure the leds on the cobra blink? See page 1 of the Cobra post.

2 If I were you I would go over the Cobra install as Tomm did.. Turn all pots off, then run up pot 1 alone with the engine warm.

3 What color are the real pipes under the covers?

Get best rpm, go for a easy test ride where you roll on throttle not flick it hard.... get that right and in never more than up to 3rd gear.


Next go to pot 2 read what Tomm did and how he got there.

75+ is pot 3 territory, but not this time, as something else isn't right, and I suspect some sort of vac leak...

I don't know where I am going at the moment....

4th and 5th are both over drive, but the bike should be able to show an indicated 112 MPH stock.

I often hit an indicated 95 MPH in 3rd just getting moving, and am not bouncing off the rev limiter..

Has this bike ever suddenly begun to idle way to high all by itself and one or more adjustments were made to lower this with out finding the cause? The cause would be a vac leak.