Author Topic: I hit a curb  (Read 6696 times)

Offline martin_14

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I hit a curb
« on: August 03, 2012, 01:18:00 AM »
I went to take money from the ATM yesterday and when I drove off I had to go down a curb. This f---ing thing was higher than I saw and the bike ended in this position:



The result is that now one of the pipes coming out of the exhaust (whatever that's called in English... manifold, perhaps?) down there has a curb-shaped bump, and a noise suddenly started. It sounds like an exhaust valve badly adjusted. Three things come to mind:
- the manifold (part number 39178) ist one of the most expensive part of the whole damn bike  >:( and I hate coffing that kind of money for such an uneventful thing. I wasn't doing 200 mph on the wrong lane, for f--- sake!
- every single part of the bike seems to be available for buying in Germany from crashed bikes, not this one.
- why do I now have this noise now? could one of the shims come out of place from such a hit? or is it something else? with my limited knowledge, it does sound like a valve. It is stormy here in Munich since yesterday evening, but if the weather gives me a break I'll drop by the dealer today after work.

I am properly, epically pissed.
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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2012, 04:03:30 AM »
 :yikes:   It could be just the pipe.  Let's cross our fingers on that.  Is it possible it damaged a valve...I think that's remote but I guess if it had enough back pressure it might cause something to go wacky in the valve train.  Never heard of that one before.
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Offline Zteve

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2012, 04:25:07 AM »
Probably just an exhaust leak where the header bolts to the motor. Tightening the header bolts should fix it if it's not bent badly.

Offline lather

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2012, 05:07:47 AM »
Maybe a leak at the exit end of the manifold, or a busted gasket at either end. Even if the manifold is the problem you should be able to have it repaired for much less than replacement. At any rate I can't see any way it could have done anything to the valve train.
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Offline The Pope

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2012, 05:42:58 AM »
It's a great time to go with a new aftermarket full exhaust system!  8) Just saying.  ;D

Else, like others have said, it's most likely one of those that have already been mentioned.
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Offline Jeremy Mitchell

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2012, 06:01:15 AM »
It's a great time to go with a new aftermarket full exhaust system!  8) Just saying.  ;D

Else, like others have said, it's most likely one of those that have already been mentioned.

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Offline B.D.F.

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2012, 06:27:36 AM »
Not the best thing that could have happened but by no means the worst either. I think you are really in OK shape if you get a little creative.

First of all, it is virtually impossible that striking the exhaust would or even could do any internal engine damage. As someone already said, the impact almost certainly broke the seal between the manifold pipe and the head but probably did no other damage. So fixing the exhaust will fix all your problems.

You could take the manifold to a fabrication shop, have them cut the bottom of the crushed pipe out and replace it with a new piece of pipe. A lot of physical work but not very expensive.

There are certainly used headers available in the US at reasonable prices. We could procure one here and send it to you. The two problems with that are time (probably a couple of weeks to get there) and cost- something that large and oddly shaped will be somewhat expensive. There might be problems with import tariffs too but usually shipping the item as 'repaired and returned under warranty' works for that.

If you do choose to do something that takes a bit of time, you might want to try to seal the header pipe against the head. If the pipe is bent, it might take some kind of caulking material to seal it up. It does not have to be pretty nor does it have to last forever but if the noise is substantial it might be worth addressing while you get a new header.

And by the way, yes the word is manifold or header (either one is correct, not quite the same but both work in this instance). Even your cursing is correct and nothing says fluency like swearing is a foreign language....  ;D

Let us know if you want to pursue shipping one over from the colonies.

Brian

Edited to add: Just thought of this- your headers use O2 sensors while ours do not. The flat spot is in our headers where the bung goes but it is not drilled. You would have to drill two holes, add the bungs and have them welded in. Absolutely doable and not overly expensive but it does make the US header more work to use.

I went to take money from the ATM yesterday and when I drove off I had to go down a curb. This f---ing thing was higher than I saw and the bike ended in this position:

<snip>

The result is that now one of the pipes coming out of the exhaust (whatever that's called in English... manifold, perhaps?) down there has a curb-shaped bump, and a noise suddenly started. It sounds like an exhaust valve badly adjusted. Three things come to mind:
- the manifold (part number 39178) ist one of the most expensive part of the whole damn bike  >:( and I hate coffing that kind of money for such an uneventful thing. I wasn't doing 200 mph on the wrong lane, for f--- sake!
- every single part of the bike seems to be available for buying in Germany from crashed bikes, not this one.
- why do I now have this noise now? could one of the shims come out of place from such a hit? or is it something else? with my limited knowledge, it does sound like a valve. It is stormy here in Munich since yesterday evening, but if the weather gives me a break I'll drop by the dealer today after work.

I am properly, epically pissed.
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Offline Jeremy Mitchell

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2012, 06:30:26 AM »
Maybe you could find an Akrapovic exhaust for a ZX-14, shipping from Slovenia shouldn't be that bad...........  ;)

I know big bikes aren't as common over there but there should still be plenty of ZX-14 parts available.
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Offline cablebandit

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2012, 06:54:13 AM »
Next time......more gas!!

Offline stevewfl

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2012, 06:56:43 AM »
Next time......more gas!!

+1

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Offline pistole

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #10 on: August 03, 2012, 07:41:56 AM »
.

- leaking header ...

.

Offline freebird6

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2012, 08:10:11 AM »
whatever you do with the exhaust, mind the rules of the TUV. NO fun getting sideways with them.
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Offline martin_14

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2012, 11:12:19 AM »
guys, thanks to all for the replies. Since I wrote the original post and now I managed to calm down a bit, let the anger wash away and drove to my dealer.

As most of you guessed, it seems to be a compromised seal at the motor/manifold area that produces the noise, while the bump on the pipe can be improved with a bit of cut, work, weld. My never-let-me-down-so-far dealer had a good look and he got the chief mechanic to add his opinion, and they agreed that the valves could not be knocked out of specs by such a hit. We made an appointment for next week to change the seals and work on the bump on the pipe; hopefully that'll be the end of it.

I'll keep you posted.

---------------------
Brian: thanks a lot for the offer. I would go that route if nothing else works. While I was living in Sweden a few years ago, a friend of mine once brought an entire Volvo S40 manifold to his father in Mexico (this is not the typical image of a Mexican trying to cross to the US, but a highly successful university professor in Mexico DF). The thing was the size of a coffin and weighed 80 pounds. He took it while visiting his parents as "excess luggage" on the plane, which back then cost something like 70 U$S. Brilliant.

---------------------
Freebird6 and Jeremy: I though of using the opportunity to go to the full exhaust system, but Big Brother TÜV would stick it up my... well, you know. Thanks for the idea and warning, though.
Build bridges, not walls.

Education is important. Riding my bike is importanter.

Offline stevewfl

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2012, 11:14:27 AM »
guys, thanks to all for the replies. Since I wrote the original post and now I managed to calm down a bit, let the anger wash away and drove to my dealer.

As most of you guessed, it seems to be a knocked header seal that produces the noise, while the bump on the pipe can be improved with a bit of cut, work, weld. My never-let-me-down-so-far dealer had a good look and he got the chief mechanic to add his opinion, and we made an appointment for next week.

I'll keep you posted.

---------------------
Brian: thanks a lot for the offer. I would go that route if nothing else works. While I was living in Sweden a few years ago, a friend of mine once brought an entire Volvo S40 manifold to his father in Mexico (this is not the typical image of a Mexican trying to cross to the US, but a highly successful university professor in Mexico DF). The thing was the size of a coffin and weighed 80 pounds. He took it while visiting his parents as "excess luggage" on the plane, which back then cost something like 70 U$S. Brilliant.

Thats great news, and the upside is it wasn't a bad enough hit for you and the bike to take a spill
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Offline martin_14

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #14 on: August 04, 2012, 10:18:33 AM »
Thats great news, and the upside is it wasn't a bad enough hit for you and the bike to take a spill

yes, sir!  :chugbeer:
« Last Edit: August 09, 2012, 12:17:27 AM by martin_14 »
Build bridges, not walls.

Education is important. Riding my bike is importanter.

Offline martin_14

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2012, 12:50:36 PM »
yesterday I took the bike to the dealer and today I picked it up. I've got the pressure sensors and the gear position sensor changed under warranty, since they acted up a few times at the beginning of the season.
But most important, she got the sealings from engine to manifold changed and the bump on the lowest pipe fixed. The welder really knows his craft. I'm very, very happy, and it only costed 170€ (210 USD) instead of 10 times what it would have cost to change the parts. She sounds nice again and runs like new  :) :) :) :) :)
Build bridges, not walls.

Education is important. Riding my bike is importanter.

Offline maxtog

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Re: I hit a curb
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2012, 03:39:40 PM »
yesterday I took the bike to the dealer and today I picked it up. I've got the pressure sensors and the gear position sensor changed under warranty, since they acted up a few times at the beginning of the season.
But most important, she got the sealings from engine to manifold changed and the bump on the lowest pipe fixed. The welder really knows his craft. I'm very, very happy, and it only costed 170€ (210 USD) instead of 10 times what it would have cost to change the parts. She sounds nice again and runs like new  :) :) :) :) :)

Great news!!!  Congrats!   It is so nice when you have access to a competent dealer you can trust.
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