Headers glowing red

[660_rider]

Hi folks, had mastiff running for 5 mins. Just checking for oil leaks. Then I noticed the headers were glowing red, is this normal for these bikes? Had been basically idling for 5 mins. With 1 or 2 medium sized revs. I had turned the fuel cock off and was just running the carbs out for ease of starting in 2 weeks time when I was planning to go out on it. Would this have caused it to run lean?

Thanks.

[Skorpion]

Hi 660_rider.

Yes glowing headers are normal for these bikes, due to the single skin stainless pipes.

But its is worrying when you first notice them.

[660_rider]

Thank fook for that!! Thought i had another problem, im hoping thats it all done now, been nothing but greif since i bought the bike, Thank god for this site lol.

Cheers

Stevie

[edfmaniac]

Hmmmm. It might be normal because they are extremely lean from the factory, but red hot is too hot. Put a larger pilot jet in or back the screw under the primary carb out until it stops glowing. I think the screw falls out at about 9 turns so beware.

[660_rider]

Thanks for your input, which one is the primary carb? I'm used to 2 strokes with a single carb, I have noticed a few little orange flames out the exhaust on occasion, and when I give it a good rev it gives out a good bit of black smoke. Think I might have to take it to the local shop and get it jetted. I don't even know where to start. How easy are the carbs to get off a mastiff?

Cheers

Stevie

[Skorpion]

The headers glowing can only be seen in a dark area, not in sunlight, when the bike is left running for a while.

As I said before this is normal even with the air screw turned out, Nothing to worry about.

[edfmaniac]

Thanks for your input, which one is the primary carb? I'm used to 2 strokes with a single carb, I have noticed a few little orange flames out the exhaust on occasion, and when I give it a good rev it gives out a good bit of black smoke. Think I might have to take it to the local shop and get it jetted. I don't even know where to start. How easy are the carbs to get off a mastiff?

Cheers

Stevie

Assuming your carbs are the same as the Skorpion, the primary carb is the one without the large diaphragm on top and is on the left side of the bike. Black smoke is generally a sign of being too rich. Sounds like you are lean on the bottom and rich somewhere else. Does the bike pop and backfire when you are coasting in gear?

[edfmaniac]

The headers glowing can only be seen in a dark area, not in sunlight, when the bike is left running for a while.

As I said before this is normal even with the air screw turned out, Nothing to worry about.

If the headers don't cool off enough with the air screw turned out, then you need to move to a larger pilot. You are in the wrong ball park. If the correct jet is in the bike, the air screw should have a noticeable effect and be happiest at around 2 1/2 to 5 turns out.

I'm not trying to argue with you, and you may be able to run your bike for years like it is set up, but my Skorpion if very happy right now. It doesn't get hot enough at idle to make the headers glow. Just trying to share my opinion.

[Skorpion]

[quote="edfmaniac
If the headers don't cool off enough with the air screw turned out, then you need to move to a larger pilot. You are in the wrong ball park. If the correct jet is in the bike, the air screw should have a noticeable effect and be happiest at around 2 1/2 to 5 turns out.

I'm not trying to argue with you, and you may be able to run your bike for years like it is set up, but my Skorpion if very happy right now. It doesn't get hot enough at idle to make the headers glow. Just trying to share my opinion.[/quote]

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Hi edfmaniac

You and I know that the colour of the header pipe is not a proper indication of how the engine is running, as it could be down to either rich or lean carburation, the easiest way to check would be a plug check, White = Lean & Black = Rich.

But yes Yamaha in there wisdom have set the low speed carburation slightly weak for exhaust emission regulations, but for the many hundreds of thousands of vehicles these engines power this has not been a problem.

I'm happy you have found a better setting for your machine, although my Skorpion runs very well with its slightly glowing header pipes.

On checking the internet it seems that single cylinder bikes from other manufacturers have this same condition.

Not arguing just trying to answer the original poster.

[samandkimberly]

Seeing a little glow in the headers when they sit and idle extensively is pretty typical of any M/C I've had with relatively thin, single wall header. Steel starts to turn red at ~1,000F, exhaust gas temperature on a good running engine is 1,200 to sometimes over 1600. Any sort of air cooling drops the header temp very quickly, so you generally don't see your pipes glowing.

Sam

[samandkimberly]

Think I might have to take it to the local shop and get it jetted. I don't even know where to start. How easy are the carbs to get off a mastiff?

I can recommend this kit from Tunebike:

http://tinyurl.com/tunebikekit

I bought one last year, it cost me $70.00 including shipping from Germany. The instructions are well written and it can (barely) be installed w/o removing the carbs on the Baghira; I'd assume it's the same for the Mastiff. It's a piece of cake to install on a Skorpion.

Sam

[basser23]

Hey Sam, whysub(remember him?) sold me his Tunebike kit,as yet not installed,what I wondered was did you drill your jets,or just raise the needles? You installed without removing the carbs? understand these work great for stock carbs....

[samandkimberly]

I just installed the spacer & low pressure tube and raised the needle, but that was on my stock Skorpion. I haven't installed one on my Baghira (yet) and it looks like it's a little trickier getting to the carbs but doable. You did get his instruction sheet, right?

I'd certainly start w/o drilling the jets and I'll bet you don't need to if your motor is stock.

Sam

[basser23]

Well the reason I ask is mine has had a jet kit installed years ago when it was raced in the Cup Series,but they only allowed jetting and exhaust( mine is a Holeshot,exhaust Ill bet the jet kit is Holeshot too),so I think I'll only put in the spacer and venturi tube
check the needle position and see what happens...I'm adding a spacer too between the head and carbs..should improve mid range...and k&n filters

[Srinath]

OK I am seeing a glowing red pipe, mine is a supertrapp pipe and DJ kit and it runs fantastic.
What could be the problem, or is there even a problem ... or I may need to tweak the air mixture screw ?
Thanks.
Srinath.