Messed up

Well, here we go. I wanted to take out my spark arrestor and get a look in there since I'm considering de-catting the pipe per the Krabill method. Turns out I twisted off two of the bolt heads trying to get the endcap off. I've got the whole pipe off now and we'll try to drill them out tomorrow. I didn't plan to tear into the cat until I install my FMF programmer, it should be here Monday. But since I already have the pipe off the bike, I'm wondering if it will be OK to go ahead with the de-cat and ride the thing with the stock fueling over the weekend?? No mods at this point other than the airbox flapper, I aim to get rid of the AIS next week. No big ride planned for the weekend, but I'm sure we'll be out and about. Please chime in if you can. Thanks.

Sarah

I rode my WR-250R with my deflappered airbox, FMF Powerbomb header, and FMF Q4 muffler along with the stock fueling for a day.
Didn't run as well or have the throttle response that it did with the Power Commander that was on it just before, but it wasn't anything that kept me from riding the bike, either.

No doubt, the bike will run better once you put the FMF Power Programmer on there. :)

greer wrote:

Well, here we go. I wanted to take out my spark arrestor and get a look in there since I'm considering de-catting the pipe per the Krabill method. Turns out I twisted off two of the bolt heads trying to get the endcap off. I've got the whole pipe off now and we'll try to drill them out tomorrow. I didn't plan to tear into the cat until I install my FMF programmer, it should be here Monday. But since I already have the pipe off the bike, I'm wondering if it will be OK to go ahead with the de-cat and ride the thing with the stock fueling over the weekend?? No mods at this point other than the airbox flapper, I aim to get rid of the AIS next week. No big ride planned for the weekend, but I'm sure we'll be out and about. Please chime in if you can. Thanks.

Sarah

here's a cpl thoughts for you to consider....if you de-cat your stock pipe i'm sure it will flow better,but i don't think your going to get a huge increase of flow thru the engine with the rest of the stock pipe's muffler parts still intact.then also figure in the small outlet size of the stock tip.
considering the overall mild state of tune the bike has anyways,personally i don't think you will harm anything,or in other words be too lean to cause damage from removing the cat part.

did you see the thread where i was changing the setting in "CO" mode? in that mode you can easily change to a richer setting.......it's a real and honestly noticable adjustment function that anyone who wants their bike to run it's best should try and use.

i'm sure you have run into broken bolts before and ended up drilling them out....i would suggest if you don't already have some...get a cpl 1/8" carbide tip drill bits to help cut thru those bolts..get a cpl so you can get the job done if you break the first one. wd40 is also a excellent cutting lube for that job.

Thanks, you two; I just didn't want to take any risks. Worse thing about taking off a stock pipe is you realize how heavy the thing is. I figure I need the exup though, for my mild, midrange type of riding. dirtytrixx, I'll find that thread and take a look. Thanks again.

Sarah

greer wrote:

Well, here we go. I wanted to take out my spark arrestor and get a look in there since I'm considering de-catting the pipe per the Krabill method. Turns out I twisted off two of the bolt heads trying to get the endcap off.
Sarah

Sympathies on the bolt heads.

Can you post link to this "Krabill method"?

Here ya go:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329337&page=208

Scroll down to post #3112

Sarah

greer wrote:

Here ya go:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329337&page=208

Scroll down to post #3112

Sarah

Thanks.

Once the cat is out & the Power Commander is installed, I wonder if there might be some advantage to using Grave's hi-flo tip for the stock exhaust. I have not seen any posts on it yet. I think it is pretty new. Dealers are selling it for $99 I think.

Let me just tell you all what is going round and round in my pea brain. I'm considering all this work to the stock exhaust so I can increase flow while still keeping the exup, since the exup valve is supposed to benefit the midrange. But now that I've got the heavy-a$$ed thing off I'm wondering if I should just shuck it and go for an aftermarket pipe. I'm a tightwad but the money is doable. A buddy has a Q4 on his KLX250S and we think it sounds just right, so I'm not too worried about noise either way. Am I getting too worked up about the benefits of the exup? Thanks very much, I appreciate your thoughts.

Sarah

The exup debate falls into the same category as oil.

Ask a dozen people, you are likely to get a dozen different answers.

From what I personally think, if there was an HP or torque advantage to keeping the EXUP you would certainly think some aftermarket exhaust company would include one in their pipe design.

Power sells. If you have an advantage over the competition you'd include it right?

I'd say go with the Q4, and keep your stock system as close to stock as possible. That way you have options for later down the road.

Gathering a little more info:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11198080#post11198080

Thanks again, everybody.

Sarah

I say go for the FMF Q4 (and Powerbomb header if you have the dough).
That's what I've got, and it ain't that loud.

I feel I'm as noise-conscious as anybody else out there - binoculars strapped around my neck or not - and I think the noise output from the Q4 is acceptable.
It's not outragously loud like an exhaust muffler you use on a motocross track, which would be too loud for trail use.

If somebody that's watching the mating habits of the chickadee complains about you riding your bike, I'd bet a million they'd a' done the same even if your bike was 100% stock and choked-up to the max just the same.

YZEtc wrote:

If somebody that's watching the mating habits of the chickadee complains about you riding your bike, I'd bet a million they'd a' done the same even if your bike was 100% stock and choked-up to the max just the same.

greer wrote:

Let me just tell you all what is going round and round in my pea brain. I'm considering all this work to the stock exhaust so I can increase flow while still keeping the exup, since the exup valve is supposed to benefit the midrange. But now that I've got the heavy-a$$ed thing off I'm wondering if I should just shuck it and go for an aftermarket pipe. I'm a tightwad but the money is doable. A buddy has a Q4 on his KLX250S and we think it sounds just right, so I'm not too worried about noise either way. Am I getting too worked up about the benefits of the exup? Thanks very much, I appreciate your thoughts.

Sarah

The early EXUP was a good thing. In-line fours with great performance when you rev em needed some broadening for street duty. Not applicable to the WR. Like you said, the stock pipe is too heavy no matter how much modification you do.

My two... Trash the ExUp. COTS ExUp simulator module is another ~ $60.

Get the GYTR.... Maintains the guard in case you decide to DS bag it. Sufficiently quiet.

P.S. Isn't watching the mating habits of a Chickadee voyeurism ?

X-Racer wrote:

P.S. Isn't watching the mating habits of a Chickadee voyeurism ?

Only if they're nonconsenting.

I'm going to buy a pipe. Thanks again, everybody.

Sarah

Darn.... Just when the thread was going somewhere.

When I first removed my end cap all 3 bolts galled on the way out, stainless hardware is notorious for doing this. Luckily I got them all out though and only had to buy new bolts. I made sure to put anti-seize on the new ones but dont know if it did anything because I installed a Q4 before I ever had to take the end cap off again. Stainless hardware is bear to work with sometimes, hard to drill and galls easily(especailly if you install a stainless nut on a stainless bolt). But hey, youve got a aftermarket pipe now so who cares?

I've since read of other folks who messed up those bolts, too. I don't feel so bad anymore, live and learn. And it's offered an opportunity for discussion that's answered some questions I had.

Sarah