Hi all

well, I wanted to keep dual mufflers on my 2008 ZX 14 SE, and couldn't stretch my budget to the $2,200+ dual muffler system from Brock's. So, I bought dual Yoshimura R 77 slip ons, with titanium sleeves and carbon end caps, to mate up to the stock header.

on removing the stock header, a magnet sticks to it well. As suggested by BlkMax on another thread here, I have now confirmed the stock header is made from a 400 series stainless steel. Easily weldable with the correct equipment. Also on the stock header is a raised flat dimple on the collector for the locating of an O2 bung, just needs to be drilled and a bung welded to it.

the mild steel bung provided with the DynoJet PC V and AutoTuner can be welded to 400 stainless. However, I dropped by my local auto speed shop and picked up a stainless steel bung for less than $6. It is made from a 300 series stainless, but no problems welding 300 series and 400 series stainless steel together, and a better result than welding mild steel to 400 stainless.

then I looked at the stock catalytic converter in the collector of the 2008 stock header. I wanted to get rid of that source of high heat. I ground off the two exterior plug welds, then thought about bashing the cat to pieces through the two muffler outlets. Others have reported it is possible, although it apparently takes hours and hours of bashing. I am not oriented to brute force bashing, so I marked several index marks on the collector body, and cut it vertically with a band saw, just behind the raised boss for the O2 bung. Easy enough then to remove the catalytic convertor from the back section of the collector, and gave me a chance to check the interior of the collector and header, and correct some of the rather crude Kawasaki welding....

then I lined up the index marks I had made, and welded the heaser and collector sections back together, much more nicely than the original crappy Kawasaki welding job, which must have been done by half blinded robots or on a Friday afternoon after too much saki...

now I am sending the modified stock header out for ceramic coating, then I am going to exhaust heat tape wrap it, then assemble everything. I still need to fabricate and weld onto the right side R77 mid pipe a position stop for the Kawasaki centerstand, the mid pipe on the Yosh looks like polished 300 stainless, I just have to pick up some 300 stainless to make the position stop, and then I'll post some photos once I figure out how to do so here, looks like I have to set up a seperate photo hosting account somewhere, then link back, I'll try and get to that soon.

Paul

That's what I call some useful information. I know you have been pondering this for a while and I've been waiting for this kind of information. Your solution to cat removal is solid. I'm going to need to find a welder since I don't do that myself. I've stayed away from it cause most guys get a little maniacle over it.
Do you think its necessary to wrap the pipes after ceramic coating? Or is that just the belt and suspenders approach? I was hoping the coating alone would abate sufficient heat so I would be comfortable.

Hi Sharkey

after talking to the ceramic coater I am using, I will not also be heat tape wrapping. The ceramic coater I am using has a new to him ceramic coating apparently using titanium, and rather than a heat barrier rating of roughly 1,000 degrees, which is apparently what most "normal" ceramic coatings are rated for, the titanium ceramic coating he is doing for me is rated at almost 2,000 degrees heat barrier. He claims that after coating and re-installation the header should be cool enough to touch bare handed with the engine running, not that I am about to try that. Maybe I'll ask him to prove it by appying his own bare hand....

Paul

That sounds pretty incredible. That would certainly handle the ambient heat problem. I felt lucky just to find someone in my area to coat mine. I'm going to switch to my coated 06 headder, then using the info you provided above, I'll prepare the 08 headder. It seems to be pretty well predetermined that I'll have to put on auto-tune eventually.

I know I can put my hand on my ceramic coated header right AFTER I turn the bike off. Never tried while it's running. Don't see myself trying any time soon, LOL!!

Also Sharky be sure to weld your O2 bung on BERFOR you get the 08/09 header coated. I was told by the shop that did mine the coating actually bonds to the metal changing it property's. Makes it VERY difficult to weld.

* Last updated by: Philhnnss on 8/25/2009 @ 1:22 PM *

Thanks for the heads up on that Phil. That's valuable information. Sure could spoil your whole day.

Hi guys

yes, I welded the O2 bung on before sending the header for titanium ceramic coating. I was bugging the coating shop today for my header back, now they are telling me "early next week". I hate having to rely on others, drives me crazy.....

oh, and it is the coater who claims you can touch the titanium coated header bare handed while the bike is running, I am not about to try it myself.

I did some more research on the various types of ceramic coating, the titanium ceramic is the very highest thermal barrier rating I could find, up around 1,800 F, where the aluminum/chrome looking ceramic coating, and the black ceramic coating, are "only" good to about 1,000, maybe 1,200 F absolute max as thermal barrier.

I figure now that after I sectioned the header and removed the catalytic convertor the sucker will likely have to run a LOT cooler just from removing the cat. I also forgot to mention that when I sectioned the header, what I found inside the collector is a divider that pretty much shields the factory O2 sensor location from cylinders 2 and 3, so while I was working inside the sectioned header I cut the divider way back as well, and I cleaned up all the rough factory welds.

The catalytic conertor itself is interesting looking, very dense, and when I sectioned the header with a bandsaw I cut partway into the cat. Interesting construction, but it is such a dense maze it HAS to be an obstruction to exhaust flow, in addition to trapping and localizing such a huge amount of heat directly under the oil sump. I'll try and figure out how to post a photo of the removed cat.

Paul

Hi there,
I have a question regarding this issue. I hope you understand my english because I'm portuguese, so i apologise for any errors I make.
I'm trying to weld a o2 sensor (dynojet autotune sensor) to my 06 ZX14 stock headers but I can't find any suitable place. It seems to interfere with the fairings on the right down side and on the left side there's no room for anything.
Since the sensor has to be positioned above the 3 o'clock axis it's really driving me crazy
So I' m asking someone who already has an o2 sensor welded on the stock headers to PLEASE take a photo and post it here or send to my e-mail (brunocbrxx@gmail.com) just to help me doing this. I'm afraid that if I drill a hole in the wrong place will damage the headers and I don't want that to happen.
Many thanks for your time and help.
Bruno

* Last updated by: brunozzr on 7/11/2010 @ 5:43 AM *

you have no cat in the header so it does not have to go there. put it on 1 of the mid pipes. now mine is not a stock exhaust but i dont see why you couldnt put yours in the same place. mine is directly below the right footpeg

Thanks for your answer, and that's the "plan B" if I don't have anywhere else to weld it.
Mostly because I've heard dyno guys complaining that it's not the best place to do it since it can give false results because of back pressure. And my exhausts are quite short.
But, as they say, sometimes it works sometimes don't. And I'm not 100% sure if the readings are going to be the same as in the headers.
Many Thanks
Bruno