Doing a desmog this weekend couple of questions.

[CoreyP]

Looks like I can do the desmog without removing the headers, is it worth it to just take the headers off? I ask because I have a truck stack setup with glass packs and I don't know how those come apart? I don't want to be spending an hour figuring out the exhaust system while I figure out the desmog. Are the header bolts really torqued down in inch pounds? I looked up the spec, was I just reading the wrong thing? Think it said 88 inch pounds? That seems really light for something that has crush washers, Valkyries do have crush washers in there don't they?

Anything else to take care while I have the air box off and all of that? I already had the tank out to change the air filter, check the petcock etc. so I'm good on those. I don't know if I should change out the gas lines while they're easy to do or for that matter any other vacuum lines or anything in there that I should change out now as opposed to something happening 6 months down the road?   

If all goes well I want to knock out the valve adjustment this weekend as well. PO has no mention of it ever being done. I'm closing in on 40K so it's a little over due for a valve check and adjust.

[1NorthRyder]

I used the Shiny desmog kit on mine and did not remove the headers at that time. Yes they have crush washers.

[Chrisj CMA]

I used the Shiny desmog kit on mine and did not remove the headers at that time. Yes they have crush washers.

The OEM gaskets are copper crush type seals. DO NOT try to crush them down all at once. You will break the studs off if you try to do it all at once. Snug up the header nuts and go back in an hour and snug them up again. Do this a few times before riding, then check before and after every ride until you are sure they are squished and the nuts are tight.

[hubcapsc]

There's a hex wrench in the Valkyrie toolkit with a "short arm" that
reaches the ports under the engine, might be helpful...

I desmogged my bike early on, and not long after, helped Stanley
Steamer replace his smog vacuum lines. I can't help but think
that desmog is kind of a no-op, I'd rather be riding than desmogging,
especially if it involved removing pipes that haven't been removed in
years, risking breaking a header stud (do you have some on hand?)
and all that jazz... removing the smog clutter is nice though...

-Mike

[Challenger]

"Think it said 88 inch pounds? That seems really light for something that has crush washers,"

88 inch pounds is 7.3 ft lbs. not that tight but still can easily snap off the studs.
Like others have said, retighten several times.

[CoreyP]

 I can't help but think
that desmog is kind of a no-op, I'd rather be riding than desmogging,
especially if it involved removing pipes that haven't been removed in
years, risking breaking a header stud (do you have some on hand?)
and all that jazz... removing the smog clutter is nice though...

-Mike

My thought is this, the smog stuff does me no good and is a likely point of some sort of failure on an older bike so I might as well get rid if. I looked the bike over and it doesn't look that hard to do except taking that one pipe off the right side between the header. If I can get that one out I should be golden.

I'm on a big maintenance binge and then will tune the bike up.  Only had the bike 6 months put 3600 miles on it with the only thing I touched being the tires. Didn't really have a choice, tires were shot. Time to get this bike up to spec.

[da prez]

No need to pull the exhaust. The air tube going down can be cut in several places to remove. A set of ball end hex allen wrenches from Harbor Freight will come in handy many times.  The bottom air tube flange can be removed , plugged ,replaced with a flat plate or threaded with a small pipe plug.
  I use 14mm freeze plugs to do the air tubes in the heads.
  Yes , replace the rubber fuel and vacuum lines. I usually hook the fuel petcock to right rear vacuum port.  Be sure to cap all others.

                                             da prez

















tappe

[hubcapsc]

 I can't help but think
that desmog is kind of a no-op, I'd rather be riding than desmogging,
especially if it involved removing pipes that haven't been removed in
years, risking breaking a header stud (do you have some on hand?)
and all that jazz... removing the smog clutter is nice though...

-Mike

My thought is this, the smog stuff does me no good and is a likely point of some sort of failure on an older bike so I might as well get rid if. I looked the bike over and it doesn't look that hard to do except taking that one pipe off the right side between the header. If I can get that one out I should be golden.

I'm on a big maintenance binge and then will tune the bike up.  Only had the bike 6 months put 3600 miles on it with the only thing I touched being the tires. Didn't really have a choice, tires were shot. Time to get this bike up to spec.

I took my pipes off right away when I got my bike they were real ratty.
You won't have any trouble. I didn't break any studs. It is kind of common
to break one or two after 20 years of set-in, though... you have OEM
headers with some kind of glass-pack mod? Or some other kind of headers?

Those nuts on the studs cost about $150.00  each, so keep after them
for the first few rides so they don't fall off while your crush washers are
crushing...

-Mike

[CoreyP]

Looks like OEM Headers. I checked the tightness and the header nuts are not tight. They are now, I just used a hand wrench so I can only put so much force on that. I still didn't over do it but I am going to check them again in a few days. I don't think those got snugged up or they have work themselves loose over the years?

[hubcapsc]

Looks like OEM Headers. I checked the tightness and the header nuts are not tight. They are now, I just used a hand wrench so I can only put so much force on that. I still didn't over do it but I am going to check them again in a few days. I don't think those got snugged up or they have work themselves loose over the years?

I installed a pristine set of pipes on my bike at the beginning of 2007... I checked the nuts
a bunch at first, because, like everyone sez, they get loose quick when you're crushing in
a new set of copper gaskets. It has been many years since I checked them now, though,
I just look to see that they are still there.

It is important to get down and clean and dry your headers in all the hard to get to
places with some regularity, or one day you'll get down there and see that they are
rusty on the bottoms... my 13 year old headers are still nice and chromeular :-) ...

-Mike

[mello dude]

For Grins, posting my thread on the desmog kit and install.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,108136.0.html

[CoreyP]

Looks like OEM Headers. I checked the tightness and the header nuts are not tight. They are now, I just used a hand wrench so I can only put so much force on that. I still didn't over do it but I am going to check them again in a few days. I don't think those got snugged up or they have work themselves loose over the years?

It is important to get down and clean and dry your headers in all the hard to get to
places with some regularity, or one day you'll get down there and see that they are
rusty on the bottoms... my 13 year old headers are still nice and chromeular :-) ...

-Mike

Checked the headers which lead to some polishing and de-rusting here and there. Nothing serious but it did take enough time that the desmog was off the table. I'll blame you for slow down my progress. LOL.