Condensation dripping from Leo Vince

[max cooper]

A few days ago I installed a LeoVince exhaust on my 700x . It sounds great . When I started the bike yesterday, water was coming out of the joint where the can meets the pipe and at the joint where the new pipe connects to the stock pipe. It quits after a minute or two as the exhaust warms up. The joint at the can itself has no type of clamp to adjust. The can just slides on to the new pipe. There is a clamp where the new pipe and stock pipe connect. I snugged up that connection but have no torque wrench yet so can not verify it is correct. I can understand condensation forming when hot exhaust gases meet with cold metal. But I have never had moisture actually dripping out of the various joints in an exhaust system. When the engine is running, I can't feel any air coming out of the joints. Yet, the moisture leaks out with no problem. Does anyone else experience this ? Is this an issue I should be paying close attention to ?
Any help and advice will be much appreciated. Max

 

[wozza]

Personally I can't see it being an issue. Some exhausts have drain holes which allows water to escape. My IXIL Hyperflow spits out the odd bit of water for the first few minutes. There's nothing to worry about.

 

[max cooper]

Thanks for replying so quickly. Much appreciated wozza.

 

[670cc]

It's probably a good thing the water leaks out at the joint. You wouldn't want it puddling inside. If the joint did tighten up over time and stop dripping, then drilling a small drain hole at the lowest point might be wise.

Greg

 

[kjang]

Even the stock honda exhaust will have some water coming out if you let it sit and warm up.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I've seen this question a lot over the years with slip-ons and it bugs the piss out of the owners. I have personally never had this problem so I'm stating third hand information that I have seen people use to fix the issue. I'm not saying I agree with it.

Some people will recommend a copper sealant or a strip of RVT. Personally I would check the tightness of the clamp. I'm sure you may have already but I would put some pretty good elbow grease on it. Most guys that get the leak stopped use the term "Hands of Thor". Just don't crush anything or strip the bolt. Maybe be best to get a torque wrench and tighten to the suggest torque. Oriely auto parts used to rent tools for free. You give a deposit but get it back upon return. They probably have a torque wrench for rent.

Like wozza said, you put your hand behind your exhaust first thing in the morning and we all get a wet hand. Water in the gas and condensation
.

 

[showkey]

Burning a gallon of gas can create a gallon of water is all forms.

The water dripping is not all bad and can actually a good thing depending on the type of metal used in the header and muffler......trapped moisture equals rust, even on stainless unless it is very high quality stainless. The stock muffler can is slightly magnetic. Non magnetic stainless generally speaking will not rust and can be polished with excellent results.

Many exhaust systems have a weep hole as wozza stated.

edit Typing the same time as the above were being posted^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[max cooper]

Wow ! Tons of help here. I do need a torque wrench anyway, so I will buy it today and torque the clamp to spec. Thanks again to everyone for easing my mind on this matter. Ya gotta love this forum. Folks have helped me many times over.

 

[Mike Cash]

Water is a byproduct of combustion. You have hydrogen from the hydrocarbons (gasoline) and oxygen from the air joining to form water, which is usually a vapor and unnoticed. When it hits a cool exhaust system it condenses, just as a cool beverage condenses water from the air on a hot day. Your beer can "sweats" on the outside; your exhaust pipe "sweats" on the inside.

When the system gets warm, it stops condensing the water vapor from the engine and you stop noticing it....but water (in the form of vapor: "steam") keeps coming from the engine as long as it is running.

 

[max cooper]

Thanks Mike Cash. I learn something new every time I surf this forum. And I like that ! Sure beats 90% of what's on the TV. Except maybe the science or discover channels.

Water is a byproduct of combustion. You have hydrogen from the hydrocarbons (gasoline) and oxygen from the air joining to form water, which is usually a vapor and unnoticed. When it hits a cool exhaust system it condenses, just as a cool beverage condenses water from the air on a hot day. Your beer can "sweats" on the outside; your exhaust pipe "sweats" on the inside.

When the system gets warm, it stops condensing the water vapor from the engine and you stop noticing it....but water (in the form of vapor: "steam") keeps coming from the engine as long as it is running.

 

[Bodysnatcher]

"When the system gets warm, it stops condensing the water vapor from the engine and you stop noticing it....but water (in the form of vapor: "steam") keeps coming from the engine as long as it is running."

Not only that but once the exhaust heats up any condensation accumulated should boil and be blown out. Unless you frequently make short trips without warming everything up corrosion shouldn't be an issue.

 

[PJM]

.... LeoVince exhaust on my 700x . It sounds great . When I started the bike yesterday, water was coming out of the joint where the can meets the pipe and at the joint where the new pipe connects to the stock pipe..... Does anyone else experience this ? Is this an issue I should be paying close attention to ?....

Happens to me too, it's perfectly normal.
My wife's CB does it, the car does it.
It's just part of the combustion process.