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I was out for a good long 5 hour ride today. I was just starting to open things up on the home stretch through some really nice twisties when things got just a wee bit loud - OK really loud - and not a good loud either. I was pretty sure what had happened and limped the thing home. An inspection shows a cracked header pipe - so what's the word weld or replace? My intuition says replace... just looking for others opinions. I just hope I can find one quickly.


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Motorsport scooters has them for 145 US dollars. comes with the clamp and graphite collar/gasket etc...
I suppose it makes a difference if you know any welders or not.
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I would replace. The gasket is there for a reason. I assume to allow the pipe to flex and not put strain on the header bolts. It would have been easier and cheaper for Piaggio to not have the part. That's why I'm suspect about the one piece pipes long term.
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Repeat - it's a cheap consumable (here at least) and does the job very well.

If US guys find it expensive locally - buy from the EU instead, short-circuit the gouging b'stards.
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LV pipe.....


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SB wrote:
I would replace. The gasket is there for a reason. I assume to allow the pipe to flex and not put strain on the header bolts. It would have been easier and cheaper for Piaggio to not have the part. That's why I'm suspect about the one piece pipes long term.
I don't think you get what I mean... The header pipe (the short bent stubby part that bolts to the engine and holds the Lambda sensor) is cracked and needs to be either welded or replaced. I have a Leo Vince exhaust on and it does not use the graphite collar. I'm not looking at welding the muffler to the exhaust pipe.


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If you were considering a aftermarket exhaust now is the time. You can weld it if you know a decent welder but I would bet you can probably find someone on MV who replaced their stock pipe with an aftermarket and has the piece you need gathering dust in their garage.

I'm guessing it looks like this now?

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I've got a pre-recall header that you can throw on there while you get the broken one welded. The lack of blow-by flange shouldn't matter because the LV pipe doesn't use the gasket.

The header came with a second-hand exhaust that I had cerma-coated, and it has a dent in it, but should be fine for a while.

cheers
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If you can arrange courier collection from me in the UK ill let ya have a new one for free.. depends how much the overseas postage will cost ya.
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replace as even with welding there could be other craks that are not apparent now and could show their ugly head again. unless you dye test the pipe after welding.
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What he said.
Replace!

Chetwynder, was it your LV pipe that imploded a while back? Did LV repair/replace FOC?

Best,

Mark
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Re: What he said.
MarkTheBlue wrote:
Replace!

Chetwynder, was it your LV pipe that imploded a while back? Did LV repair/replace FOC?

Best,

Mark
No, it wasn't my pipe... It may have been Damn Randall


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woodenhead wrote:
I've got a pre-recall header that you can throw on there while you get the broken one welded. The lack of blow-by flange shouldn't matter because the LV pipe doesn't use the gasket.
cheekythomas wrote:
If you can arrange courier collection from me in the UK ill let ya have a new one for free.. depends how much the overseas postage will cost ya.
Wow! Thank you both!

Steve, I'll give you a phone call!

CheekyThomas, PM sent!


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Replaced....
I went to my Vespa dealer today - the mechanic said pull it apart and he'd weld it... when disassembling the thing it became very evident that it was cracked in half, pretty much like this pic supplied by Vezpa (Thank you!) Luckily they had one in stock. Aside from approximately two hours driving back and forth to the shop and one and a half hours of bullshitting with the staff it probably took me about an hour to do. The pipe was just over $100.00 including taxes. I'm happy.

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Razz emoticon Hmm. I guess free wasn't cheap enough. Nice not having to do that job twice, anyways. Head out this way the next time you go on one of your jaunts out from "the big smoke".

cheers
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woodenhead wrote:
Razz emoticon Hmm. I guess free wasn't cheap enough. Nice not having to do that job twice, anyways. Head out this way the next time you go on one of your jaunts out from "the big smoke".

cheers
Shit no, Steve. I had a $100.00 bill in my pocket and rather than risk losing it in the wash or something I thought it was best to dispose of it as quickly as possible. The truth of the matter is that I wanted to spend some money at Urban Wasp... they really are our only hope for a good Vespa/Piaggio dealership in these parts and if we don't patronize them we could lose them. I have no qualms about buying it there. Let's not revisit my spark plug incident with 'the other' dealer though... those prices were simply too absurd for words.

(I've heard some rumblings that the third dealer in these parts may not be around much longer )

As for 'The Big Smoke' I heard Highway1 was closed yesterday out your way due to a rather smoky brush fire...

I'll make it out there soon... I just can't say for sure how soon...

Dave
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