imported post
imported post
While we're on the topic of KLR mufflers, I'll throw this out there in the hope that it helps someone:
My old KLR developed a problem where it lost all power at more than half throttle. I kept going through all of the usual suspects: fuel, carb, spark plug, electrical connections, coil, cdi, pulled the exhaust and blew through with a small vac to check for blockage - found nothing. Was driving me &%^#$ crazy. I eventually broke down and took it to a dealer (which was another nightmare). Their story went from "We'll have it for you this afternoon", to "A couple days" to "Next week", to "We don't know what is wrong. We want to rebuild the top end and see if that fixes it". (Leakdown was on the lower side (bike was an '89) but was still within spec.). No thanks.
I brought it back home (with a massive oil leak from a stripped valve cover bolt - Thanks dealer) and tore into the top end my self. After reassembling, I decided to check the exhaust one more time. This time I used a rag to get a good seal on the hose from my larger shop vac. As soon as I started the shop vac, I heard a "click" from the muffler and the vac bogged down. Shut down the vac, and another "click" came from the muffler. Out came a cutting disk and I opened up the side of the muffler. What I found was that a baffle had come loose, and would swing aft with higher exhaust pressures (from an open throttle) and would plug perfectly the final exhaust tube out the back of the muffler choking the engine. Reduce the pressure and it would swing back onto normal position. Faaaaaaaak Me.
Being a cheap bastard (and the bike being an 89 KLR) I welded the baffles back into place (with lots of bead), and then welded the cover back onto the muffler. The bike ran like new.
Now when ever I hear a KLR with a "tweety" stock exhaust, the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I have pics around somewhere if anybody is interested.
Happy muffling,
Matthew
