Smoking like a teenager!

[Blam]

I've had her a year, and been lurking on here for most of that time, and narrowly avoided having to sell her, but I've finally gotten around to customising my XVS 650 Midnight (I've posted pics before so I'm not going to do it again).

So I've got a set of the Highway Hawk short-cuts on there, and they sound pretty damned sweet compared to the stock mufflers, and they're loud (but not too loud) with the baffles in... but the problem I've got is they're smoking worse than a teenager behind the bike-sheds!

The manifold on the rear-pipe smoked a lot which I suspect that was down to it cooking off the metric f-ton on penetrating oil I had to dump on the bolts to take them out, but that's settled down to nothing now. The problem is the front manifold. That's still smoking like a chimney and I'm not sure why. Either, it's the penetrating oil I stuck up there in case I had to remove the downpipe, or I've disturbed the seal. Either way, it doesn't seem to be getting better, though holding a rag over the end of the exhaust doesn't make it worse. It also, it's not there straight away, but instead it starts when the engine heats up.

Now I'm pretty sure it's just oil cooking off, but the only way I can be certain is to knock off the pipe and put a new seal in, 'just in case'... and there lies the problem.

My nuts are rusty. Very rusty. And odd sizes too. I've got some photo's (see below), but I'd welcome any advice on removal (either of the penetrating oil, or of the nuts themselves).

Blam

[Airhead]

i dont think you're ever going to get those off the way it was intended! and I would bet the exhaust cover screws will also round off and not budge.

I doubt you disturbed anything though...its most likely the penetrating oil and that will burn away soon

[FLYIN BRIAN]

Oe of those damaged nut removers may work. I've never tried one...

Tricks that I've used:

Cut the side off the nut with a hacksaw blade, either held in your hand or vice grip. You may find it easier to have the teeth toward you, cutting as you pull back.(disadvantages; slow, requirig patience/ lade is long and can damage other items)

File the side off the nut. Refer to hacksaw blade

Use a nut splitter.

Turn the nut red with a torch. (disadvantages; may damaged surrounding items including gaskets.

Clamp jaws of death, er, vicegrip on the nut and hope for the best.

Pray.

Your results may vary.

[neversaydie]

I dont think theres a hope in hell of those nuts screwing off. As per Brians suggestion, Id try something like a dremmel with a small grinding wheel and grind one side of the nut off so that you cna then tap the rest of it (them) off with a small chisel. If successful, that still leaves you with the shagged studs, as its clear form the piccys that the threads are bolloxed. You might be lucky, and with plenty of relase oil, some heat, a stud remover, and plenty of patience, they may just screw out of the casting. If not, cut them off flush, and youll have to try drilling dead down the centre of the stud, and try an easiout. If that doesnt do it, then drill out out the centre with the correct size tapping drill, and try easing the crap out with the correct size of tap. Be mindful that any drilling out must be done dead down the centre of the stud.

[Blam]

Well it's looking like the smoke is settling down now, so luckily I don't think I've disturbed the seal.

On the other hand, my 'zorsts have started steaming... though that might have something to do with the heat-wrap ;-)

(Crap photo's owing to a crap camera on my phone)