TOPIC:

Hi guys:

All I need to finish my bike is reassemble the exhaust system. However, after trying (and cursing) for more than an hour, all my attempts failed. I just can´t get enough thread out of the holders for the nut to hold on and start bolting. I suspect that the aftermarket exhaust gaskets -came together with the engine gasket kit- are a little larger than the OEM ones, thus preventing the pipe headers to sit properly and leave room. I remember reading somewhere in this forum that intake gaskets for the VW Beetle work fine and are about the same diameter as OEM gaskets, is this true?

Any advice will be welcome!

Just a thought based on my own experience - are you sure that your old gasket(s)is out of the recess? I had to pry my old ones out of the head with a very small screwdriver as they were seated very tightly and didn't even look like gaskets:)

Thanks for your suggestion, but I´m pretty sure that the old gaskets came off.

If the Beetle intake gaskets work, I´ll fire my babe right away!

For those who wonder why doesn´t this moron go with OEM gaskets, it´s impossible to find them in Argentina, and I don´t want to wait till they arrive from USA...

Cheers

If you still have your old gaskets you can re-use them. All you have to do is heat the old copper gaskets up with a torch till they get cherry red, then quickly quench them in cold water. The process is called annealing and it works very well. I have been doing this for years, I can't remember the last time I bought exhaust gaskets.

Too bad I threw old gaskets away...

C´mon Kawmasters! I´m sure that someone around has the right answer for me...

del

I don't know if this will help you any because I don't know what parts procurement is like in Argentina, but the KZ 305 uses the same gasket as the 550. I'm thinking maybe the 250 GPZ might also be the same.

Many times with Kawasaki the actual part will fit but any slight change or variance will give it a different part number. Possibly if you try getting a later model's gasket your local dealer might be able to help you.

Yea, I looked up the gaskets and the same ones were used in dozens and dozens of kawasakis from 75cc to 750. If there's any Kawasakis at all in Argentina, these should be around. I cant see the aftermarket gaskets being "that" much thicker than original. Are you sure you're seating the pipe completely into the head? It's easy to get caught on the lips, not fully going into the ports and contacting the gaskets.

How many times have I helped someone install an exhaust where the pipes wouldn't seat because, as it turns out, the old crush washers were still in the ports? Sometimes there were even two stacked and mushed onto each other!

Not saying this is the problem, just that it has been known to happen.

Here's a thought, I have a brand new set of gaskets here in Ohio. Go down to the local mall and find the most beautiful Argentinian woman there, ask her if she would like to take a trip to America, buy her a round trip ticket when I'm done with her I'll send her back with your new gaskets:evil: . I won't even charge you for the gaskets, thats just the kind of guy I am.

Ive had trouble seating my pipes also on my 650 but what I did was remove them a bit from the mufflers to seat them then I put the straps back on the mufflers. Just loosen them though, not remove them or you will have trouble on both sides