How do you find an exhaust leak?

[NewtoHD]

After the dealer installed my new exhaust, I rode home and checked and found all the exhaust flange nuts loose. I had a lot of decel poping and that seem to lessen it. After 300 miles, I still have poping, some have told me it is an exhaust leak and some believe it is the tune. I would like to eliminate any exhaust leaks before I go to the dealer about their tune. So, how do you find leaks?

 

[turnerbend]

I would check exhaust gaskets at each cylinder and each pipe where the mufflers connect. Should feel a blow by. I would check before the engine get hot.

 

[R. Lewis]

Do as Steve07 has suggested and then go back to the dealer and do some major ripping for the shoddy workmanship!!!

 

[NewtoHD]

Put a pair of heavy gloves on and hold them tight on the ends of the mufflers at an idle.While you are doing this have someone check all the joints for air escaping.
If there are no leaks you should be able to stall the engine by holding hard on the muffler output.

Thanks, had not thought of creating back pressure, I had felt around after starting cold as much as I could before it got hot. Had a real hard time telling if the exhaust flange leaked or not.

 

[brownfoxx1]

check and see if any aftermarket guys offer thicker gaskets.be sure to use blue thread locker. the green threadlocked should not be used. just a thought

 

[01 rk]

Tie a small strip of ribbon or something similar to 1/8 piece of dowel and hold it near the ports and the y joint. If there is a leak the ribbon will move.

 

[Hoople]

After the dealer installed my new exhaust,

I was totally amazed by how small an exhaust leak can be,, and still have popping. So you bought a new exhaust system from the cylinders back and not just slip-on's? Do you still have a cross over pipe?

I had an exhaust leak that for all practical purposes was really not there. I had some ever so slight popping. I went on a mission to find the leak and seal it. Ended the popping completely.

Those exhaust gaskets are 1 time use. If they reused your old ones, that may be your problem. Look at your bill and see if new ones were installed (or charged)

It only takes a very small leak to have problems with popping. And very small leaks are hard to find without the right tool.

 

[cromedome]

Some type of fine powder,talc,flour,or Monkey Butt powder dusted from an old sock or a little spray type despenser near the suspect leak, you will se it "flow" with the leak.

 

[dbmg]

After the dealer installed my new exhaust, I rode home and checked and found all the exhaust flange nuts loose. I had a lot of decel poping and that seem to lessen it. After 300 miles, I still have poping, some have told me it is an exhaust leak and some believe it is the tune. I would like to eliminate any exhaust leaks before I go to the dealer about their tune. So, how do you find leaks?

More info needed. Like Hoople asked, complete exhaust, true duals, slip ons, stage 1 air filter, any fueler installed, dealer down load ???????
Most of time, when just installing slip ons the popping noise is normally suppressed by the quietness of OE mufflers.

 

[NewtoHD]

More info needed. Like Hoople asked, complete exhaust, true duals, slip ons, stage 1 air filter, any fueler installed, dealer down load ???????
Most of time, when just installing slip ons the popping noise is normally suppressed by the quietness of OE mufflers.

Complete exhaust replacement, V&H power duals with Rush 3.5"s and 1.75" baffles, SE AC, SESPT with dyno by the dealer. It will pop when shifting gears and if I let off and RPMs drop below 2K. Was able to watch the dyno runs, it popped then, tuner said it was just the nature of the beast. I did retorque the flange nuts, all were loose when I got home from the dealer.