rlynker
Parking Attendant
Posts: 19
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posted July 10, 2002 02:05 PM
ZX-12R stock exhaust is titanium yet gets DAMN HOT
So this is kind of a dumb question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Whenever I see a bike with a titanium pipe (Akropovic for example), it is fairly cool to the touch shortly after turning the bike off. Titanium does dissipate heat quickly. However, the stock ZX-12R titanium pipe (which claims to be titanium inside and out according the brochure) gets hot as HELL. Is there a reason for that? I did notice that the gases are routed through a few turns inside the cannister (according to the diagram in the service manual).
   
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ZXtra
Expert Class
Posts: 490
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posted July 10, 2002 03:46 PM
Re: pipe...
The only titanium in the stock exhaust is the muffler. The pipes are stainless (please correct me if I'm wrong).
As far as the muffler staying hot, there is a catalytic converter at the end of the pipe. This ends up actually being inside the front of the muffler. The converter gets very hot. It actually gets hot enough to reburn fuel in the exhaust to clean up emissions. It will retain heat for a while after shutoff leading to the hot muffler.
I hope this helps.  -ZXtra
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The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick!
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rlynker
Parking Attendant
Posts: 19
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posted July 10, 2002 03:59 PM
Yeah, when I was saying pipe I really just meant cannister. Thanks for pointing that out. I had thought about the cat adding to the heat. That's probably what it is....a cat requires a LOT of hot to work efficiently.
Have any of you removed the cat? I'm guessing if you put on an aftermarket pipe it comes out and then you remap the FI. I can't see the cat being a big problem, but since it's an open loop system (is that right?) it's not so necessary.
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ZXtra
Expert Class
Posts: 490
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posted July 10, 2002 04:43 PM
Re: cat...
The cat has been removed by some members. It should result in a small power increase (1 or 2 horse).
Open loop, yes. -ZXtra
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The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick!
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beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
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posted July 11, 2002 08:57 AM
That's why Muzzy should just come out with that black Titanium exhaust for our 12's...
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TReMor
Expert Class
Dazed and Confused
Posts: 115
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posted July 11, 2002 10:28 AM
I did a lot more than removing just the cat.
Go to Easy's killer website (here), then click on the Performance Upgrades/PCIII/r link halfway down the left frame. The first link (after the page comes up) will be Popular ZX-12R Modifications. Check that out for some easy free mods to increase power and sound with your stock pipe, as well as other mods.
I did the mods to my stock pipe, and now the tip of the can is turning bluish. This suggests to me that a lot more of the hot air from the engine is making it to the exit of the pipe without being interrupted. Of course, I'm no engineer. There is also a much nicer snarl to the exhaust, and my SOTP dyno says there are a few more ponies too.
It should also be said that living in CA and removing the cat that my bike is for offroad use only. 
Tim
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dougmeyer
Needs a job
moderated
Posts: 2713
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posted July 11, 2002 10:31 AM
It's mostly due to the "mass" of the muffler. The aftermarket canister is very thin gauge material, insulated with ceramic packing.It "gives up" it's heat quickly. The stock muffler is much thicker, has a lot of baffles tubes and very little insulation. The exhaust gases are the same temperature.
Doug
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It's not that I think you're dumb, it's just that so much of what you know isn't true....
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jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
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posted July 11, 2002 10:45 AM
doug, if i wanted to just keep the stock can, do you recommend taking out the cat? would it make any real diff?
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'02 ZX12 black/gold
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madmike
Moderator
FEAR THE BLACK FLAG!!!!!!!!
Posts: 6579
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posted July 11, 2002 12:32 PM
DUDE DONT TOUCH IT!
mm
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200-MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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Wildman
Expert Class
I only look confused
Posts: 318
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posted July 12, 2002 05:50 PM
I took the cat off and had good results. I know someone who took his off and the bike didn't run quite as crisply. YMMV.
If you wanna do it, get a sawsall and a bunch of blades. Take the can off and saw the cat flush against the flange on the pipe. It will scratch the hell out of the flange, but who cares. You can only see it when the pipe is apart.
This got my cat off in one piece, I could weld it back in if I ever wanted to.
Of course, this makes it illegal to ride the bike on the steet. 
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If you build something Idiot Proof, The world will build a better Idiot.
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