Messico Pipe cracked!

[pbspecial]

I have a 2003 GasGas 250 with a Messico pipe that only has about 10 hours on it (the pipe), it has never been hit and has always had an eline carbon guard. I noticed this morning when I went to start it that it was blowing some smoke from behind the pipe guard. I rode it and after cleaning it this evening, I removed the guard to find a hairline crack in it about two inches long!

The crack is right where the pipe makes the tight bend off of the manifold. Can these nickel pipes be welded? It looks like it would just need a good bead put down the length t of the crack. Any thoughts? Sure would be nice to pay someone a few bucks to weld it rather than shelling out another 200 plus for a new pipe...

Thanks

 

[widebear]

Tig or oxy acetalene only. with mig it will crack again

 

[2 strokes 4 life]

Dont Braze or solder it eaither because it will also crack.

 

[Rick]

Send it to http://www.piperepair.com/ it will be done right!

 

[2 strokes 4 life]

Send it to http://www.piperepair.com/ it will be done right!

I was thinking about that but its expensive for a $25 weld.

 

[Cruiser]

I'd oxy/fuel weld it,, but curious why its recommended not to mig? The nickle is just a very thin plate,, and I've mig welded mounts back on in the past and never had issue.. Also Solder is a no but brazing? depending on the crack location I'd recommend against this but when piecing together pipes I dont see issue with brazing..

 

[2 strokes 4 life]

I brazed my pipe and it will not stand the heat and nature of what abuse a pipe takes while hot.

 

[Grampy]

Where do you live? I live in Port Orchard, WA about a mile from Les Tinius. I can weld it for you, no problem.

 

[Cruiser]

Brazing will most certainly take the heat,, the coned pipes are tack welded then sealed with brazing.. The 2stroke exhaust does not get hot enough to melt good braze.. solder yes,, it will run like wax.. But I cant remember the temp,, but brazing rod flows at 1200F? Check out custom pipe builders websites and you will see more use braze when testing,,, in production they tig,, just looks better..

 

[Rick]

Send the pipe to the shop, they will blow out any dents, fix the leak, and decarbonize the pipe. The Messico pipe is not cheap, a bit thin, yes, but a good solid perofrmer!

 

[2 strokes 4 life]

Alright, it depends on what rod you use for brazing but with the heat and combined stress (rocks, logs, ruts, and so on) will crack brazing.

 

[Cruiser]

I can see that,, but I've miged pipes without issue before,,not flux core but real mig and it worked well.. The older dynoport pipes back inthe 80's were miged and brazed and worked well.. I'm thinking about doing a full rebuild of a pipe I have from motowest.. its one of thier prototype pipes from back in 97,, Its been crushed and fixed so many times the metal is brittle.. Thinking about forming a section and welding it to that pipe..

 

[GMP]

What else makes them crack is the embrittlement of the steel from rapid cooling of the hot header when you hit water. Think about how often this happens, then add vibration, and you see that pipes are consumables one way or another. I had a pristine year and a half old FMF with no dings, crack at the header for no apparant reason. It was Tig welded and cracked again several weeks later in a different spot.

 

[2 strokes 4 life]

What else makes them crack is the embrittlement of the steel from rapid cooling of the hot header when you hit water. Think about how often this happens, then add vibration, and you see that pipes are consumables one way or another. I had a pristine year and a half old FMF with no dings, crack at the header for no apparant reason. It was Tig welded and cracked again several weeks later in a different spot.

Now that makes sence. I understand now what you mean.