XChallenge de-cat.

[Losttheplot]

A week or so back, curiosity finally got the better of me.

This coupled with finding a mint standard can on ebay, ment my current slightly battered can was going under the knife (or hacksaw).

After a bit of elbow grease i split the can next to the weld on the large end of the inlet cone.

I then set to work cutting the cat out:

Once removed, the cat weighs in at around 0.5kg's, but the real reason i wanted to try the bike without it, was to try and reduce the heat.

A few issues ensued with getting the correct welding rods. The ebay seller sent me tig rods. Ideal for the job if you have a tig welder, which i don't, just an ancient inverter arc.

Proper rods sourced (1.6mm stainless), i taped the can back together with gaffer tape, just enough to weld a few tags on it. once happy i stripped the tape off and carried on all the way around.

Heres the result:

Looks like it should hold together, but i think next time i need to crank the amps up a little more.

All i need is the new radiator to turn up so i can try it.

 

[rossi]

any updates?

 

[Losttheplot]

any updates?

Not yet. I'm still waiting for an aftermarket radiator that i ordered before easter- existing one is knackered.

Bike is still in bits, so i'm using the down time to go through it, and do all the little jobs- currently adjusting the valve clearances .

I'd really like to have it up and running next week. I'm starting to get withdrawl symptoms....

 

[magno]

De-catted my original. Now weighs only slightly more than a Remus. Substanially reduces the heat compared with the original. Noise level is the same as the original too which is a bonus. Cost me £20 to have it done. Way cheaper than an aftermarket.

 

[Losttheplot]

De-catted my original. Now weighs only slightly more than a Remus. Substanially reduces the heat compared with the original. Noise level is the same as the original too which is a bonus. Cost me £20 to have it done. Way cheaper than an aftermarket.

I did mine to try and reduce the heat-summer riding wasn't comfortable when going slow.

the cat weighed in at around 0.5kg- are these still worth anything for scrap?

 

[WindyChuffer]

Sounds like an interesting project. Keen to know how it runs. I'd have thought that the cat would be worth something given the precious metals. At the very least, make sure it gets recycled properly if you cant find any £££ for it.

 

[levis]

Losttheplot,

I've got a simple MMA inverter which can solder down to 1.6mm. like this one:

http://www.gys.fr/pdf/datasheet/uk/016705.pdf


Do you think it would be suitable to make a nice weld seam on this stainless steel exhaust or I'd better off using (or renting) a TIG?
I'm a beginner!

 

[Losttheplot]

Losttheplot,

I've got a simple MMA inverter which can solder down to 1.6mm. like this one:

http://www.gys.fr/pdf/datasheet/uk/016705.pdf


Do you think it would be suitable to make a nice weld seam on this stainless steel exhaust or I'd better off using (or renting) a TIG?
I'm a beginner!

The best thing i can suggest is that you source some stainless of similar thickness to your exhaust, and get some of the proper stainless rods for your welder and have a practise first.

This is the route i took, in hindsight i should have cranked the welder up a little more.

ARC welders are still very capable bits of kit, and perfectly good to put down a decent weld, you just need a steady hand and a good feel for whats going on.

If you can TIG weld, then you may get slightly better results, but from what i understand, the co-ordination required to produce a tidy tig weld is much more involved than for achieveing the same with a basic arc unit.

HTH

Nathan

 

[rossi]

If you can TIG weld, then you may get slightly better results, but from what i understand, the co-ordination required to produce a tidy tig weld is much more involved than for achieveing the same with a basic arc unit.

HTH

Nathan

Tig is the way to go with stainless; even better - get someone who knows what they are doing with a tig. I had mine welded back together the other week after sitting on my shelf in 2 bits for months (A new job requires a degree of respectability). The new weld is neater than the original welding on the rear of the can.

 

[levis]

Well, thanks you all. I sawed the pipe with no fears!
But then I came to the cat and I thought: how long is the cat so I can leave the most possible length of the metal cylinder in place.
So anyone know how long is this cat?
Losttheplot, do you remember once you cut the cat cylinder was there still a bit of room (inchs) left to reach the cat or was the cut directly at the edge of the cat?

 

[levis]

Well, thanks you all. I sawed the pipe with no fears!
But then I came to the cat and I thought: how long is the cat so I can leave the most possible length of the metal cylinder in place.
So anyone know how long is this cat?
Losttheplot, do you remember once you cut the cat cylinder was there still a bit of room (inchs) left to reach the cat or was the cut directly at the edge of the cat?

That's my CAT:

It's got some white moustache around though

 

[Losttheplot]

Well, thanks you all. I sawed the pipe with no fears!
But then I came to the cat and I thought: how long is the cat so I can leave the most possible length of the metal cylinder in place.
So anyone know how long is this cat?
Losttheplot, do you remember once you cut the cat cylinder was there still a bit of room (inchs) left to reach the cat or was the cut directly at the edge of the cat?

The cat goes the full length of the steel tube that it is fixed into...about 75mm IIRC

If you look at the second photo down in my original post, you will see where i have started to cut through with a hacksaw. The cat actually goes a little further than this cut, probably to the weld next to it.

HTH

 

[colint]

Well, thanks you all. I sawed the pipe with no fears!
But then I came to the cat and I thought: how long is the cat so I can leave the most possible length of the metal cylinder in place.
So anyone know how long is this cat?
Losttheplot, do you remember once you cut the cat cylinder was there still a bit of room (inchs) left to reach the cat or was the cut directly at the edge of the cat?

Just done mine last week The cat goes down in the pipe to just below the weld on teh inner pipe.
I cut the inner pipe holding the Cat with a hacksaw just to the silencer side of the weld all the way round the circumference do not try to saw through the Cat it will make the hacksaw blade very hot and blunt!! when you have cut through the outer of the pipe all the way round just give the pipe a sharp blow with a hammer and the cat will detach.
Sorry didn't take any photos

 

[levis]

Done!
I used this to cut the cat pipe:

Then wack the CAT with the hammer:

I have It Tig welded for 40 pounds by friday.
cheers!

 

[rossi]

Mine only cost £30 to have welded back up and the weld is neater than the original. That included welding in a short tube the same diameter the outside of the cat to allow the gasses to flow smoothly through the hole in the divider plate that sits just behind the weld. Look at LTPs photo and you will see where I mean

 

[levis]

I discussed with the welder about soldering the cat tube back in and he told me that there was no needs to do that since the gaz would flow directly to the silencer.

 

[levis]

Had It TIG welded today. (Only the outer pipe)
Just road test It. I can tel that It worth the mods. It's smoother, pulls better and no more heat on the left legs.

 

[rossi]

The tube they welded in was shorter than the cat tube - just long enough to poke through the hole. The main body of the silencer appears to be double walled while the cone at the front has a single wall. I wanted to keep the heat away from this area - it worked

 

[levis]

The cat goes the full length of the steel tube that it is fixed into...about 75mm IIRC

If you look at the second photo down in my original post, you will see where i have started to cut through with a hacksaw. The cat actually goes a little further than this cut, probably to the weld next to it.

HTH

Losttheplot,
Did you solder an inner tube as well to replace the cat tube?
Does the reduced heat works well for you?
Anyone else?
Thanks

 

[Losttheplot]

Losttheplot,
Did you solder an inner tube as well to replace the cat tube?
Does the reduced heat works well for you?
Anyone else?
Thanks

I didn't replace the cat with a clear "tube" when i did mine.

As far as the heat goes, i can't actually remember. I removed my can some months ago for a full remus system, but that doesn;t heat up like the original did with the cat in situ.