Popping noise in the headers

[Gusm91]

I was wondering why my headers would make such a noise or at least it sounds like my headers. It usually always happens when I'm riding and push the engine hard to about 9k then letting off the throttle I hear popping sounds as if it were coming from my headers. Is it normal? Is it bad? Thanks in advanced!

 

[flonoen]

Normal, not bad, cool. Burn unused petrol, cleaner emissions.

 

[Marthy]

Slip on without PCV?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JSP]

Even without a slip on you can hear a little popping on the 8..

It is the AIS system for emissions. Easy to remove or plug if you dont like the popping. Gets real bad with a slip on/aftermarket exhaust.

 

[Gusm91]

Even without a slip on you can hear a little popping on the 8..

It is the AIS system for emissions. Easy to remove or plug if you dont like the popping. Gets real bad with a slip on/aftermarket exhaust.

OK, good to know. Can someone please explain what an AIS system is and what a pcv is? sorry for asking noob questions but Ive never done any mods to any of my bikes...

 

[decooney]

I was wondering why my headers would make such a noise or at least it sounds like my headers. It usually always happens when I'm riding and push the engine hard to about 9k then letting off the throttle I hear popping sounds as if it were coming from my headers. Is it normal? Is it bad? Thanks in advanced!

The popping is coming from the Headers at the front of the engine or Exhaust Muffler at the back of the motorcycle?

If it's at the front, you very well could have a header exhaust leak. At the rear from your muffler, its likely the AIS if you have an aftermarket muffler installed its more noticeable than your stock muffler.

AIS:
-fresh air is injected into the exhaust stream to allow for a fuller combustion of exhaust gases. Here is a similar unit off of the R1, looks like this. Some just remove it and cap it off.

PCV:
This is typically not referred to here as positive crankcase ventilation, but more so the term PCV on the FZ8 forum is an aftermarket Dynojet Power Commander 5 (V) version unit you can install the motorcycle to modify your ECU/EFI settings and more.

After most install their slip-on and start hearing the "popping" noise, the next logical step some take is to remove the AIS, install AIS block off plates to help remove most of the the popping, and then add the Power Commander control unit, then start playing with different fuel maps on the PCV. As I've learned on this site, these two topics are discussed over and over so this is a repeat response of what you might see on this site about once a week.

And... you are off to a new start of investigation now.

 

[Gusm91]

yes, it sounds as though the popping is coming from the front of the headers....also my bike is COMPLETELY stock...so I could have an exhaust leak?

 

[decooney]

yes, it sounds as though the popping is coming from the front of the headers....also my bike is COMPLETELY stock...so I could have an exhaust leak?

It's possible, but hard to say until you get your head in there while someone else revs it a little when you first start it up cold. You kind gotta get your face in there close and hands before it gets too hot to try and see if you can hear up close or feel any extra air pulse coming out as a first check See if it goes away when the bike warms up. Could be exhaust gasket, head gasket, some other gasket. How old is your bike, is it less than a year old...where you could just take it by the dealer? Are you pretty sure its an exhaust leak sound and not something metalic ticking up front? Did you buy the bike used and someone put the stock header pipe back on, etc?

 

[Gusm91]

It's possible, but hard to say until you get your head in there while someone else revs it a little when you first start it up cold. You kind gotta get your face in there close and hands before it gets too hot to try and see if you can hear up close or feel any extra air pulse coming out as a first check See if it goes away when the bike warms up. Could be exhaust gasket, head gasket, some other gasket. How old is your bike, is it less than a year old...where you could just take it by the dealer? Are you pretty sure its an exhaust leak sound and not something metalic ticking up front? Did you buy the bike used and someone put the stock header pipe back on, etc?

I bought the bike brand new 2 months ago...only has 500 miles so far...

 

[cracker0309]

High rev decal popping is normal even with a stock bikes.
Since you only have 500 miles on your bike. Go have the dealer check it out first. Then if they say everything's good and you still hear it. Order you some Graves block off plates ($37us Graves Motorsports Smog Block Off Plates for Yamaha + Kawasaki Sport Bikes) and remove AIS.

This will either completely eliminate the popping(on stock bike) or make it less noticeably.
Personally I like a little popping

 

[decooney]

I bought the bike brand new 2 months ago...only has 500 miles so far...

Very good. Don't mess with it, bring it by the dealer then first thing.
IF it truly is making noise from the front of of the bike, you are under warranty at 2 mos. old as long as you are driving the bike normally, etc.

In your case, wait 10 months until the bike is out of warranty before you fool with AIS blockoff plates. I'm installing my AIS plates today because I installed aftermarket exhaust last week which makes popping worse under deceleration and I only have 1 month left on warranty anyhow. Here come the mods!

 

[cracker0309]

Depending on how cool you are with your dealer you can install pretty much anything your want. If your dealer is one of those by the book kinds than I wouldn't let him know. Just put your stock parts on before you head up there.

I've bought 3 bikes now from my dealer and he can careless what I do to them.. Coolest dealer ever.

Once I did my 1st service the gloves came off, started moddin and havn't looked back since.

Knock on wood!! I have never had any major problems that had to be dealer fixed on any of my bikes.

 

[decooney]

cracker0309,

Gums91 is in CA like me. Authorized motorcycle dealers here in CA cannot even sell you a slip-on any more due to emission controls crack down, no pun intended. Guys are getting pulled over and bikes are being checked too. Its a bummer, and if you find a d irritated patrolman, good luck getting away without a fix-it ticket. It's a crapshoot if you show up to a dealer here wether they will cover you or not. If the exhaust is modified, and you have an exhaust issue, hard to say if they will warranty it or not or they may send you home to change it back. This is exactly why I keep all my stock parts and don't go overly loud on the exhaust or too crazy on mods. Sounds like Gums is covered in any case.

 

[cracker0309]

cracker0309,

Gums91 is in CA like me. Authorized motorcycle dealers here in CA cannot even sell you a slip-on any more due to emission controls crack down, no pun intended. Guys are getting pulled over and bikes are being checked too. Its a bummer, and if you find a d irritated patrolman, good luck getting away without a fix-it ticket. It's a crapshoot if you show up to a dealer here wether they will cover you or not. If the exhaust is modified, and you have an exhaust issue, hard to say if they will warranty it or not or they may send you home to change it back. This is exactly why I keep all my stock parts and don't go overly loud on the exhaust or too crazy on mods. Sounds like Gums is covered in any case.

Didn't realize ya'll were in Cali.. My Bad!
I know how bad cali is way to well. I drive truck and refuse to drive there anymore. Highway patrol gave me a violation ticket because my truck was to dirty..WTF!! They are the worst.