The previous owner of my copper '03 SV1000S installed a full M4 exhaust system. The quality of the M4 is amazing! No regrets there. But the factory rear head-pipe has been worthless. Suzuki made it from black iron, and it's not made from round pipes...it's cobbled together from about fifteen pieces of rusty black, with terrible welds ALL OVER IT. The inside is NOT even smooth! So, it has been a thorn in my side since I bought it, and was keeping me from getting a power commander and having it dyno-tuned. Today I tore it apart! Whoohoo! It was a chore, getting the system apart without dropping the motor, but I did it! Now I will attempt to make a new one from stainless, or have one made. If anyone else is going through the same thing, get that black iron off soon! It actually rusted part of my stainless system. Hopefully it will buff-out, but I am sure it would have stayed clean if this had been done earlier. I was kind of thinking about powder-coating my system. Has anyone else done this? Is there any power to be gained by doing it? Well, if anyone is in the market, don't write-off M4 too fast. The tig welds are perfect and small, the SS is clean, light, and fits perfectly. It is all brushed, not pollished, which turns a beautifull titanium colour after it is used a little. Ok. Thanks for reading, and please let me know if you have had success with powder coating the exhaust. Thanks!
Finally commited to exhaust project!
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3,100 Posts
I wouldnt poweber it it but I would recommend some ceramic coating applied by a PC company. I am re-doing my rear as well to fit through my new custom swingarm. I own a lincoln MIG, I love it. Best place I found for pipe is summit so check them out for some bends
Ok, well, no powder coat then. Thanks for all the unanimous advice. Oh, I'm cleaning the SS M4 stuff right now. I called M4 and they suggested Scotch Brite. I spent an hour with it, and it is a huge pain, trying to get all the crevices and go with the grain at the same time. There are stains that are hard to clean completely. I'm thinking of using our SS-only bead-blasting cabinet. Has anyone tried this? Would it be super-hard to wipe-down later? Would it make the pipe more succeptible to rust in the future? Thanks for good the advice. I really value all your opinions.
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895 Posts
I took my headers off and just painted them with some High Temp Header paint that you can find at any parts store worked great and not flaking or chipping at all good stuff just scuff it up alot first so that way the paint has something to stick to since you will not be primering it.
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9 Posts
Good luck with the project! I have been wanting to do the same thing to my exhaust, but I don't have the tools nor space. Suzuki really screwed the pooch when they put that monstrosity together! Keep us informed, I would defenitely be interested in how it turns out for you. ( and how I can steal the plans! 
) Take care
Hey! My first post in a year! ;D
) Take careHey! My first post in a year!
;DOk. I got some parts for the pipe. They are SS 90 degree elbows with big flanges on both ends. I got eight of them. They are pretty thick, but very nice, turned, ground and pollished, inside and out. I need to post some pictures I guess, they're pretty wierd. I want to keep looking for some thinner stuff. They came from one of the many dairy farms here in Northwestern Washington. The milk actually goes through this stuff I guess. Yeah, if I get this head pipe worked-out properly, and a fixture to make more of them, I may just try selling a few. We'll see what happens. I get a little scared when I think of putting the new one back in. If I keep reading some of these posts, I may wind up having my bike down all summer, take the whole thing apart and build it back the way Suzuki SHOULD have made it.
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1,444 Posts
I will also be redesigning my pipe from the ground up. I will be using these bends:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350022696458
42,4 mm outer diameter with a 2mm wall.
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350022696458
42,4 mm outer diameter with a 2mm wall.
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9 Posts
Too bad I don't read German!
I'll just take your word for it! Good luck you guys. Keep us informed!
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135 Posts
POST PICS!! I wanna see how this is coming along
Well, I bought two of these. http://store.summitracing.com/partd...748489+4294864532+4294787628+115&autoview=sku
The OD is perfect, and the bends are nice. It should be a lot better for flow. I am looking for something for the ring that bolts to the head. Then I will build a fixture. I will cut these pipes into four 'pie slices' and TIG them up. I will start taking some pictures. My milk pipes were a dead-end. The Summit pipes are perfect. Thanks for sugesting those.
The OD is perfect, and the bends are nice. It should be a lot better for flow. I am looking for something for the ring that bolts to the head. Then I will build a fixture. I will cut these pipes into four 'pie slices' and TIG them up. I will start taking some pictures. My milk pipes were a dead-end. The Summit pipes are perfect. Thanks for sugesting those.
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