Ice Bear Zodiac Exhaust By w4wpa (Read 2,009 times)

[w4wpa]

Has anyone had any problems with exhaust on the Zodiac. I have had problems after about 3 weeks of riding and thru my dealer and a couple of others, still haven't been able to find the right exhaust for this thing. I was able to make a piece that I needed for the exhaust on the left side. The other day I rode into town and back, I actually blew a hole in the exhaust pipe on the right side about 8 inches in front of the muffler. I only have 900 miles on the scoot. I was able to put a temporary patch on it but don't know how long it will hold. The exhaust continues to loosen up at the manifold. I'm thinking the Chinese have such inferior metal in their exhaust that it's going to continue to give me problems. I want to buy another exhaust pipe (from manifold to mufflers with cross over for the duals) but even my dealer doesn't know what it is. They sent me one that looked similar but was too narrow and didn't have the flex pieces that connect to the pipe that fits in the muffler.
I love this scoot but getting tired of climbing under it to work on the exhaust.
Thanks for any help and comments.


There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.
Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck.

[ellpee]

Don't have an answer, but will be watching this thread with interest. My Magnum has a kind of metal mesh section between the manifold and the muffler on both sides, and it's anything but airtight -- black on both sides at the manifold end. Also, the clamp that is supposed to hold it in position at the muffler end is questionable -- have to tighten it down like crazy to keep the parts from sliding apart. Hoping something I read here will suggest an alternative; I can understand why something flexible is probably necessary due to vibration, but that mesh gizmo doesn't impress me at all.

[w4wpa]

ellpee,
That mesh is for movement between the exhaust and the muffler. Since it's possible for movement in the exhaust from torque on the engine and the muffler that is bolted tight to the frame and doesn't move they put that flex tubing in. Now I've tried to get just the flex because mine came loose from the exhaust pipe and vibrated out of the muffler on my way back from a trip to town. Nobody knows anything about this or can even get a part number for the complete exhaust pipe that include the flex piece. I talked to Jim at Rapid Repair and he sent me pictures of exhaust and the dealer that I bought the scoot from sent me the same thing that Jim had a picture of but it's not the same. I've talked with people at Ice Bear and they don't know anything. I really need a new exhaust pipe but can't find what I'm looking for and just keep making repairs to what I've got. Pretty soon, I wont be able to repair it.. If you run into any solutions, please let me know. I'm going to be talking to another dealer down here in Florida tomorrow to see if they have a solution.
It's beginning to be a pain in the butt climbing under the scoot every time I come back from a ride. There is no reason for the pipe to blow a hole in it with just under 900 miles.




There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.
Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck.

[alleyoop]

WOW!! that is definitely not a good setup. The Whole pipe and muffler SHOULD ONLY BE ATTACHED to the frame that the Motor is mounted to SO that the pipe and muffler MOVE together as one with the motor. If any part of the EXHAUST pipe or muffler is attached to the frame that the motor is NOT Attached to that is a MAJOR PROBLEMOOOOOOO.

If I were you I would find a welder and have it setup right with brackets to hold the muffler(s) to the frame part that the motor is mounted to otherwise you will have problems all the time.
I have to say that is a POOR setup with a flexible piece to try and compensate for the bad design in the first place.
Alleyoop

[rapidjim]

When Ice Bear did all the Mods and built the Zodiac one of the changes was to do something with the exhaust. The Magums had a vibration issue that was cracking the exhaust pipe, besides the old muffler was very ugly. They have one system for the Magnum and a different one for the Zodiac. At the time I checked with Ice Bear for w4wpa they only had the one style in stock and was not the type that he needed.

As far as the mess is concerned. There are numerous cars that use the same type system on their exhaust, allowing the exhaust flex and eliminate breaking. They need to update the mess and I have suggested that.


Jim

[ellpee]

The good news in my case (Magnum) is that the whole schmier is easy to get to on both sides, fully visible when I'm just sitting on the ground. the manifold-to-cylinder-head bolts, now, different story, steel frame tubes in the way, but just need to find the right wrench for that. As to the metal mesh section, I'm wondering if I can replace that with the "corrugated" metal tubing somehow and get a better, tighter exhaust seal, but that's a project for next summer. I have more than enough headaches right now with my Roketa's charging issues.

[alleyoop]

Hey Jim,
Finally my ORIGINAL battery that came with the trike back in march of 2009 gave out in this cold weather. I had to jump it yesterday after returning from 80 degree weather in Florida

So now I will put in the 9AMP Allstate battery I bought from you.

By the way how many CCA's is that battery I forgot
Alleyoop

[w4wpa]

Allyoop,
The exhaust pipe fits loose in the muffler and is not a tight seal therefor with the flex pipe and the loose fit, it's not supposed to
cause any pressure on any of the exhaust....as I said it's not SUPPOSED to.
My major concern now is to get another exhaust for it since it did blow a hole through it. I don't know where China gets their metal
they use on things but it's all junk. Too bad because the Zodiac is a nice scoot.
Jim, if you find the proper exhaust for this thing let me know and I'll buy from you.

[alleyoop]

Take a picture of the pipe and muffler and where it is bolted to.

On my Trike the pipe and muffler where crap cheap the muffler started leaking around both ends. I tool it off and took it to a welder and he welded both ends. Then the baffles inside broke all within 3 months brand new trike. So I ordered a WHOLE new exhaust system from ICE BEAR and put that on, well the same thing happened and I had that muffler welded then the pipe broke where it connected to the muffler(THAT DID IT FOR ME).
I went to the welder and had him make me a NEW PIPE 1 1/4 and I got a SUPERTRAPP MUFFLER and had him put the whole thing on.
It has been on now for over 3 years and everything still looks like NEW.
Alleyoop

[rapidjim]

Dec 17, 2013 15:19:24 GMT -6 alleyoop said:

Hey Jim,
Finally my ORIGINAL battery that came with the trike back in march of 2009 gave out in this cold weather. I had to jump it yesterday after returning from 80 degree weather in Florida

So now I will put in the 9AMP Allstate battery I bought from you.

By the way how many CCA's is that battery I forgot
Alleyoop

Alley that is an Interstate LOL CCA 115

Jim

[alleyoop]

I was close they both at least have STATE in the name
Alleyoop

[alleyoop]

Well, today I broke down and setup the 9AMP (Interstate<-- ) battery. Filled it up with the acid let it sit for 30 minutes then put the charger on set it for 2amp charge and it took about 1 hour to fully charge. Slapped that sucker in Retracted the Enricher(Manual Enricher) and squeezed the brake and hit the start button and VROOOOOMMMM. Sure is nice to have a well tuned motor none of this crank crank crank and hope it fires, always starts on 1 push of the start button

Put the volt meter on it and just like always at IDLE it is cranking 14.4-14.5
Alleyoop

[rapidjim]

Great!!!!!!

[alleyoop]

Jim,
The battery fits nice in the compartment even though it is about 1/2 taller plenty of room with the access cover no problemooooooooos
Alleyoop

[ellpee]

Dec 18, 2013 15:05:39 GMT -6 alleyoop said:

Put the volt meter on it and just like always at IDLE it is cranking 14.4-14.5
Alleyoop

I envy you. Hope I'll soon be seeing numbers better than my just-barely-13. (And that, mind you, BEFORE the fan ever kicks in.)