Templar X Exhaust De-Cat
 

Planning to de-cat the Templar X exhaust.. fam got me a Harbor Freight Flux welder but it says not for stainless steel.. im a total newb with regard to welding and would have to do some research before even using it but before i waste time on it and cause a potential mess, can anyone confirm whether it would or would not work to weld the exhaust back together after its uncorked, thanks

https://www.harborfreight.com/weldin...der-57798.html

I have welded stainless with steel wire with my mig welder. Only thing is it will rust but didn't matter for what i was doing. I haven't tried it with the flux core wire but thing it is possible.

The biggest issue with welding stainless with mild steel wire is the weld joint itself is more prone to corrosion issues, both during the weld if no shielding gas is used, especially on the back side of the joint. This mainly applies to 300 grade stainless, and it does something called sugaring when welded and not shielded. Flux core may stop some of this on the weld side, but likely it will still happen. This creates a weaker weld on its own. Then, as Jerry mentioned, that weld will also rust easily compared to the rest of the system.

Thankfully, most stainless exhausts are made with a 400 grade stainless, which is designed to be welded on with less issues and used specifically for exhausts due to that. It had less issues with weld sugaring and usually doesn't require back filling to create a reliable weld joint. Easy way to identify most 400 grade stainless is with a magnet, as they still maintain some magnetism, often just weaker than mild steel. 300 grade stainless is not magnetic.

My '23 Templar X has a bulge in the exhaust pipe. I'm not at all convinced there's a catalytic converter in there though. Doesn't look like it, nor is there any added protection I would normally expect to see from the extra heat converters make.

So is there one?

I've did it with flux core, and like Jerry ,and Dan said, it will rust, if you do use flux core, then you want to spray, or apply a generous amount of spatter spray.

There probably is one, on a road worthy new bike. Should be easy to check with something fairly stiff, but flexible. A length of tubing, or hose, drain snake, things like that.

Clothes hanger or bailing wire always works well too.

There definitely is a cat, i ran a flexible plumbing snake until it banged up against it.. glad to know i can do with the flux welder.. need to practice and then can definitely spray with engine enamel afterwards

I will give you a little input about cutting out the cat. I first did it on my Brozz 250 , and it had the larger chamber in the pipe for the cat. I cut only half way through the pipe on both ends of the pipe with the cat in-between. I happen to start my cuts on the side of the pipe that faces the engine, and then I split the chamber holding the cat. It's probably going to be double walled. I then removed the cat with ones side of the inner wall still attached to it. If I remember right, I was able to just pry the other half of the inner shell out. I then welded the piece that I had cut off back in, and was done. I didn't have to worry about the pipe not fitting right, or not wanting to line of with the mid pipe. Every thing fit, and looked stock. On my Hawk's, which had a much smaller diameter cat, I cut the cat plumb off of It , but left the weld beads on both ends of the pipe, and just barely, and neatly ground them down just till my new piece of pipe would fit the existing beads. I had measured my new piece to run in between the existing beads. I just spot welded each end enough to hold good ,but also be able to still be manipulated, and I'm glad I did because I was off. My head pipe wasn't lining up with the mid pipe. I then shaped my pipe the way it needed to be before welding it solid. I would recommend splitting it just to make it a trouble free , but if you do cut it plumb out, don't weld it solid till you get it all to line up.
I don't really know for sure how restricted the larger diameter cats actually are , but I know they are not as restricted as the smaller diameter one like on the Hawk, because the larger ones have so much more area and passages through the cat. I really didn't notice any difi on my Brozz till I gutted the muffler, and I can help to think that was the most restricted part of it's exhaust.

Barbecue Grill paint is best to use.

I used high heat flat black paint on the steel cat bulb on the Storm (I think it is the same exhaust used on the Brozz and Recon, or was). I also drilled out the muffler to gain some flow. I definitely felt a horsepower or two gain, but more importantly, it revs easier and felt more peppy.

I have not tried to work with stainless steel yet.

https://www.chinariders.net/showthre...ighlight=storm

The "cat bulb " looks just like the one on my Brozz, but the muffler was very different on the Brozz. It had no end cap, and was what I am pretty sure a fiberglass lined muffler, and it was probably more restricted than the cat, because it's end was sealed off, except for about a 15mm-16mm opening in the end, and it had a long narrow pipe basic running the entire length of the muffler. I cut the opening large, and was surprised at how long the little pipe was,. I think exhaust gases had to enter the body of the muffler, and then somehow work their way back down to the open end of the small diameter pipe to exit. The bike was crazy quit when stock, and evy after the removal of the cat, but as soon as I opened the end of the muffler, and removed the long thin pipe, it was loud like an aftermarket exhaust. My Hawk evidently has a chambered muffler, and with cat gone, and baffle out, it's louder than stock, but NOT like aftermarket exhaust. I did my Brozz cat removal about like yours , only I cut half way through the pipe on each end of the "cat bulb". .

There is most definitely is a "honeycomb" cat inside the bulge. I failed to take any photos of it after I cut mine out. The cat is actually slid over the head/exh pipe on both ends about 1" and then welded. I cut mine out right at the weld on both ends. I chose to go a different "quicker" route to delete/replace it, but not necessarily better than having it welded up. The stock Templar-x head/exhaust pipe outside diameter is ~32mm (1.26"). 1.375" O.D. (.065" wall thickness) tube has virtually the same I.D. of ~32mm. I cut a section of 1.375"/.065 wall stainless to ~7.25" and slipped it in place of cat and used 2 t-bolt pipe clamps to fasten the ends. Attached is the proof of concept, not elegant, but it does work without the need to weld. I have not done a WOT plug check or re-jetted since doing this. I plan to experiment with idle jet size and needle placement along with WOT/main jet check when I return from current work trip.

I like that. One issue might be at inspection. In Missouri, we are lucky to have waived safety inspections up to 150k miles! That does not cover an inspection needed if you buy a used bike, I think. If you could hide the clamps, it might slip through.

The other issue is no heat shield!

Hey Thumper, in Missouri it's a SAFETY inspection, not an emissions inspection. If your exhaust is leak free and even somewhat muffled it passes. I just had mine done last week. If you shortened the clamp bolts and reversed the clamps it wouldn't even be an issue. I do have to agree on the heat shield, it would clean that area up nicely. Have a great day.