Exhaust manifold bolts, can I survive on one each side?

Having Problems with your BMW R1200RT/R1250RT? or have some Maintenance and Service questions?
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Glacial
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2023 4:31 am
Location: Cambridgeshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT, 2011
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Great Britain

Exhaust manifold bolts, can I survive on one each side?

Post by Glacial »

So I decided to take my down pipe assembly off to clean it up (yes, I know why bother…)

First nut came off no problem. Next one on that side sheared off - rats!!!

Most would have stopped there but I’m stubborn. Tried the lower one on the other side, very, very gently with some back and forth but that one sheared too.

So I have one sound connection on each side and the gaskets have not been disturbed.

Does the collective wisdom think I can run the bike like this until I can deal with the broken studs properly?

I am aware from past experience on a K75 that it will probably involve taking the heads off to have the studs drilled out. Doing it with a hand drill on the bike will be a nightmare and very likely to ruin the threads.
Glacial
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2023 4:31 am
Location: Cambridgeshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT, 2011
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 8 times
Great Britain

Re: Exhaust manifold bolts, can I survive on one each side?

Post by Glacial »

To answer my own question: Yes

The bike ran for 600 miles without problems before I could get a day to fix the broken off studs. Fortunately by going slowly and carefully I managed to drill the old studs out by hand, clean the threads up and fit new ones.
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