Im on my 3rd Exhaust now..

[Gene563]

Is the engine running lean, possibly?
How does the plug look?
I have a 150cc TaoTao, and have never had any issues with the header pipe ... the muffler clogged, probably from over-rich, but that's another story. My head pipe is slightly sooty inside and as good a shape as day one. I've had it for over a year and a half with over 3K miles.

[Irish]

The only thing that I can suggest (have done it myself , on a customers bike)is to buy a new one & before installation take it to a welding shop & have them weld it correctly. Might be slightly expensive but when compared to the cost of 3 headers it's not! Irish

P.S. Also resurface your faces or if you want to do a Rube Goldberg fix - Double up on your gaskets. I wouldn't suggest that. I always figured - "Do it right or don't do it"

[peonpete]

Originally Posted by Gene563

Is the engine running lean, possibly?
How does the plug look?
I have a 150cc TaoTao, and have never had any issues with the header pipe ... the muffler clogged, probably from over-rich, but that's another story. My head pipe is slightly sooty inside and as good a shape as day one. I've had it for over a year and a half with over 3K miles.

Thats a good question and i didnt even think of that. Originally when i bought this scooter, i kept it entirely stock and never touched the roller weights/the Cam/the Carb jets. But when that first stock muffler rusted off at the header, i bought a replacement pipe and hooked that up to a performance exhaust that i had laying around, so i havnt checked its lean/rich condition but i will say that when i went WOT and let off the gas - loud pop pop pop pops would [which sounded great i wont lie]. I assume that means it was running lean.

Here is a link to the pipe that i bought 2x now, he is still selling it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221541928221...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I do recall it being spray painted black, and it looked slightly rusty after that paint burned off. He might be selling old stock as new.

Originally Posted by Irish

The only thing that I can suggest (have done it myself , on a customers bike)is to buy a new one & before installation take it to a welding shop & have them weld it correctly. Might be slightly expensive but when compared to the cost of 3 headers it's not! Irish

P.S. Also resurface your faces or if you want to do a Rube Goldberg fix - Double up on your gaskets. I wouldn't suggest that. I always figured - "Do it right or don't do it"

Thats another alternative, im thinking of buying a welding machine off craigslist and just welding it. It feels so lame to have my header pipe break 3x over lol.

[peonpete]

Here are some pictures I took of the Muffler + The bolted on support bracket i made for it [this may need to be improved] + where it broke at under the scooter.

The muffler is this one here, i purchased this muffler literally a week or so ago. It weighs about 3 pounds on its own.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Gene563]

Pete,
When I first read this, I envisioned this split along the pipe, rather than at the seam; Reading again, I see that's what you had said.
How does this muffler and pipe fit? What I'm asking is, does it seem to line up to all the mounts or do you have to torque it into place? Maybe there is stress on it when bolted in; then vibration causes it to crack at the weak point.?.

This is the only picture I have of my muffler, but you can see where the strap attaches; it's underneath and further back, connected to posts on the swingarm.

[blueboy5000]

If you're using a muffler that attaches with straps, you have to place the strap as close to the middle as possible.