[emirharley]

Even though this is my first post on this forum (actually, the second), please excuse me for this aggressive start, but I need to tell you:

One thing is for sure: NEVER buy Screamin' Eagle Performance Mufflers! NEVER!

My ride is a Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI EFI HDI 2001, but the bike was purchased in February 2002 from an authorized H-D dealer in Croatia, Europe. The same month when I had purchased the bike, I purchased the Screamin' Eagle Performance Mufflers (H-D catalog number 65115-98) and Chrome Billet Style End Caps-Tapered (Catalog Number 65060-01). I paid for these mufflers and end caps 881.72 EURO (approx 1,077.00 US$ !!!). This is the price in Europe.

Even though my bike has been maintained and serviced on a regular basis (regular service intervals) by an authorized H-D dealer, and even though my bike has been parked in a dry and warm garage and carefully wiped down after every ride and never exposed to moisture, just three years after the purchase, the mufflers and end caps had begun to bubble up and flake off. NOW I can see very big corrosive HOLES, and mufflers and end caps started to literally DECAY. We can say that they have real CANCER, literally!

Since I do know that customer service is of the utmost importance to Harley-Davidson and that Haley-Davidson Motor Company carefully listens to specific customers’ problems, I approached "my" H-D dealer, including Harley-Davidson Motor Comapany Europe and Harley-Davidson Motor Company USA and asked for their prompt attention to my problem and my justified request to have the company issue me replacement mufflers and end caps free of charge, even though the warranty has expired.

But, the answer(s) were NEGATIVE!

And, what am I supposed to do now: to buy a new pair of mufflers and end caps, even though I had paid for these items more than 1,000.00 US$ just three years ago?

Think about my problem and be careful when making decision(s) what to buy.......

Bet regards from Sarajevo, Bosnia and keep your tires on the ground!

Emir
[email protected]
www.sarajevobikersclub.ba

 

[xxxflhrci]

Lots of those billet end caps had the chrome peel and flake off of them. However, I've never heard of the muffler bodies having problems.

 

[emirharley]

You can put a FIST through the hole in/on the muffler ! Wanna have my SHOW BIKE photo with the holes in my just three years old (left) muffler? :yikes:

 

[wyodude]

You can put a FIST through the hole in/on the muffler ! Wanna have my SHOW BIKE photo with the holes in my just three years old (left) muffler? :yikes:

I understand that you are pissed but corrosion like that doesn't just happen.

Do you store any fertilizer in your garage? There's a strong oxidizer somewhere about.

BTW, I agree with xxxflhrci, I've had the chrome flake off two sets of billet end caps.

I've had 2 sets of 65115-98B's, the inner core rested out of the first set but exterior chrome was still good.

I fact, I have 1 good end cap that I'll give to who ever wants it.

regards,

wyo

 

[emirharley]

Thanks for the reply: to make this story short once for ever - the bike has been keept in WARM and DRY garage, and the bike has been wiped down carefuly after every ride. The REST of the bike is in the SHOW BIKE CONDITION. So, if the bike has been keept in wet and in the garage that is full of moisture, then the whole bike is supposed to be full of corrosive holes, or at least the right muffler, too. Correct? But NO, only the left muffler got the CANCER and lirerally DECAY! The rest of the bike is perfect, as well as the right muffler.

 

[MegaGlide]

We understand warm and dry.
Please address our other question.
Are there any pool chemicals, fertilizers, etc. in that garage? Especially on the same side of the bike as the corrosion? Some of the gasses they give off are heavier than air, so the other parts of the bike could have been spared.

 

[Ed Y]

I'd also wonder about ingredients in gasoline over there????????

 

[xxxflhrci]

Is the hole in the bottom of the left muffler? It sounds like water has been laying in the muffler.

 

[GC Super]

Don't know if this is the case, but do you go for short rides, or start the motor up for short periods? With the stock headers, it takes the left muffler a long time to get hot enough to burn up any moisture from condensation. I was playing around with different mufflers one time and even after a ten or fifteen minute drive, the left muffler was barley warm to touch.

 

[emirharley]

Hi guys and thanks for your comments. Please have my excuses if I have been a little aggressive, but I am so angry when I talk about my muffler(s). Now, I shall try to calm down and to be polite.

So, my garage is one very good garage that is built under the house, clean and dry. There is NOTHING unusual in the garage, except two bicycles, some tools etc. No chemicals or something of that kind, not at all.

Sometimes my rides are longer, sometimes I just go down town, but I can not accept that I am not "allowed" to ride my bike just for a lets say 30 minutes, since I paid for these mufflers more than 1,000.00 US$. That makes no sense.

And the hole itself is on the upper part of the left muffler, almost in the middle, but it is not just the big hole, as I said, there are the number of small holes which are about to become bigger and bigger, the chrome is damaged and "opened" (in the same way like when you cut the skin of your hand, and the skin becomes "opened" for about two inches or so, if you know what I mean) and it flakes off and bubble up.

That can not be the result of any kind of external influence, since the whole bike is in perfect condition, only the left muffler is affected.

I wish I could post the photo, but since I am not "subscrided" I do not know how to do that. If you would like to have that photo(s) just let me know. My e-mail address is:

[email protected]
www.sarajevobikersclub.ba

 

[xxxflhrci]

I sent you a PM for a photo.

 

[vafatboy]

What kind of industry do you have around there. I don't know enough about your country's regs on air pollution, but there could be something there.

I have some experience with this. My younger brother moved with my parents to Charleston WV in the early 80's. His car that he had owned for a couple of years turned into a rust bucket in short order.

On an island in the middle of the river about 3 miles south of the house was a Dupont Chemical Plant. At night when nobody was looking we think they turned the scrubbers off (it smelled like rotten eggs), my guess is the emissions were full of sulfer.

 

[Road Glider]

I have sent you and email and if you send me the photos I will post them for you. Also, welcome to the site.

 

[emirharley]

To VAFATBOY: Plead read carefuly, that is NOT a matter of industry, air polution or political situation - ONLY the left muffler is affected, since THE REST OF THE BIKE is in perfect condition, as well as the right muffler!

 

[Mtclassic]

The left muffler gets very little exhaust flow from the engine so it rarely heats up enough to burn off the moisture that is created from the combustion process. some of the biproducts of combustion is pretty corrosive. I doubt any manufacturer of mufflers or pipes would replace after 3 years. When you replace them next time i would recommend some stainless pipes. Good luck. jeff

 

[Road Glider]

The left muffler gets very little exhaust flow from the engine so it rarely heats up enough to burn off the moisture that is created from the combustion process. some of the biproducts of combustion is pretty corrosive. I doubt any manufacturer of mufflers or pipes would replace after 3 years. When you replace them next time i would recommend some stainless pipes. Good luck. jeff

Great point. If only using for short trips might not get hot enough to remove condensation.

 

[vafatboy]

To VAFATBOY: Plead read carefuly, that is NOT a matter of industry, air polution or political situation - ONLY the left muffler is affected, since THE REST OF THE BIKE is in perfect condition, as well as the right muffler!

Noted,

I'm outta here.

 

[emirharley]

Thanks for the advice, I am about to do so. Actually, my friend has private business and he works with the metal, he is a real magician working with his hands, and he is about to MAKE for me the same muffler like Screamin' Eagle Performance Muffler is, but this time - from stainless INOX ! In addition to this, I am about to buy the second pair of mufflers, but this time - proven Pig Pipes (hopefully).

 

[Road Glider]

Emirharley, here you go below are the photos you forwarded to me to post for you. Later, RG.

 

[emirharley]

Thanks my friend!