Tiny exhaust holes

[mschor]

My stock exhaust pipe has a tiny hole in it, same exact location on both sides, just after the joint from the header. This hole isn’t supposed to be there is it? The perfect symmetry is deceiving

[Bonz]

On all stock pipes as far as I know. Allows condensation/moisture from combustion to drain out so pipes don’t accumulate water and rust from the inside out.

[Ranger_xs1100]

My 80SG and my 81LH both have the same type of holes that you described.

[DaveT]

Yamaha ‘spit valve’.

[mschor]

Glad to hear it. On a side note, I welded up a sizeable crack at the joint and it made a marked difference in acceleration and smoothness. I didn’t think an exhaust leak that far down would affect performance but it definitely did

[3Phase]

Yep, the stock exhaust is tuned and doesn't like leaks.

Those little weep holes are fun on a cold morning after if you get a snoot full of watery fuel, there's so much water it looks like a blown radiator hose.

[DiverRay]

Scott said:

Those little weep holes are fun on a cold morning after if you get a snoot full of watery fuel, there's so much water it looks like a blown radiator hose.

Yeah Scott, that's because we have such good fuel in Can'taffordya for the bikes. So much alky that we really DO burn water....

[3Phase]

Scott said:
Yeah Scott, that's because we have such good fuel in Can'taffordya for the bikes. So much alky that we really DO burn water....

Bingo!

I first noticed it in Utah on a frosty morning after a rally. I thought it was a fuel leak from the carbs until I got big enough brass monkeys to get close enough to check the stream, then I couldn't figure out where all the water was coming from in an air-cooled engine until I looked under the bike and watched it shooting out of the weep holes like a fountain.