Blue Header Pipes

andrew s · Post by **andrew s** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:47 pm

Anybody got any good tips to stop the bluing of the header pipes. What do most of you use to clean them up with. Any good ideas would be appreciated, especially one's that don't involve too much elbow grease.

RiceBurner · Post by **RiceBurner** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 2:17 pm

My dad is trying an old trick on one of his classic bikes:

He's tightly wrapped some brass wire around the head of the pipes. This is supposed to act as a heatsink and prevent blueing.

Not sure if it works yet or not though - we've not ridden it much!

Darth_1100S · Post by **Darth_1100S** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:30 pm

Problem with the S pipes is they're stainless steel as opposed to Chrome, so not sure if the copper wire around them will actually work. If it does tho let us know R/B. I don't mind the blue up near the manifold but I'm not too keen on the brown colour that Stainless goes further down the pipe.

I clean mine up with some 1500 grade Wet & Dry - used dry! then a bit of fine steel wool -000 grade and finish with some Solvol Autosol. It all takes about 15 minutes to do it and they stay ok for a week or so.

minivin · Post by **minivin** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 7:35 pm

one remedy to help slow blueing/strawing; if you have a system and about to fit it, spray heat resistant paint down the inside and that will burn and turn to carbon as the system is run-in on the bike and act as a heat shield to slow the tempering process.

the blacking and browning that you get on the fronts of the pipes is down to the sand and salts that are on the road, due to the silicon content of the above this gets onto the pipes and by the heat of the pipes melts and forms into a glass layer a few microns thick on your headers. Only way to combat this is to clean it off with wire wool or something as abrasive.

andrew s · Post by **andrew s** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 7:45 pm

So if I use autosolv, (takes me back to the days of cleaning the engine cases on my Kawa Z400J, G*d 21 years ago) then that should keep it clean for a while. Or do I have to use wirewool as well.

minivin · Post by **minivin** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:02 pm

andrew

i use autosol on the lower run of the headers and the linking pipe, also on the pipe upto the exhausts. However wirewool with solvol with a lot of scrubbing gets the front of the headers quite nice but thats my fault for riding through winter

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:22 pm

There are two ways to bring them back to Bright finish

method one is to use a product called Metinox pickling paste, this is an acid used by fabricators for removing the blue effect from stainless after welding.
this will make them mat silver, then polish with Solvol only use this method if the pipes are really bad.

Method two is a bit like using wet and dry but use instead a rubberised abrasive block two brand names are Cratex or Garyflex make sure you use the fine grade use with a little water or Solvol as a lubricant.

I use Garyflex because its rubberised just like a pencil rubber ypu can cut it into thin strips wich conform better to the curves of the down pipes takes about 30 mins oer side looks like new lasts for at least oh minutes.

Bob

stempy · Post by **stempy** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:43 pm

The shinier you can get them the longer they last before going off. I had mine mirror polished at a polishing shop and they just seem to turn a straw colour after a while, at which point I attack them with a polishing mop on an electric drill and some autosol. If you don't want to go to this extreme, the previously suggested fine grade wire wool and autosol brings them up quite well.

gus · Post by **gus** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:37 pm

I too use an abrasive block with autosol.Wet and dry is good when they aint been done for a few months and they have gone dogshit brown and scabby.I rub mine after with a cloth soaked in oil which then burns mostly off but makes them a lovely golden colour.Aaaahhhh!
gus

gus · Post by **gus** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:38 pm

Sorry were we talking about exhaust header or cleaning ones d**k after a bit of nooky?
I'll get me coat!
gus

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:47 pm

If your dicks gone golden brown after a bit of nooky then you've either been indulging in some mediterranean practices or rather enjoyed a spell at an HMP.

minivin · Post by **minivin** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:48 pm

I'd go see a doctor if your applying oil and it's still getting hot enough to turn it yellowy gold, something aint right my boy

gus wrote:Sorry were we talking about exhaust header or cleaning ones d**k after a bit of nooky?
I'll get me coat!
gus

gus · Post by **gus** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:59 pm

You all have filthy minds!I,m off to the potting shed then guv'nor,for a spot of gardening.
gus

andrew s · Post by **andrew s** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:58 am

Bob,

Where can I get the Garyflex rubberised abrasive block from, and what grade do you suggest. And how long does it last for?

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:50 pm

Andrew give me a call at work 01753 215097 I work for an Engineers Merchant.
Bob