How do you clean your pipes!

[Wolfman]

After spending way too much time trying to get my header pipes clean, and shiny.....i have come to the conclusion, that there are stains there i just cant polish out!!!!

Have tried 4 different products! 1. Autosol 2. Blue Job 3. Meguires metal polish and 4. Brite Shine wadding.

All get a nice shine to appear, but none of the seem to be able to get those deep seated road grime stains, you get from riding in the wet....

Has anyone else had a similar problem, or has anyone had success at getting rid of these stains, blotches, discolouration in the surface of the header pipes?

 

[Botch]

You mentioned:

those deep seated road grime stains, you get from riding in the wet....

and I'm assuming you mean the pink/blue colors that develop. I'm afraid I'm just too rusty (heh) on my Metallurgy from college, but if those stains are caused by oxidation on the surface, you should be able to polish them out. On the other hand, if they're caused by heat, and are actually changing the metallic structure throughout the pipes, you won't be able to polish that out.
Hopefully someone can chime in with the answer, there usually is.. :thumbup:

 

[blchandl2]

It usually involves a trip downtown and $100:spank:. Errrrr.................wait wrong subject.

 

[Discofrank]

It usually involves a trip downtown and $100:spank:. Errrrr.................wait wrong subject.

hahahahahah that what i was thinking




in regards to the headers

you may need to remove them.
give them a hit with 2000 wet and dry and the go nuts with metal polish
stick to 1 brand ie autosol it could take hours per pipe but will look good

or if u are lazy paint them with heat proof pant or get them ceramic coated

 

[Sawblade]

I took them off and polished them using a bench buffer and keep them touched up with Noxon 7.

 

[Hellgate]

Soap and water. I am too lazy to worry about the header.

 

[xj750_Pete]

Very fine steel wool may help.

 

[GConn]

http://www.600riders.com/forum/how-tos/4923-cleaning-your-headers-pics.html

This product works very well, but it still has all the disadvantages of a paste-like product. It gets tiresome and hard spots are a PITA. And after a while, your headers look like crap again...

 

[ozzieboy]

I roll out my self inflating mattress and spend 5 hours with assorted polishes and managed to get all the pink stuff (wasn't easy in the middle) the only thing I couldn't polish out are those pitted areas here and there (and I tried real hard).

Last time I used rags. Next time I'll be using a scourer. 5 hours is much too long for my old aching bones...lol.
Cheers
Mike

 

[sideshow_downs]

or if u are lazy paint them with heat proof pant or get them ceramic coated

I think i am going to look into this

Soap and water. I am too lazy to worry about the header.

I agree

 

[Sawblade]

Here's what I managed...

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/7394-exhaust-pipe-polishing-4.html

 

[Humperdinkel]

G'day mate , try a product called California Purple...... Its similar to Autosol but requires half the scrubbing :thumbup: Its available through most car places ie supercheap , repco and the likes i use it on my truck and give it 2 :thumbup:

Polish - Metal, Chrome, Aluminum, Brass, Plastic | California Custom Products Inc.

And another trick........... Dont try buff the black stuff off it stays in the pitting so when you buff it up to black just wash it off with soapy water must easier....

 

[pt1979]

how 'bout NevrDull ?
Had very good experiences in the past with it. Need to polish my pipes too before installing my Puig bellypan.

 

[Fred]

I let road dust get on them. Combined with the moisture in the air and the exhaust heat from long distance rides, the dust bakes into a thin layer of clay.

Ceramic coating, the old school way.

 

[NakedJ]

Im going for the coating option. its like a ceramic aluminum. they coat the inside and outside of the pipe and claim it improves power due to containing heat in the exhaust gas. A further result is a cooler down pipe. aim to take my pipes off over xmas and get it done. Not sure about price in the US but they want $250 in the UK. They also claim cleaning in reduced to a wipe over with a rag as it does not stain

Power Machine Service - Performance Engine Coatings

 

[Botch]

...and claim it improves power due to containing heat in the exhaust gas. [/url]

The Mechanical Engineer in me would like to hear that one explained a bit...

 

[Fred]

They claim that the air is hotter, therefore takes up more volume. This increases gas speeds in the exhaust pipes, making more power.

I'm skeptical

They also claim that on turbo engines, hotter air and higher gas speeds through the turbine will get it on boost faster. I can see that happening. But to what extent it makes a difference, I'm not sure.

 

[Botch]

The turbo scenario I'll buy. But power in the FZ-6 engine comes from gas expanding and pushing down on the piston, and that's it. Once the gas is in the pipe, it has no more effect that I can think of.

 

[v4rick]

Would this question in any way be explained by the same theory that extols the use of 4 into 1 pipes?

 

[NakedJ]

To be honest I do not need anymore power so not that fussed but the thought of gleaming down pipes just needing a wipe down every now and again does appeal, having spent the hours with Autosol in the summer and not relishing the thought of doing it again