Cleaning stainless headers

[Dilliw]

I decided to try to spiffy up the headers before my ride this weekend. They weren't too bad to start although my tablet's camera doesn't show the liver spots especially in front and up high.  It took me about 5 minutes to mask it off, 5 minutes to spray OptiGlanz then rinse, and about 20 mins. to polish dry  but:

Before



After



Some people have speculated that I spent big bucks and waited 3 weeks for a bottle vinegar and water.  Well o.k. but it is amazing to watch it work.

[RayB]

Nice work

[Rusnak_322]

your before looks good. Never heard of this stuff, but I have a Ducati Monster with yellow pipes. I wanted to polish them up, but it is a PITA to take them off.
I am going to try this - not cheap. it is $34 per bottle on Amazon.

[oldbike54]

your before looks good. Never heard of this stuff, but I have a Ducati Monster with yellow pipes. I wanted to polish them up, but it is a PITA to take them off.
I am going to try this - not cheap. it is $34 per bottle on Amazon.

 Try Coca Cola first , just make sure to wash it off completely or you will attract flies 

 Dusty

[Stevex]

Been using Optiglanz for years, it's really good stuff. I use a small paint brush to apply it, makes it last much longer.

[Rusnak_322]

think it will get the really dark front header pipe looking good again? The one behind the oil cooler in the pic below:

[redrider]

Items needed:12 volt battery charger, 6 inch metal rod, gun cleaning patches and sulphuric acid. Attach the negative lead to the rod and positive to the exhaust. Secure the patch to the rod with a rubber band and dip in sulphuric acid. energize the charger. Lightly wipe the surface and it will come clean. I watched welders do this after building handrails. Not exactly neat and clean but very frugal. I'll try the optiglanze and neverdull is my friend. 

[Dilliw]

think it will get the really dark front header pipe looking good again? The one behind the oil cooler in the pic below:

The darkest pipe on the Griso is the S pipe underneath and it did o.k. on that.  I can take a picture tonight.   I would try to hit your front pipe with some WD 40 on a scotchbrite first to get the grime and baked crap off.

[Daleroso]

Blue Away & elbow grease works well also. Fortunately the yellow headers compliment a yellow Centauro.

[normzone]

OptiGlanz? Sounds like something the veterinarian would use on a goat...

[Rusnak_322]

Blue Away & elbow grease works well also. Fortunately the yellow headers compliment a yellow Centauro.

But that sounds like work!

The problem isn't the front header, it is the rear one. It is very difficult to get to or take off. If zI can guy a magic liquid that will clean it, great. If I have to tear it apart anyway, then I will just use WD40 and a scotchbrite and save my money.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 What about loading your cheap sand blaster with fine ground walnut shell?
 The stuff is available at places that sell ammunition reloading supplies.  It is used to clean brass casings before reloading them.  Since no one sell a casing tumbler big enough to tumble your pipes, try air blasting or water blasting them.  It should also clean old engine cases well.

[rboe]

Active ingredient is phosphoric acid so I went to Lowe's and bought Jasco Prep and Primer (similar to the stuff you put in metal gas tanks to prep them for POR15).

I bought it for the CB1100 because of nasty brown lines along the bends. Didn't really tough them but did remove the brown haze - that I find attractive.

Did the Griso this afternoon, which had this wonderful bronze patina that goes so well with the Tenni Green, damn if with very little elbo grease that most of the brown is gone. Some is left up near the heads. Hoping further riding will correct this but on the CB it has been fairly resistant to building up the brown again.

It did a bang up job (but needed more rubbing) on the rust forming on the exhaust hanger by the rear foot pegs. So that was good. Also removed the rust on the saddlebag support (previous owner seemed to have dropped the bike on that side - I bought the saddlebags and hangers).

So great stuff on rust and the brown patina. I may have to finish the job, we'll see. I seem to recall using a 3M green abrasive pad on the CB to great affect. Only used rags on the Griso.

[Dilliw]

But that sounds like work!

The problem isn't the front header, it is the rear one. It is very difficult to get to or take off. If zI can guy a magic liquid that will clean it, great. If I have to tear it apart anyway, then I will just use WD40 and a scotchbrite and save my money.

Well I at least think it's worth it to try the magic stuff.  I masked off with some plastic grocery bags then used a combination of the sprayer and a foam brush.

It does seem silly that you have to buy a small bottle of this stuff and have it shipped from Germany but the guys on the CB1100 forum say that the effect lasts several thousand miles.  If so then I probably bought a lifetime supply because it didn't take very much even with the larger diameter Griso pipes.

Hec for $10 bucks you can come over here and use some of mine :) 

[giusto]

 Try Coca Cola first , just make sure to wash it off completely or you will attract flies 

 Dusty
[/quote]


Ha!....diet Coke and aluminum foil rub...same bit of phosphoric acid but no sticky sugar :)

[oldbike54]

Try Coca Cola first , just make sure to wash it off completely or you will attract flies 

 Dusty



Ha!....diet Coke and aluminum foil rub...same bit of phosphoric acid but no sticky sugar :)

 Do these pipes make my butt look big ?

 Dusty

[guzziownr]

My recently purchased 2013 G12 SE had some weird gunk stuck to the headers so I cleaned it up today:

(1)  Barkeepers friend and a scotchbrite pad
(2)  1000 grit wet and dry, wet with dish soap
(3)  Meguiars metal polish, cordless sander, foam pad

Quick and easy.