cleaning downpipes

I can report that the 'magnet test' on my trusty GSpot headers produce the following result:

VERY SLIGHT attraction on headers...but when moving magnet from them to the Y-pipe extension (VanderLinde) which is definately chromed steel... a BIG STRONG ATTRACTION - really like 'chalk and cheese'.

My conclusion (read: NOT "fanciful conjecture") is that the headers are indeed stainless and are chromed, not polished and therefore the advice qouted above by a service manager of not 'over polishing' (although I must add that auto grade hard chrome would need considerable sustained very vigorous polishing with an abrasive polish to strike through it).
:tigger
 
2p worth

i used to use this trick on my 02 triumphs' header pipes (stainless steel), worked every time , almost instant results, all blueing & browning gone

1, get them warm, not hot

2, spray on a strong alkali wheel cleaner, i used the comma brand

3, watch for strong alkaline fumes, then sit back & watch the magic happen

4, experiment ! i'd adjust temperature of the pipes ie hotter or cooler. occasionally use a brush to scrub the pipes

never failed to clean, no elbow grease required......:beerjug:
 
exhaust pipes

some are stainless steel and chrome ones can be ordered as well so you are all right, only thing is if they are stainless how come they are stained
 
Jinkies!!

It's kicking off on here. Who'd have thought polishing pipes could be such a divisive subject eh?... :thumb
 
Break the word down into two syllables, stain less, gedit, not stain free. :D
 
Dug this one up from the past I see :D

I have polished my pipes with Autosolve on a polishing mop stuck in the end of my drill.

Came up nice with no effort :D
64554753-M.jpg
 
Are my date settings on my comp, do lally or what ? seems this little discussion started around 2004 and it's still ongoing , is it that important......?
mine are shitty rust coloured any way.
 
The Mechanic said:
They definately are not polished stainless or polished anything else...they are plain old mild steel chrome plated single tube exhaust pipes.

If they were stainless they would not discolour quite so effectively, they would tend to mellow rather than go deep blue almost straight away!

If they were stainless then why the hell would a BMW service manager warn against over use of metal polish in case you go through the chrome plating...christ I wish some bike owners actually lived in the real world and not just fanciful conjecturing.

As for the suggestion that these front pipes are polished stainless, does he (big dom) actaully own a BMW?:mad:
Click to expand...

My 2002 adventure pipes are stainless, they are non magnetic and not coated as i have had them off a couple of times the first time idid then i had to sand them they were so bad, using polishing mop safter brought them back to an as new finish.Bit of a waste of time as they will discolour quickly, another tale tale sign of stainless is that they discolour in various shades of brown with blue tinge
see pics on thread http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66137
for a before and after

:beer:
 
My 04 ADV is fitted with a Remus system, that I think removed the CAT. Can I use autosol / or similar on the downpipes with one of those buffy balls that fit on to the end of a drill (I think blues and twos did this, but I'm not sure if his were remus...)???

thanks

thor


edit....looks like 'Wonder wheels' is the stuff to use??
 
Mzokk said:
I think the pipes are polished Stainless so you won't go through the chrome........there isn't any. Autosolve is more abrasive than Autoglym. So if you wanted a real good (temporary finish) autosolve first then autoglym.:)
Click to expand...

Not on my '02 R1150Gs they ain't!!! They are chromed mild steel and pretty poor quality chrome at that!!! :spitfire
 
Thor said:
My 04 ADV is fitted with a Remus system, that I think removed the CAT. Can I use autosol / or similar on the downpipes with one of those buffy balls that fit on to the end of a drill (I think blues and twos did this, but I'm not sure if his were remus...)???

thanks

thor


edit....looks like 'Wonder wheels' is the stuff to use??
Click to expand...

Hi Ya Rudi,

Thats what I did, used wire wool fine grade soaked in autosolve and wrapped it aroung a drill bit and polished. Sounds like you have a y-piece fitted replacing the cat. These are only ever shiney when new. I bought one new and I thought wow :cool: however it has now gone brown and I can't be arsed to take it of to polish it :D.

Must meet up soon so I can av a gander at your ADV :thumb

Jon :beerjug:
 
Polishing Headers (etc)

You may well find a good answer is 'Peek' polish available on the net from Nibetts, it's a stainless polish used in the catering industry for stainless kitchens, very reasonably priced and easy to use, I can recommend it, a lot of the dealers use it.

Duncan

:boobies :boobies :boobies
 
Some time back after this thread started, I bought some S/S cleaner from Hein Gericke, not as good as the instructions stated, but still very good compared to elbow grease. Just spray it on, leave a while, wash it off. Had to do this more than once, and rub it in a bit as well. Err, so that's elbow grease then.:augie:blast
 
wonder wheels

If you have got stainless pipes try wonder wheels alloy wheel cleaner it brings mine up a treat.
 
Just to add my 2 penneth, some Stainless is actually magnetic!!

410 Martensitic Stainless is magnetic, whilst 302-304 Austenitic Stainless Steel is non magnetic.

The material used for Exhausts is usually of a magnetic variety as it will contain a higher level of carbon and a lower level of chromium and Nickel. I assume that this is due to heat. Austenitic stainless (totally non-magnetic) reacts badly in heat and if it gets too hot the crystaline structure changes and martensite is produced. This ultimately leads to a weakening of the steel and a lowering of the corrossion properties.

The reason that they would chrome the headers (even though they are stainless) is that the commonly used grade 416 (IIRC) in headers is stainless, but it does suffer from surface corrosion and pitting. The chrome would therefore prevent this happening.

In un chromed state, a quick brush over with something abrassive and it would look as good as new, but not nice and shiney for long. Also the colour would be kinda yellow.
 
Well I was surprissed when told about this, BUT IT WORKS VERY WELL!!!

Go to the kitchen and take the product that is used to clean the surfice of a "VITRO-CERAMIC" kitchen. Is as effective as another polisher but much more gentle so will scratch less!!!

Regards

Fran
 
Down pipes

The standard silencer is chrome plated stailes steel, my pies are now a light matt brown burnt on through the dalton highway (Alaska ) and third world
dirt roads, and to some people this is the CORRECT look for a gs!.
dave (after all this effort how can I just clean it off?) gs.:beer::beer::beer:
Still working to lower the tone!.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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