Exhaust discolouring..........

swissrob said:
that looks bad..... guess you dont wash it down after winter rides???
Click to expand...

My bike is washed after just about every ride, especially the winter ones and I only use a sponge on the headers, nothing corrosive or rough. I'm pretty fussy about keeping her clean really, I don't use autosol or the such like, just soap and water, then dry off and into the garage for the night. Can't explain it....but I'd rather have the burnt look than the rusty look.
 
GeorgeH said:
My bike is washed after just about every ride, especially the winter ones and I only use a sponge on the headers, nothing corrosive or rough. I'm pretty fussy about keeping her clean really, I don't use autosol or the such like, just soap and water, then dry off and into the garage for the night. Can't explain it....but I'd rather have the burnt look than the rusty look.
Click to expand...

i ask because looks like u have loads of rust on the exhaust.

MattW said:
But nearly all dishwash liquid is full of salt.....
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true it does hence the very good rinse afterwards and i dont have 1 spot of rust or corrosion. im happy anyway.:)
 
I suspect that I may have found an answer to my problem - well not to the problem of how to clean my chrome headers but why the chrome finish have gone from hero to zero in 500 miles.

Firstly and after much advice, I tried Wonderwheels as I happened to have a bottle in the garage. Well that did sod all :confused:

Then it was Autosol time.

Lots and lots and lots of rubbing with Autosol later - nada, nothing and zilch. Not the slightest difference and it could never make a difference in my view. The staining seems to be more a chemical change in the chrome finish than a surface stain.

So seeing the amazingly immaculate finishes on some Tosser's headers, it got me thinking about the chrome headers and the Akropovic exhaust that are fitted to my bike.

Now, since buying The Stig's old bike, I have revelled in the fruity sound that the Akro plays. That said, I had the baffle put back into the can before I picked up the bike and that has proved loud enough for me.

There is also a lot of popping and crackling on the over-run, which is normal I am told, for this freer-flowing exhaust and a result of unburnt gas igniting in the exhaust.

When I bought the GSA at 2,500 miles, the headers were lightly discoloured as befits such a young engine. Now they are getting bluer and browner every time I ride the bike and at 3,000 miles, are causing me some aesthetic concern, hence this thread.

Which leads me to two thoughts:

1. Could the exhaust be running hotter on the over-run because of the burning gasses causing rapid discolouration?

2. Could the exhaust have run cooler without the baffle (as per The Stig's first 2,500 miles) causing less discolouring?

So its Quad Erat Demonstrandum for any Latin scholars on this forum or What the Feck for the rest of you Tossers. :pullface

Which leads me back to how on Earth to regain some shininess. :tears
 
Well that might be an answer to a problem that I don't need.

As I have the original and unused BMW silencer, has anyone any idea about how much chrome headers cost to buy and fit and what a slightly used Akro might be worth on this forum?
 
Obviously its not even sensible to spend serious money on replacement chrome headers just because of discolouration.

So I went round to my local and very friendly Harley shop to have a chat with the mechanics. If you think that we're bad and fussy over exhausts, we are just babes-in-arms compared with the Harley boys to whom shiny chrome is essential.

The advice was Autosol applied with a soft buffer attached to a drill. OK, why not. So off I went to B&Q for the relevant buffing wheel and then back home.

One hour later, I have to admit that I am pretty pleased with the result as most of the brown has now gone. Its hard to see in artificial light so I gave up on the blueing closer to the heads until tomorrow when I can wheel the bike out into daylight.

That said, I am not sure how to get in close around the sharp bend and up the the head. Maybe its a Dremel job.

Any tips?
 
oldrascal said:
So I went round to my local and very friendly Harley shop to have a chat with the mechanics. If you think that we're bad and fussy over exhausts, we are just babes-in-arms compared with the Harley boys to whom shiny chrome is essential.
Click to expand...

I owned three Harleys before the GSs came along........Never guess would you?.....:augie :D :thumb2
 
Hi oldrascal, I'm reading this thread with interest. I've done 500 miles now and my headers are turning blue/brown but not as much as yours. I'm also using the original can. Can you post a photos of your hard work and results please. I've noticed spotting on my headers also which I'm not happy about! I don't like the dirty bike look, I like the new from factory look - but thats just me! Having said all that, it does make me think twice about riding it when the roads are wet as to avoid salt etc. But there again I only ride for pleasure and not for work.

Cheers
Paul.
 
Hi there PH4821,

I intend to have alook at my handywork in daylight tomorrow morning - the pipes look 100% better in the filament light of my garage but might need a bit more elbow-grease.

As soon as I am happy, I will post the results.

Cheers
 
ph4824 said:
Hi oldrascal, I'm reading this thread with interest. Having said all that, it does make me think twice about riding it when the roads are wet as to avoid salt etc. But there again I only ride for pleasure and not for work.
Click to expand...

You live in Plymouth..... and you want to avoid salt???
 
Wapping said:
You live in Plymouth..... and you want to avoid salt???
Click to expand...

Yes, is that too much to ask, I mean we pay enough in road tax!! :JB

I've ACF50 everything but I worry that I've missed something, already there appears rust on the lower part of the headers already. BMW had a look today and they think it's the ACF50 reacting to hot metal rather than rust. My bike's in for 1st service next Monday. They also said there is a metal polish called "Blue be gone" or something like that which is better than autosolve. I need to do something as this looks rubbish after 550 careful miles.

I'm getting a little paranoid now, I've used the bike on a couple of dry trips but havn't washed it down, but if I wash it down I can't easily dry it so it would stay wet and damp in a garage with no heat. I've now got in my possesion FS365 Scotoiler - will use that as well as ACF50 from now on. But it's a bit of a headache trying to avoid the brake discs :eek:
 
Having decided to try and get rid of the discolouring on the downpipes, I started work yesterday evening in my garage but the poor light didn't help.

So today I worked outside in daylight and spent a good hour. Here is the before picture of my 3,000 mile '08 GSA:

003-2.jpg


The staining is worse than it looks in the photo. I don't mind the blueing nearer to the manifold and onto the curve but the brown mottled stains further along just look so damned unsightly to me.

Anyhow, after arming myself with a large tube of Autosol and a soft buffer wheel for my electric drill, here is the result:

021.jpg

022.jpg


Again, these were taken tonight in my garage and the reults look much, much better still in daylight.

Happy, happy, happy :JB
 
You'll be a slave to the autosol now then :)


I cleaned my downpipes when i first got my bike.....



waste of time...

as was within 200 miles!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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