Exhaust material

Benhur Malta

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Dear all,

I am attempting to get my twin cam headers to some level of decency, but nothing I have tried manages to get a polish going.

How would I know what material the headers are made of?

What have you all used?

R.


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As in engine oil?

It’s a 15 50.....why?

R


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Clean with WD40 or some other solvent then lots of Solvol Autosol on a cloth (old tea towel is good) and hard work. I cut or fold the towel into long strips and wrap round the exhaust pulling at either end. If you don’t wear out the cloth you aren’t working it hard enough. Takes a while but you will get there. It also smells great when you start up. Be-warned, the exhausts colour up quickly again.

I have heard harpic works well but I have never tried it. As well as a mild abrasive there’s something in it chemical make up that removes discolouration. I don’t fancy it on my hands though.
 
Well I have done that and the improvement is significant over when I bought the bike, but there are black spots which are simply stubborn and don’t want to go...

Guess my definition of hard work is just not there....:)

R.


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As Austin mentioned , Harpic Max 10x (specifically) cleaned mine up nicely.... wear gloves though and paint it on, and watch it doesn’t drip anywhere

When on give it a rub with a green scourer, then wash off
 
If the exhaust nuts are good drop the system off the bike and clean it properly with a polishing mop and compound , it will go brown again unless you clean it regularly after that with a proprietory chrome/ stainless cleaner
 
Benhur Malta said:
Dear all,

I am attempting to get my twin cam headers to some level of decency, but nothing I have tried manages to get a polish going.

How would I know what material the headers are made of?

What have you all used?

R.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I might be corrected on this, but I've understood there are two types out there: unplated stainless or Chrome plated stainless.

As mentioned above, long strips (I use J- cloth off a roll) and Autosol. And yes, it takes a while but they come up great. Additionally, despite changing colour, they keep an underlying 'shine' so easy to keep clean.

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Bryn said:
As Austin mentioned , Harpic Max 10x (specifically) cleaned mine up nicely.... wear gloves though and paint it on, and watch it doesn’t drip anywhere

When on give it a rub with a green scourer, then wash off
Click to expand...

What he said if they're Stainless, works a treat.
Keep it well away from Chrome tho....
 
i guess mine is stainless, but what is bothering me are stubborn dark brown black spots and stains....guess its elbow grease all the way huh?

R
 
jogo said:
Stainless gets a brown colour from heat while chrome turns blue.
Click to expand...
Well, that kinda matches my expectations. But...

When I bought my TC, which was immaculate (and remains pretty much that way!) Had bluing on the headers.

Later, I got the Autosol into them and they looked new. But thereafter, they've turned the brown we all know...

Not sure what to make of it. I've replaced that worry with other things

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If they are Steele then Optiglanz will get them back to looking good. Then a quick polish with autosol. If chrome then get a drill polishing kit from Halfords and go through the 3 polish phase...quite fast and great results. Alternatively take them off and get them to a metal polisher who will do them for about £100.
 
oldnfat said:
If they are Steele then Optiglanz will get them back to looking good. Then a quick polish with autosol. If chrome then get a drill polishing kit from Halfords and go through the 3 polish phase...quite fast and great results. Alternatively take them off and get them to a metal polisher who will do them for about £100.
Click to expand...

Or Satin Black em with B & Q Barbecue Paint.
Works well on my Customs....
 
Benhur Malta said:
i guess mine is stainless, but what is bothering me are stubborn dark brown black spots and stains....guess its elbow grease all the way huh?

R
Click to expand...

Nope....google optiglanz....buy it, cover you eyes, nose mouth, hands - spray on...leave for 10 mins...wash off...light polish.
 
The easy way to clean stainless headers

Benhur Malta said:
i guess mine is stainless, but what is bothering me are stubborn dark brown black spots and stains....guess its elbow grease all the way huh?

R
Click to expand...

Nope....google optiglanz....buy it, cover you eyes, nose mouth, hands - spray on...leave for 10 mins...wash off...light polish.
 
If they are stainless then I use an application of Wonder Wheels (acid but not as much as some other products so a bit nicer to the bike) and then some plastic scrub pads with Autosol or some other metal polish. You can get the lovely but they will always go back eventually :(
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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