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It's in a position to fit on the bike but it would be easier to work on if I could get it apart..I have used Moovit,PB Blaster and 50/50 ATF and alcohol with and without heat from the propane torch to no effect.Have oxilic acid from work for the rust so that's covered.Maybe soak the joint with a solution of that?Was going to try to remove the chrome but will sand blasting it do a good enough job?.Would rather save this pipe anyway.

I got surprisingly good results going from chrome to black on header pipes that were discolored and lightly rusted at the almost inaccessible area where the pipes join at the collector. As I recall, the pipes were built together as a single header assembly (not 4 separate pipes).

Considered sand blasting, but decided against it.

Used a cheap disposable paint brush to basically douse the entire assembly with full strength muriatic acid, which boiled away most of the rust in the collector area , and did a decent job of "priming" the smooth areas. Allowed the acid to work for about 10 minutes.

Rinsed the assembly with a water hose, and allowed it to dry.

Minimal wet sanding with ultra fine paper was also done, but seemed mostly ineffective on the discolored chrome plating.

When fully dry, applied rattle can flat black high temp paint from Auto-Zone, which held on very well, looked good and smooth, didn't flake or chip off, survived heavy duty cleaners such as gunk, etc., and many pressure washes. Would have been easy to touch up, but wasn't necessary.

Am uncertain how durability of another color other than flat black would compare.

A gallon of muriatic acid is inexpensive and available at any swimming pool supply store, and probably for even less at Lowes and Home Depot.

It's a cheap (maybe $15 for acid, brush, paint and paper) and easy exercise with pleasing results in less than an hour (except for the drying time before painting), not counting removal from the bike and reassembly onto the bike.

I kept the chrome muffler, because it was still in excellent condition. But believe the same process would apply.

Others have reported somewhat less longevity with VHT rattle can spray-on, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Check out the LTD in my signature, which has the subject header assembly.

Good Fortune!

You might try soaking it in evaporust or white vinegar/salt. They both do a really good job of dissolving rust.

Patton wrote: I got surprisingly good results going from chrome to black on header pipes that were discolored and lightly rusted at the almost inaccessible area where the pipes join at the collector. As I recall, the pipes were built together as a single header assembly (not 4 separate pipes).

Considered sand blasting, but decided against it.

Used a cheap disposable paint brush to basically douse the entire assembly with full strength muriatic acid, which boiled away most of the rust in the collector area , and did a decent job of "priming" the smooth areas. Allowed the acid to work for about 10 minutes.

Rinsed the assembly with a water hose, and allowed it to dry.

Minimal wet sanding with ultra fine paper was also done, but seemed mostly ineffective on the discolored chrome plating.

When fully dry, applied rattle can flat black high temp paint from Auto-Zone, which held on very well, looked good and smooth, didn't flake or chip off, survived heavy duty cleaners such as gunk, etc., and many pressure washes. Would have been easy to touch up, but wasn't necessary.

Am uncertain how durability of another color other than flat black would compare.

A gallon of muriatic acid is inexpensive and available at any swimming pool supply store, and probably for even less at Lowes and Home Depot.

It's a cheap (maybe $15 for acid, brush, paint and paper) and easy exercise with pleasing results in less than an hour (except for the drying time before painting), not counting removal from the bike and reassembly onto the bike.

I kept the chrome muffler, because it was still in excellent condition. But believe the same process would apply.

Others have reported somewhat less longevity with VHT rattle can spray-on, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Check out the LTD in my signature, which has the subject header assembly.

Good Fortune!

I'm out on Canada's far west coast and we don't have Auto Zones here(checked to be sure ).Used VHT on the Supertrapp for my GS750 and am not impressed as it's rusting again.This after sand blasting it at the local U Blast place before painting.Will give the penetrating oil soaked rag a try and if that doesn't work RHG's Evaporust idea will be tried to.

I found a good reason to separate the meg:

I can run my pipe straightener though the dents if I can get it off.

In not to bad a shape but defiantly rusty.Seems like others agree with Patton's torch idea.

Was trying to get the baffle out with my slide hammer.The baffle barely moved but the megaphone did May need a new baffle but hey it's cheaper than a new pipe
Edit:Just tried to use my pipe straightener on it,it's a 1" ball bearing welded to a 18(?)" piece of mild steel rod.There's a divider in the collector that won't let it pass though

Man this V&H is fighting me tooth and nail.

Any suggestions?My slide hammer isn't budging it

You're going to have to dislodge it by going in from the collector end.

Later, Doug

Bend in the collect end is making that more difficult than you'd think.

Well my 78 GS1000 is quite close to being done so I can(yes finally)get somethings started on the GPz.Since I had the carbs apart and it's not quite time to do frame painting yet the carbs it is.

Actually I'd wirebrushed the bodies and float bowls earlier.

Got some silicone plugs for powder coating but I figured they'd work good for regular painting to,they did

VHT satin black caliper paint cured in the oven for 1 hour at 200 degrees.I love this stuff.Didn't want to PC them because of the shaft seals in the BS carbs.Thinking the 400+ degrees would do bad things to them.

Wowzers 1 hour @ 2000°F? Aluminum melts at 1221°F...

LOL yeah I fixed that.