Cleaning blue off chrome pipes (was: This should be a sticky somewhere)

Ok, I don't usually have anything really important and useful to share with people on the board that hasn't been covered before. But, I think this is something that pertains to almost everyone here.

Looking at my exhaust has bothered me for a while, due to the fact that it had turned a deep yellow and had a ton of crud up by the exhaust flanges that was burnt into it. I've done my research on this before, but never really came up with anything that fixed the problem.

Anyway, tonight I was out polishing my bike with Mother's Mag Aluminum Polish and took a look at my exhaust and said why not? Long story short, it works. Is it easy? Nope. Does it take some effort? Yep.

This is an inexpensive fix for that exhaust system that you paid so much for.

So here's what you need:

1. Mother's Mag Aluminum Polish

2. Microfiber cloth like you can find at Costco, Wallmart etc...

3. I would wipe the pipe down with some glass cleaner, windex etc before riding to get rid of any leftover residue.

4. Elbow grease.

I haven't had a chance to pull the flanges off and get the very top of the pipes yet, but the areas that I have done, almost look like new.

Good luck.

Post edited by: austin3119, at: 2007/05/18 03:32

Post edited by: N0NB, at: 2007/05/18 10:51

Got any pics?

The picture doesn't really do it justice, but look at the difference between the inside pipe and the outside pipe.

Post edited by: austin3119, at: 2007/05/18 03:29

This picture doesn't really do it justice, but look at the difference between the outisde pipe and the inside pipe.

Post edited by: austin3119, at: 2007/05/18 03:35

Austin, you got MY attention with that pic.
When you say "elbow grease", how long to you really have to rub?
I've tried Mothers on my pipes, and nothing. Maybe I'm not rubbing long/hard enough?

I'm trying to figure out what forum this would fit in best, probably paint and bodywork (it'll get deleted here after time). I floated the idea of a tools and techniques/tips forum that went nowhere. I think this is a topic that would fit in that kind of a category.

YOu can also stop them from turning colors in the first place by sparying the inside with some high temp paint. You need some very heavy coats. You are not going to see it so don't worry about runs or anything. You actually want it to run so it will further down the pipe.

ltdrider,

I had to rub really hard in the places that were the worst. For one pipe, in the condition that my pipes are in, I would say it would take me about 30-45 mins for 1 pipe. I might try a drill or dremel with a polishing pad but that kind of scares me a bit with the chrome.

kawtoy wrote:

YOu can also stop them from turning colors in the first place by sparying the inside with some high temp paint. You need some very heavy coats. You are not going to see it so don't worry about runs or anything. You actually want it to run so it will further down the pipe.

Agree, and new pipes are not discoloring dispite highway speeds and extended idling for several hours in bumper to bumper at Daytona Bike Week. So far, so good. Used all contents of one large spray can of ultra hi-temp inside the 4 new header pipes.

Patton wrote:

kawtoy wrote:

YOu can also stop them from turning colors in the first place by sparying the inside with some high temp paint. You need some very heavy coats. You are not going to see it so don't worry about runs or anything. You actually want it to run so it will further down the pipe.

Agree, and new pipes are not discoloring dispite highway speeds and extended idling for several hours in bumper to bumper at Daytona Bike Week. So far, so good. Used all contents of one large spray can of ultra hi-temp inside the 4 new header pipes.

Forgot to mention --

When spraying inside the pipes, do several separate thinner coats allowing a little time to dry between applications. This allows the paint to build up a thicker coating instead of just having a lot of overspray running down the pipes and out the other end. Endeavor to get the layer of paint as thick as possible.

Believe the thicker paint layer provides more insulation. Only a gut feeling, but mine are still gleaming.

And the paint doesn't burn off inside?

OKC_Kent wrote:

And the paint doesn't burn off inside?

by the time it does there will be a layer of carbon built up to take its place;)