Polishing Exhaust Headers

[Db52280]

Mine are really bad. This is my next project.View attachment 53196

 

[redballs]

Here she is with the headers installed.

 

[FinalImpact]

Rather than polishing my headers I chose to ceramic coat them blue.

Q? How is this holding up? ^^

[MENTION=17743]visions[/MENTION], look at post 80 for a pic of the coolant reservoir.

 

[redballs]

Q? How is this holding up? ^^


[MENTION=17743]visions[/MENTION], look at post 80 for a pic of the coolant reservoir.

It's actually looking really well after a few months of abuse. No discolouration and no chips in the paint from road debris. I'm also going to coat the y pipe going to the exhaust this winter.

 

[FinalImpact]

So, I grabbed some S1 fleebay headers expecting they may never clean up and look nice and "they may need" ceramic coating, but w/some elbow grease they came around! For now, no coatings, just clean them.

Used were:
1st cut = Red Scotch brite pad and rubbing compound
2nd go = denim and mothers mag polish in the old "shoe shine" technic

Who knew they'd go from this:

TO THIS!!!
Oh Scott - - - [MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION] :rockon::rockon:

This is the process - although these are the originals. Pic from Nov 2014 during valve lash adjustment and the radiator and fairing were off.

I'll post up when on the bike! They need an o2 bung installed first!


JJD952 Header

 

[payneib]

Yeah, they polish up easy once you find a method. Because I have the bike coated with ACF50 every autumn, it doesn't actually get washed until spring, I just rinse the salt off once or twice a week. So come spring, I have that job to do to get nice again every year. It always comes up though.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

So, I grabbed some S1 fleebay headers expecting they may never clean up and look nice and "they may need" ceramic coating, but w/some elbow grease they came around! For now, no coatings, just clean them.

TO THIS!!!
Oh Scott - - - [MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION] :rockon::rockon:

I'll post up when on the bike!


JJD952 Header

Yea!!! Now that's what I'm talking about!!!! Absolutly gorgeous!!! (purtier than mine , but I did mine on the bike)

I know the ceramic coating helps with heat/performance/ lack of maintainance, etc(the above look real good BTW).

But IMO, if you keep the header clean, they don't blend in with the bike/engine and show off the 4 banger in there with some VERY VISABLE BLING!! :thumbup:

Once the heavy stuff is off, its quite a bit easier to keep them up(depending on how much rain/crap you have to ride thru)..

BTW, You easily doubled the value of those pipes (and increased the value of the bike some) Randy should you sell that header...

 

[Slopeflyer]

I need to get busy. Problem is the weather this week is sunny and 75 out. I am torn on what to do... Ride or polish?:shakehead::shakehead:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.

 

[petergreko]

RIDE! The header will still be dirty when you get back!!!

+1 Ride!......Always.

 

[petergreko]

Looks really, really good!!!

And yes, road grime/water is going to dull it some but with the heavy stuff off, it'll be considerably easier to keep after.

Something to consider and does help some, a "Fender Extender". I glued mine on with ABS (PVC) glue, no screws for a cleaner, more permanent installation:

Scott-

That Fender Extender, what kind of glue did you attach it with? I just looked up the company and it looks really nice.

Thanks.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.

 

[mxhideout]

So, I grabbed some S1 fleebay headers expecting they may never clean up and look nice and "they may need" ceramic coating, but w/some elbow grease they came around! For now, no coatings, just clean them.

Used were:
1st cut = Red Scotch brite pad and rubbing compound
2nd go = denim and mothers mag polish in the old "shoe shine" technic

Who knew they'd go from this:

TO THIS!!!
Oh Scott - - - [MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION] :rockon::rockon:

JJD952 Header

I was just going to ask if anyone used scotch-brite pads instead of steel wool. I used it on a SS dirt bike head pipe but never spent any time polishing it... All these polished pipes look surprisingly good on this bike. I may have to try it when I take the radiator off.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.

 

[mxhideout]

I NEVER took anything but polish to the header and just a bunch of time to get it cleaned up. (did it on the bike).

I'd be afraid of leaving small scratches that would later lead to rusting, etc (might be worng there). But mine were fairly nasty before I did mine..

Before, (the bike was partially apart getting new parts from the PO's wheelie attempt) but you can see the header was nasty(and after pic's;

That's about what mine look like right now. I have some 3M Perfect-It rubbing compound sitting here that I can try on it.

 

[FinalImpact]

I have some 3M Perfect-It rubbing compound sitting here that I can try on it.

^^ I have that, its not quite aggressive enough to get the job done in a timely manor... But good for toning muscles!

Grab an old pair of denim pants and cut them off. Coat a leg with compound and tug away! Its very effective - you can apply lots of pressure and work many angles on the bike. I was doing a Valve Adjustment and had the radiator out. So I gave them a few pulls while it was out of the way. Not required, but good access.

And Scott, I cleaned those fleebay headers with scotch brite and compound. So ya, they look like ceramic but they are not.

Bike is VERY loud onces killing all three CATs - ALL GONE! Rev's Nice! Pulls Nice! :thumbup:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.

 

[FinalImpact]

DB killers haven't been out in years.
Only rode a short while but the ECU adjusted the AFR pretty quickly. It idles the way it did before the header swap. I'm just saying those CATs really dampen the sound. It sounds VERY different w/out those as restrictions!

This is likely tmi but before throwing headers on i used an air hose (compressed air) and blew into each pipe. The S1 header pulls a nice vacum on the pipe its paired with. i.e. blow into 1 and #2 has a very strong scavenging vacuum. 3 and 4 also have a fair vacuum.

Doing this to the S2 header and the air flow is impaired by the mini CATs. Hardly no signal at all in adjacent pipe.

I need to run it some more. Also has CR10E plugs... Lets see how they look in after some miles.

Edit see the other thread. My S1 header has an O2 sensor bung installed.

 

[summerb37]

I always wondered how I might be able to clean the pipes. Mine don't look so good after 24km and with year around riding. I never heard of this stuff before, but I will be buying it for sure. Thanks.

"Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish" and a bunch of elbow grease with a micro fiber cloth...

NO STEELWOOL or light sandpaper... A buffing wheel is fine too.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.