New Chrome Pipes - Pre treat to avoid bluing

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p400

p400

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New chrome exhaust pipes, beautiful and just waiting to be "blued".

What is the latest treatment for the inside of new exhaust pipes to avoid bluing?

In my distant past I have heard, or been recommended, that you take an aerosol can of high heat exhaust paint and put a half of can down one pipe until you have a liquid slosh of high heat paint, then cap all ends with plastic plugs and roll the paint around till it becomes solid.

I believe this advice was given to me in about 1975.......since we have come so much further with technology/experience, I am wondering what we have now that can do as well or better.

New Chrome Pipes - Pre treat to avoid bluing
 
I read that years ago, (moto magazine article) did it to a Kerker for my XS1100. Lasted a few days....
 
I buy hi heat paint in a quart can and coat the insides. Has worked on my old Triumphs etc.
 
The only thing to prevent the chrome from turning is to jet your carb like some triumph guys do. I.E. run rich as hell and cold about 775 EGT and the chrome will stay like new. Down side is you will have to change the black plugs every other day. Also Don't ride over 50 MPH.
Or don't run it...
 
Not sure how much it helps, but I soak a rag with acetone and force it through the pipe to get any oil out. Then spray the inside with white or silver exhaust paint. I don't use 1/2 a can, just enough to coat the first 12-18" of the head end of the pipe (the area that blues).
 
Spray some ceramic header paint down the tubes and slosh around, has kept my pipes in decent nick
 
I would say the only certain approach would be to have the insides ceramic thermal barrier coated.

But personally I’d ot do that. Pipes on a healthy, used motorcycle are supposed to be a bit blued.
 
eastwood has a product just for preventing blueing. it coats the inside of the pipe. Haven't tried it myself
 
acadian said:
Spray some ceramic header paint down the tubes and slosh around, has kept my pipes in decent nick
Click to expand...
Probably the best solution to this problem, if pipes turn blue use Silver Dip when pipes are hot, otherwise don't run with a weak mixture.
 
Kreem Blue Shield. I used it and it seems to work. Still get yellowing near the head connection.

Dunno though... 850s seem to really get blue!
 
3000+ miles on my Viking headers with the application of ceramic header paint as Acadian mentioned. I used about a can and a half worth. It did take about a weeks time for the entire spray, slosh, dry, and reapply process. Just the slightest bit of discoloring. I'm very pleased with the results. If you do apply the header paint don't start your bike for the first time in the garage. The odor emitting from this final heat curing is not something that my wife found even close to tolerable. Yet another lesson added to my long list of stupid moves.
 
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I used Kreem Blue Shield on a new set of headers for my 850. Didn't do squat. Pipes still blued. However,
I used this product on a new set of headers for my '70 Tiger and they have remained bright chrome colored
with just a hint of gold at the bend. I've heard of commercial services to bake a ceramic coating inside the
headers. As I recall, it was expensive.

This is a "show bike" vs "ridden bike" discussion.
 
Used the Eastwood product with long tubed spray tip. Did 2 applications. Product info from Eastwood was very "glowing" and promised no discoloring. I now have beautiful "gold" header pipes at the top and it looks great! Take your pick, blue or gold. I now like the look, makes it look like a real running bike, patina they call it! Good luck, let us know what product you end of using and the results.
 
When I first built my Commando/Featherbed back in the 80s i got my pipes made up for it from my local exhaust shop and chromed next door, they have never blued and they are still on the bike after 37 years or more with lots of hard riding and mostly a every day ride, they did get a goldy colour around the first bend but never blue, they are now showing their age but still hanging in there after all those years, blue pipes to me show the bike is running to lean and very hot, pipes shouldn't get that hot to go blue.

Ashley
 
That Autosol Bluing Remover is for stainless only, not chrome plate. I have found that with a mixture on the rich side (which seems a wise precaution anyway), the chrome plated downpipes on my Triumphs have stayed un-blued for years. It isn't over-rich and performance is good, both fuel consumption and power, though the jetting is a long way from 'by the book'. Can't see why the same wouldn't work on a Norton.
 
Preventing blue is a matter of lowering the surface temperature of the header pipes.

Chrome is an element that oxidizes to compounds of different colors, the color dependent on the temperature at which such oxidation occurs.

The oxidized chrome is stable and prevents the underlying chrome from further oxidizing. If you remove the oxidized surface (blue chrome), you remove the protective layer and the underlying chrome will then oxidize. Keep removing the blue and eventually there will be no chrome left to blue again.

Slick
 
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