Polishing up exhaust pipes/silencers

Luke Turner · Dec 30, 2019

Hi all,

Next up on the job list is to give the exhaust system a once over.

They're in good condition on the whole but have some areas that need attention. I'm not too fussed about the blackened areas as they aren't on show.

How am I best to go about it? I've done a small bit of polishing on the engine casings but haven't touched chrome yet. I'm wary of damaging it.

I've seen Mi Ty on YouTube get some brilliant results with Quick Glo. Do you think that'd get rid of the marks, melted substances & blackened areas?

joe czech · Dec 30, 2019

chrome is some really hard stuff. hand polishing would be a challenge. I took my header pipes and mufflers to my buffing wheel. typically, most folks use an 8 inch wheel, but I only have a 6 inch wheel setup. anyway, it still worked. I found that the green buffing rouge used for stainless worked great on chrome - even removed most of the bluing on the header and dis-coloration on the cross-over/balance pipe. never felt there was any danger of damaging the chrome.

maylar · Dec 30, 2019

Chrome polish. All are not created equal. Never use anything like Never-Dull because it will scratch the chrome.

For hard cleaning, the most aggressive polish I have used is the DuPont #7 chrome polish. It'll remove rust and carbon and boot marks, but leaves an obviously scratched surface behind. Solvents and a rag (not a scuff pad) take longer but are more gentle. For final polish on clean chrome I use Turtle Wax chrome polish. Good stuff, and no scratches.

Craig · Dec 30, 2019

By hand , for regular cleaning I use “California Purple” as recommended by madass and auto-sol solvol , if it in worse condition ...

baz · Dec 30, 2019

In the UK I haven't found anything better than solvo autosol for hand polishing

ashman · Dec 30, 2019

Mag wheel cleaner that has the polish impregnated in the cotton and a bit of Autosol I use it on all my bikes and bring up old chrome like new and works a treat on bad stains as well blue heat stains.

Ashley

Bernhard · Dec 30, 2019

baz said:
In the UK I haven't found anything better than solvo autosol for hand polishing

Solve is an aluminium alloy cleaner and should NOT be used on chrome- why? It will wear the thin chrome plating through!

texasSlick · Dec 30, 2019

Any time you remove the blue on header pipes, you are removing chrome, and eventually there will be no chrome left!

Slick

kernel65 · Dec 30, 2019

Best stuff I’ve used. A little goes a long way.

https://blue-job.com/

baz · Dec 30, 2019

Bernhard said:
Solve is an aluminium alloy cleaner and should NOT be used on chrome- why? It will wear the thin chrome plating through!

Don't know about that I've always used it on chrome aluminium stainless steel etc no problems so far

Bernhard · Dec 30, 2019

A bit more solvo and elbow grease and yes you will rub the microns thin chrome plating off, no question!

ashman · Dec 30, 2019

texasSlick said:
Any time you remove the blue on header pipes, you are removing chrome, and eventually there will be no chrome left!

Slick

If your bike is tuned right then there should be no blue anyway and no extra heat that causes blue in the headers, but after over 38 years with my header pipes they are showing their age and the shiny chrome is no longer shiny and wearing a bit thin in a few places.

Ashley

Torontonian · Dec 30, 2019

Chrome is so thin. Think of it as a thin final after the others. Gentle polishes are the way to go. Also the rag or shop towel should be gentle fibrous cotton based. I use the commercial blue towel ones and put them in the trash once contaminated by any grit. Just sayin'.

lazyeye6 · Dec 30, 2019

ashman said:
If your bike is tuned right then there should be no blue anyway and no extra heat that causes blue in the headers, but after over 38 years with my header pipes they are showing their age and the shiny chrome is no longer shiny and wearing a bit thin in a few places.

Ashley

In reality, I'd say that 98% of all REPLACEMENT headers turn blue. I have seen some ORIGINAL headers that did not turn blue, but did
discolor. Perhaps there should be a poll of who's blue and who's not.

texasSlick · Dec 30, 2019

Chrome reacts with oxygen (oxidizes) into compounds that vary in color from deep purple, to blue, to green, and to gold. The color depends on the temperature at which the oxidation occurs. Take note of header pipes, they will be purple or blue nearest the head (hotter), and gradually turn to gold furthest from the head (cooler), corresponding to the temperature dropping with distance from the head.

Richer mixtures will run cooler and prevent or minimize the blue, but gold is inevitable. Late timing will run hotter header pipes, and cause chrome to blue quickly.

Any time you polish away the color, you are removing oxidized chrome which is a protective layer to the shiny chrome underneath. Then, the exposed shiny chrome eventually discolors.

As far as polish is concerned, I never found it necessary to apply anything more than a good wax (Turtle Wax or Simonize) after removing road grime. If the chrome is scuffed, buffing is likely to break into the sub-plating before the scuffs are buffed out.

Slick

ashman · Dec 31, 2019

lazyeye6 said:
In reality, I'd say that 98% of all REPLACEMENT headers turn blue. I have seen some ORIGINAL headers that did not turn blue, but did
discolor. Perhaps there should be a poll of who's blue and who's not.

My header pipers were made for my bike so no over the counter replacements, when I converted my Commando to the Featherbed frame back in early 80s I got my local exhaust shop to bend up the headers who had a mandle bender and he knew how to use it, it took him 15 minute to do each side and was the first bike he had done in years and he only charged me $20 and beside his shop was a new chrome business that had just opened up and next day they were finished and he charged me $20 for both headers so all up $40 and after over 38 years are still hanging in there, a bit thin in one of the bends that was brazed up about 10 years ago and are a light gold color with no blue, so I think I got my money's worth out of them.
The biggest thing with chroming is the peperation before chroming and the time in the nickle tank before chroming, I worked at a chrome shop after leaving school it was my first job but glad I left after a year, safety and a hard, greedy owner, but that was back in 1975/76 no health and safety in them days.

Ashley

HoveToo · Dec 31, 2019

For burned on oil, as it appears to be, I use a razor blade first and then a metal polish. The chrome is harder than the steel and with reasonable care will not mark.

Mark Savage · Dec 31, 2019

I'm not sure how accurate this info is about exhaust header colours is as it was off the internet.

Bernhard · Dec 31, 2019

For removing blue, try Silver Dip used while pipe is hot.

maylar · Dec 31, 2019

There is a polish called "blue away" that's been around for many years. We always called it "chrome away".
I paid $400 US to have a set of original Norton pipes rechromed. They're turning color after only 300 miles, but not blue (yet).

Polishing up exhaust pipes/silencers

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