Stainless ? Pipes

[Howard]

Anyone know how to stop stainless steel exhaust pipes going straw coloured?

H

 

[van drenth]

Tom, once i did read in one harley magazine that they put some thing like "liquid"asbestos in the inside. The colour change of stainless has to do with temperature so you have to avoid that heat will build up in the bend.
Regards, van Drenth JC

 

[vince998]

It´s not actually the metal turning colour, but the oxide layer covering the metal. Easy enough to remove.
If it really bothers you, don´t idle the engine, go fast, and run really rich

 

[Paul Ennis]

Wonder Wheels cleans off the brown oxide layer brilliantly, but it won't stop it recurring.

I have a similar problem with 'blueing' on my chrome pipes, but I've just learned to live with it; I guess blue pipes look prettier than brown.

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Howard]

Thanks all.

No magic remedy then, that's what the internet says. I might get them chromed, and put up with the blueing.

Vince, what does "idle the engine mean"? Is there a throttle seting between "off" and "flat out" that I haven't found?

H

 

[clevtrev]

Thanks all.

No magic remedy then, that's what the internet says. I might get them chromed, and put up with the blueing.

Vince, what does "idle the engine mean"? Is there a throttle seting between "off" and "flat out" that I haven't found?

H

You only need to get them `flash chromed`. A couple of microns is all that is needed.

 

[vince998]

Thanks all.

No magic remedy then, that's what the internet says. I might get them chromed, and put up with the blueing.

Vince, what does "idle the engine mean"? Is there a throttle seting between "off" and "flat out" that I haven't found?

H

Exactly what i mean howard!! Don´t give the bloody things a chance to get hot;-).
Mine are worst when i´m setting the carbs. (and the front pipe where it´s tucked in behind the mudguard)
I think the more you polish the oxide off, the easier the subsequent removal is. Only takes a couple of minutes to remove now (with autosol)

 

[Howard]

Exactly what i mean howard!! Don´t give the bloody things a chance to get hot;-).
Mine are worst when i´m setting the carbs. (and the front pipe where it´s tucked in behind the mudguard)
I think the more you polish the oxide off, the easier the subsequent removal is. Only takes a couple of minutes to remove now (with autosol)

I don’t know if different grades of SS discolour at different rates, if I clean mine, they seem to go brown again before I start off – probably slight exaggeration.

H

 

[Merlin]

stainless? pipes

Howard,
I was bothered by yellowing pipes. A friend suggested having them chrome plated. He stated that the chrome shop might resist because they do not usually chrome plate stainless. The chrome shop did resist, but I asked them to go ahead and try it. They did, it turned out beautiful and I was pleased for years.
Merlin

 

[Albervin]

You can have the internal surface coated with a ceramic layer BUT I think this can only be done with new pipes :-(