Cleaning headers

[whitelineweaver]

Got me some filthy pipes4310

Autosol on felt wheel on drill got nowhere.

W&D Sandpaper? Oven cleaner?

What would you recommend before I strap on the wire brush disc?

[stiffsimon]

Bead blast them I would

[BANDITROD]

get one of those jex pads ...you know the green things women use to clean fry pans

[whitelineweaver]

Bead blasting would be great but...

This is probably 12 years of buildup. I tried fine steel wool with autosol - nope.

Normally I'd probably take to it with a flap disc or something and regret it later.

[K6Thou]

Caustic bath ?

[whitelineweaver]

I was just thinking that, well, using something caustic.

[K6Thou]

Oven cleaner can rip all sorts of crap off.

[whitelineweaver]

I'll give the oven cleaner a go, thanks.

[K6Thou]

I should have probably put a disclaimer up saying that any loss of original finish of the headers is purely coincidental and not my fault lol

[BANDITROD]

lol

[Tim]

ive used steel wool before

[whitelineweaver]

I should have probably put a disclaimer up saying that any loss of original finish of the headers is purely coincidental and not my fault lol

S'ok, you didn't actually say to use it. Besides, I'll probably end up fucking it up with a grinder cos I'm too lazy to rub :)

I'll try the oven cleaner and some coarse steel wool if needed.

[BANDITROD]

for the love of god dont use your grinder

[whitelineweaver]

I wasn't serious - made enough mistakes with grinders.

I'll report back tmrw and I promise to stay away from wire wheels and flap discs...for now.

[BANDITROD]

thank fuck for that

[ALBI]

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/abli1/IMAG1127.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/abli1/media/IMAG1127.jpg.html)
sand blast mate the only way

[wackyrider]

I've glass bead blasted and wirewheeled the R1 header before and had no issue. As long as the headers are stainless I cannot see you having an issue mate. Used one on a 5" grinder and away I went.

For the Gixxer I've actually just blasted them but they came up clean enough and didn't need to wire wheel them

[MONO]

Hydro Blasting and they'll look like new.....it's a bead blasting / polishing process.

[ozzy1100]

Hydro Blasting and they'll look like new.....it's a bead blasting / polishing process.

It's low pressure water injected with compressed air with glass beads surpended in it.
The glass beads are measured in microns and as such wash off.
Completely harmless to parts and the best treatment I have seen.
If things go to plan I may have a full size one of these in the next 6 mths :-)

[whitelineweaver]

Thanks for the suggestions. If I had a lot to do I'd consider sand blasting. I'm just doing a bit of half-arsed detailing.

The oven cleaner did nil, but it did get the tea crud off my stainless steel travel mug, which I never wash properly :)

A scotchbrite paint stripper wheel does it well apparently.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/bmw-r1100s-r1200s-tech-forum/675600-how-do-you-clean-your-header-pipes.html

[Hillsy]

Pretty sure those headers are Ti - not sure how a wire wheel would go here as opposed to stainless pipes.

[Dynomutt]

I use a product called "WonderWheels" it's a cleaner for ally wheels, mildly acidic so wear some latex type gloves, and use a Scotchbrite pad, it removes all the horrible straw coloured staining on stainless headers especially where the first bend is. Once cleaned off then you can polish it with a metal polish like autosol or similar.

[whitelineweaver]

Titanium you think?

The scotchbrite wheel worked well but couldn't get right in the corners of the welds.

Might look into painting them one day.

Wonderwheels looks good, not as nasty as oven cleaner

[FIGHTERMC]

not sure if ye have it over there but we use pickle paste here in Ireland and in less than 10 mins there back to as good as new.

[Redmohawk]

I doubt they're Ti

[BANDITROD]

yeah and its fucking nasty stuff too wear a mask with that shit Frank

not sure if ye have it over there but we use pickle paste here in Ireland and in less than 10 mins there back to as good as new.

[Redmohawk]

You'd be supprized what you can use to clean it real fast if its stainless steel , a old AC welder with a paintbrush clamped to one lead dipped in some slightly acidic over the counter industrial cleaner does a good job.

[FIGHTERMC]

yeah and its fucking nasty stuff too wear a mask with that shit Frank agree..rubber gloves and mask is a must.

[alfiestorm]

I have used a wire wheel before attached to my angle grinder, the wheel had brass bristles and done a good job too, but now i chuck them in my blast cabinet used with some ally oxide type medium my mate gets from his areospace repair factory place he works at, that does a fuckin great job.
suppose it depends whats available to you

[K6Thou]

agree..rubber gloves and mask is a must.

The yellow finger thing is something I have been through a few times.....

[ozzy1100]

The brown finger thing is something I have been through a few times.....

fixed dan :-)

[K6Thou]

Gee thanks mate. :D

[ozzy1100]

And still better than that shit stane on that towel at afr lol

[safighter]

green scotchbright works a treat, good on stainless ,use brown gently ally