Cleaning headers

[whitelineweaver]

Got me some filthy pipes

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]

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-r...der-pipes.html