Cleaning exhaust headers

[Big Red]

I wouldn't risk it either unless you are prepared for real problems if or when you start snapping studs.
There is potential for it all going horribly wrong really quickly and unless you have any experience of removing broken studs/bolts then I would clean in place. "If its not broken, don't try to fix it" would apply here.

[Yorick]

Let's hope the fire brigade get there in time, obviously I haven't read 3 pages of drivel about taking an exhaust off, but why can't you leave the exhaust on the bike to clean it?

I could - totally agree. At this point I could just throw some Harpic at it and be done.

I'm not going anywhere on the bike for a while. I've got the use of a decent garage with power and lighting and I'm bored. This may be the only time I ever remove headers and I will earn some spannering bonus points. I'll be able to stand around in biker meeting places saying "Oh yeah, been there, done that. Yeah, rusty nuts and proper sockets". I'm also giving the radiator a good clean which can't be done when it's on the bike - not with the GTG stuff though.

If you sit by the bike in the garage while you do your nails it will be a bit manly

[slowsider]

I'll have a go at most things but left that the the mechanic.

[Trinity765]

I've started to I'll finish I don't think I have the strength to snap a stud but we'll find out - I've left the breaker bar at home.

[Count Steer]

I'm firmly on the fence on this one. On the one hand, the state of the nuts/studs isn't going to improve so doing something with them now is no bad thing, because if you needed to take the headers off in the future then the stud or studs will probably snap.

OTOH, will you ever really need to take the headers off before the bike is sold? (Haven't taken any headers off for 30+ years - and then the engine was coming out. I don't think I ever saw them on two of the last 5 bikes - they are pretty obvious on the flat twins though. )

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've done a lot in the last few years, all on bikes over 30 years old, but they all looked better than those.

I still don't like doing them though, the opportunity for disaster is too high.

[Count Steer]

I've done a lot in the last few years, all on bikes over 30 years old, but they all looked better than those.

I still don't like doing them though, the opportunity for disaster is too high.

Yup. Absolutely hate studs. Either you turn the nut and the stud comes out but the nut is solid on it, you turn the nut and the stud shears, you turn the nut and the thread in the casing strips, you try and get a socket on and the studs too long, you rupture yourself and nothing moves etc etc etc. Nasty 'orrible things.

[Bigyin]

I can only remember taking one set of headers off and that was to replace a damaged system with a new one ….. I was terrified of shearing the studs and screwing the engine following assorted tales of horror from friends at the time.

I got away with it but always cleaned pipes in situ whenever I needed to through heavy winter use.

I will admit I did just spray one of the GS125 pipes with black paint before selling it as it looked such a state

[mangocrazy]

Can't fault your bravery, Trinity but I'd definitely get a wire brush and give all the nuts/studs a good going over with it to get the surface crap off, then soak them to death in penetrating oil multiple times (I prefer Plus Gas but other brands are available). To heat the nuts up to cherry red you will need more than propane. The best readily available stuff is MAPP gas (comes in a yellow disposable canister) mated to a good plumber's torch. Failing that, take it to someone who has oxy-acetylene gear.

Good luck...

[Scotsrich]

Top tip.

What will happen is you'll get 5 out and the last one will snap.

So start with that one first so you don't waste as much time.

[BBB]

Had to replace the rotten headers on my Fazer a few years ago. Lots of horror stories, I liberally doused them in plus gas for several months before hand, bought a set of good quality six sided sockets rather than use the 12 points I had. A god wire brush and they all came of cleanly. It was very satisfying.

[Trinity765]

Nope. Not gonna. I've got better things to do.

Plan B. Clean in situ.

I know it's there, I know it beat me. It will haunt my dreams for a while. One day perhaps I'll give it to a professional and ask them to replace the nuts - then look after them. But why? Really. I don't plan on keeping the bike for much longer - ideally I'll finish this year with something different.

[MrLongbeard]

That ain't nothing a cold chisel can't get off.

[Trinity765]

That ain't nothing a cold chisel can't get off.

But then what socket would I use?

[Skub]

Nope. Not gonna. I've got better things to do.

Plan B. Clean in situ.

I know it's there, I know it beat me. It will haunt my dreams for a while. One day perhaps I'll give it to a professional and ask them to replace the nuts - then look after them. But why? Really. I don't plan on keeping the bike for much longer - ideally I'll finish this year with something different.

Given the bike isn't a keeper,probably a wise move.

Sometimes we make our own luck.

[Yorick]

That ain't nothing a cold chisel can't get off.

But then what socket would I use?

You'll need a right big "ammer.

[MrLongbeard]

That ain't nothing a cold chisel can't get off.

But then what socket would I use?

Any you like.

[dern]

I'd grind off the nuts, remove the headers and see if the studs will come out with some penetrating oil and heat. That nut won't be coming off the stud without either pulling the stud out or snapping the stud. If the rest of the bike is that bad I think that polishing the headers wouldn't be my first thing to do. Looks like a part on a trawler.

[Trinity765]

I'm bewildered as to why it's so bad on a three year old bike. I live on the coast if that makes any difference.

[MingtheMerciless]

I'm bewildered as to why it's so bad on a three year old bike. I live on the coast if that makes any difference.

Yep coastal living really doesn't help, my Old Mans camper lives close to the coast and its underside resembles the Titanic's current state, how it passes an MOT is beyond me.

My Local Bike Shop recommends brass spoke nipples on all the local wheel builds as alloy nipples on spokes just morph into a solid lump over a few years making the wheel un-trueable.