Cleaning exhaust headers

[weeksy]

I've been soaking it, one way or another, all weekend and it's working. It's just that it needs tarting up so wondered if painting it was an option. I've ordered some black matt spray paint.

I wonder if you'd need high temp paint ? matt ? You mean satin ? or gloss, matt will look fucking awful.

[Skub]

Even high temp paint or BBQ black is only going to look ok until the first wet trip.

[KungFooBob]

It's becoming obvious that the only sensible way to resolve this is to buy a new bike.

So, what you buying next, Trinny?

Something air cooled?

[Trinity765]

I've been soaking it, one way or another, all weekend and it's working. It's just that it needs tarting up so wondered if painting it was an option. I've ordered some black matt spray paint.

I wonder if you'd need high temp paint ? matt ? You mean satin ? or gloss, matt will look fucking awful.

It's a matt bike It came out of the factory half ratted already. I've been using Barry M matt black nail varnish as touch up paint since I got it.

Slight derail, I had to replace the radiator on my 2012 Street as I gave the bike to a dealers to put some new headers on for me. When I got it back, the radiator was leaking from the join where the arm sticks out to attach it to the bike. I gave the bike back to the dealer and they bodged it and didn't take any responsibility for it. A week later it leaked again so I replaced the radiator myself and I have never been back to that dealer.

It's becoming obvious that the only sensible way to resolve this is to buy a new bike.

So, what you buying next, Trinny?

Something air cooled?

No

[The Spin Doctor]

Incidentally I do practce what I preach, I've very recently soaked, cleaned and blown through my (34 year old) VFR rad with compressed air and nobody died. The only way it would damage a radiator would be if the rad was already on its last legs and ready to expire.

I think you're ok with air (IME) but someone I know bought a powerful jet wash and did flatten it all - you could see the track left by the jet in the bent over fins

[weeksy]

Even high temp paint or BBQ black is only going to look ok until the first wet trip.

What would the factory use ?

Not that i need to do mine, but it's an interesting discussion.

[Skub]

Even high temp paint or BBQ black is only going to look ok until the first wet trip.

What would the factory use ?

Not that i need to do mine, but it's an interesting discussion.

Kawasaki used to do the headers on some GPZ models in black chrome,which was easier to keep decent. We used to use high temp aerosols years ago,but it still looked kak after rain.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Even high temp paint or BBQ black is only going to look ok until the first wet trip.

What would the factory use ?

Not that i need to do mine, but it's an interesting discussion.

On the radiator?
Probably satin black high temperature paint, but the factory has the huge advantage of the radiator being brand new and prepared for painting, they probably use a chemical etching process as part of the prep.

[Trinity765]

OK, so whatever happens, whatever I do, my radiator is going to look kak by mid March.

[Skub]

OK, so whatever happens, whatever I do, my radiator is going to look kak by mid March.

A radiator guard hides it.

[Trinity765]

I got this cheap stuff "PlastiKote Super Spray Paint is simply the finest multi-purpose spray paint available" as I have about two square inches of fins that look a bit silver. It will take one squirt of the stuff and it's going to look kak regardless

I will then be looking around my Mum's place for something that would look good matt black (that isn't my bike).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... =UTF8&th=1

[Trinity765]

In fact, a Sharpie pen would probably have worked well enough - didn't think of that.

[Yorick]

Alternatively, realise life is too short for cleaning a motorcycle radiator and either ride the bike or trade it in for a new one.

There's as much chance of me cleaning the radiator and exhaust on the car

Can't see it. Doesn't matter.

[A_morti]

Have you given in, and reached for the Harpic yet?

It won't leave a polished finish on anything, but it'll make a big improvement on what you're looking at, with low effort. Apply it very carefully to the headers (nothing else, use gloves), leave it for "a bit", then come back and rinse it off, making sure not to splash it up over the rest of the bike. Easy and effective. You can then move on to brillo pads for a bit of a shine if the bike hasn't sucked out your will to live yet.

Those nuts look about as crusty as I've ever seen on a bike. The one you zoomed in on, looks so thin it could split in use and give you an exhaust leak. Your best chance might be to use a nut splitter to get it off, at least you would have the whole stud left which would hopefully thread out of the engine. The rest should come off OK if you go at them with a 6 point socket, and hammer it on first to get good contact and to break the rust bond. Once you got the exhaust off, it's a lot easier to clean it and the surrounding area. You could also get a thread nut (die) on the studs or replace them, before refitting with new nuts and gaskets. The bike would look a lot nicer and maybe be worth more.

[Trinity765]

Have you given in, and reached for the Harpic yet?

It won't leave a polished finish on anything, but it'll make a big improvement on what you're looking at, with low effort. Apply it very carefully to the headers (nothing else, use gloves), leave it for "a bit", then come back and rinse it off, making sure not to splash it up over the rest of the bike. Easy and effective. You can then move on to brillo pads for a bit of a shine if the bike hasn't sucked out your will to live yet.

Those nuts look about as crusty as I've ever seen on a bike. The one you zoomed in on, looks so thin it could split in use and give you an exhaust leak. Your best chance might be to use a nut splitter to get it off, at least you would have the whole stud left which would hopefully thread out of the engine. The rest should come off OK if you go at them with a 6 point socket, and hammer it on first to get good contact and to break the rust bond. Once you got the exhaust off, it's a lot easier to clean it and the surrounding area. You could also get a thread nut (die) on the studs or replace them, before refitting with new nuts and gaskets. The bike would look a lot nicer and maybe be worth more.

I'm not touching anymore nuts!!

I'm going to do a bit each evening or whenever I can with Brillo Pads and Autosol (I have some polishing drill bits to help with that). I'm going to tart up the rad and put it all back together - I want to ride it again now.

The problem with using Harpic is that the run off outside the garage goes through the neighbours back garden - I have apologised in the past for streams of fluorescent yellow or pink goo mixed with black grease running past them while they sunbath. I have no idea what Harpic would do to their lawn (or pets) and don't want to find out

[mangocrazy]

OK, so whatever happens, whatever I do, my radiator is going to look kak by mid March.

But at least you won't have spray-painted dead flies, wasps etc...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm not touching anymore nuts!!

That's your forum popularity massively reduced.

[A_morti]

I have no idea what Harpic would do to their lawn (or pets) and don't want to find out

You could always do it in the street if it's not a busy street, but yeh that's a good reason not to do it where you are working.

This guy has a pretty good trick using condenser coil cleaner.

[Trinity765]

Getting there. I whish I'd have taken a before pic.

[Trinity765]

I have no idea what Harpic would do to their lawn (or pets) and don't want to find out

You could always do it in the street if it's not a busy street, but yeh that's a good reason not to do it where you are working.

This guy has a pretty good trick using condenser coil cleaner.

If you want it, you can have it viewtopic.php?p=141258#p141258