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Message started by Strafford_Guy on 06/26/07 at 07:44:29

Title: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by Strafford_Guy on 06/26/07 at 07:44:29

Greeting,
I have seen this topic brought up in differnt posts but I don't recall seeing an aswer as to why the gold color happens ( I may have missed it ::).
Can some one please expalin what would cause the header near the motor to turn a gold color? I have a 96 and the header pipe has a gold tint on it and a little blue. Not much but at all but I was just wondering. Thanks again. BTW the bike is all stock.
~Strafford_Guy~

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by mornhm on 06/26/07 at 09:14:12

Caused by high temperature possibly due to a lean combustion condition.

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by PerrydaSavage on 06/26/07 at 14:32:38

thought I read somewhere on this site that a blue-ish header was due to lean condition and that gold was kinda on the rich side? Anyone care to clear this up?
BTW my LS is stock, rarely backfires and the header has a gold-ish hue ...

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by ErminM on 06/26/07 at 14:42:46

I have S40 with 1400 km on it, it backfires when I kill the engine and sometimes when I open and than close throttle. header pipe is nice gold color with no hint of blue.
not sure if it is anything bad I kinda like it that way...
I did 1st service in dealership recently and they did
not mention anything about it...

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by Starlifter on 06/26/07 at 16:03:30

Ihave always heard that gold is from a lean mixture.
I have gold, (my bike is stock) and I understand that gold, blue, or no color is fine. No harm done.

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by serowbot on 06/26/07 at 18:21:35

Gold is just a pipe on the way to blue. Chrome goes gold, then blue, then almost black with heat. Anything that makes an engine run hot will cause it. Rich or lean or just runnin' hard. Single wall pipes blue fast, double or triple wall would be blue too but the outer wall hides it from your view.
If you ride at widely varied temps and elevations you will get blueing faster. No jetting can be right for all temps and elevations.
I like the blue! It tells folks your a real rider. Some non-riders have asked me if that blue/gold is a custom pipe color.
As long as your bike is running good and your plug looks o.k. I wouldn't worry about it. Embrace the colors, be one the blue and gold!

Serowbot

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by Polar_Pilot on 06/26/07 at 18:31:12

The exhaust pipe on my 89 has slowly turned gold with a suggestion of blue showing through.
I have always been told that these color changes happen to chrome when it is heated
But I have also always been told that a sure sign of a long rider is a gold/blued pipe
I have always considered it a bit of a badge of honor!

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by smokey02 on 06/26/07 at 19:33:20

Mine is blue near the exhaust port, turning to gold farther down.
http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2006%5C08%5C05%5Cbikepics-648975-full.jpg

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by Strafford_Guy on 06/26/07 at 20:32:58

Thanks for the replies. I just picked this bike up fathers day, a gift to me by me (with the wife blessing). 96 with 98 some odd hundred miles. Not much gold or blue. I was reading about header colors and that got me wondering. Bike runs great, strange thing too it does not backfire. After reading the threads with all the back fireing situations and mine not I thought something was wrong with the bike. ;D

Thanks again.

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by smokey02 on 06/27/07 at 07:51:14

Mine doesn't backfire much anymore since I changed to a HD turnout muffler and opened the pilot screw a bit more. It still snarls and rumbles a bit and has a Jake brake kind of sound when slowing down. But no big shotgun blast at shutoff, only an occasional poof. I have the original airbox and stock filter. The pipe was blue and gold when I got it 2 years ago at 6500 miles, up to 17000 miles now and the color hasn't changed. Not everybody had the backfires, seems llike each bike's carb is a bit different, and intake and exhaust mods as well as temperature, humidity and altitude all have some effect.

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by mornhm on 06/27/07 at 10:17:38

Strafford_Guy wrote:

Bike runs great, strange thing too it does not backfire. After reading the threads with all the back fireing situations and mine not I thought something was wrong with the bike. ;D

Why is it strange that your MC doesn't backfire? ::) Just means that the person who had was a) lucky b) took the time to tune the backfire out c) modified the fuel/air flow system.

Title: Re: Gold vs Blue on header
Post by Polar_Pilot on 06/27/07 at 13:09:13

mornhm wrote:

Why is it strange that your MC doesn't backfire? ::) Just means that the person who had was a) lucky b) took the time to tune the backfire out c) modified the fuel/air flow system.

You missed the easiest way of getting rid of the backfire.
I solved the problem several years ago - but it does work better as I have to ride on the highway just before arriving home.

My trick is to change my throttle management - if I want to slow down - the throttle is closed completely - no easing it back - literally just snap it shut.

By doing this there is no opportunity for unburnt gasses to accumulate in the exhaust system until they hit a spot of hot carbon and kaaboom.
I do a relatively large % of highway running as well so I do not think there is a lot of extra carbon in my exhaust either
Give it a try - it works pretty well