SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Removing, Blue, on Header ?
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1407025552

Message started by MnSpring on 08/02/14 at 17:25:52

Title: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by MnSpring on 08/02/14 at 17:25:52

Removing, Blue, on Header ?

Is their something, that you have used that works?

Have tried, toilette bowl cleaner, paint remover, navel jelly.

Could have it, ‘ceramic’ coated, (Heat resistance), from a place in Wisc.
(Black or Grey little over 100. Chrome color little over 200)

I want to, just clean, ‘most’ of the blue off.
So if it, ‘grows’, I can see if I have to play more with the carb adjustments.

Playing with the ’97 LS650. (The RED one) (2nd one, 1st is the '06 S40)
Had to take the header & exhaust off (of course),
to check the CCT. Did that replacement, (2 hole, 2nd hole),

(Still waiting for reports, from those of you that have done that,
what, ’slop’, (if any), are you finding on the, ‘oil drive gear’.
Just 1/2 visible, under the clutch basket)

Cleaning off the oil that has blown back on everything.
Raised the seat, Checked the valves,
Little tidily things, Sepdo rattle, Headlight rattle,
beer can ‘gasket’, for, Header/Muffler. etc.

I have researched the, 3 top, “Blue Removers/polishes’
and they all ‘polish’. Just polishing, I can just, use Flitz, Simicrone, Rottenstone,
or 1,200 grit wet/dry, (with oil on it), paper. They All, ‘polish’.
(Which is REMOVING the top layer of metal)

Thinking thy may be a chemical that will just wipe it off?

Thanks

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Serowbot on 08/02/14 at 18:23:57

Nope,... BlueJob is the one people seem to use... (mosstly because most bike stores have it on the counter for sale)... but, it takes a ton of rubbing and is basically wearing the chrome past the blue...

I like the blue... makes the bike look like a runner...
Best thing you can do,.. is learn to love it...
;D...

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by jcstokes on 08/03/14 at 03:22:06

There's a post somewhere in the tech section about using aluminium foil soaked in dish wash to remove rust. Weather it works on blue, I can't say.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/03/14 at 06:43:54

7A7363647F7B7563100 wrote:

There's a post somewhere in the tech section about using aluminium foil soaked in dish wash to remove rust. Weather it works on blue, I can't say.

Nope....aluminum foil and water works on light rust....but not on blue.

The onliest thing that removes the blue is the Blue Job....and it takes a lot of very intense rubbing to remove anything but a light blue tint. IF the blue has become dark.....it is hard to get off.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by swedishbiker on 08/03/14 at 23:05:28

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempering_%28metallurgy%29
You will get the blue back again so long the pipe becomes hot.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Igggy on 08/04/14 at 11:16:10

Has anyone went with a re-chrome? If you got a heavy first class chrome job, would it blue as well?

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/04/14 at 12:08:43

5B4F4A4342441F2E0 wrote:

Has anyone went with a re-chrome? If you got a heavy first class chrome job, would it blue as well?

Yep.....good chrome experiences the same temperature issues. It is not a quality issue.

I jetted my bike with an O2 meter, I don't spend much time sitting in traffic except when Oldfellor takes me to Pigeon Forge or MMRanch takes me through Gatlinburg, and I have not blued my pipe in 6,000 miles of riding.

The most reasonable explanation I have seen is this one from Khrome Works:

"All chrome plated steel exhaust pipes or mufflers will "blue" or discolor when the surface temperature reaches 900°F. This can occur if the fuel mixture is too rich. Instead of the charge burning mostly in the combustion chamber, the mixture continues to burn after the exhaust valve opens, down the pipe, causing extreme heat and bluing of the metal and its plated surface in the most restrictive areas - most commonly the bends or the baffle area. Cleaning products, such as Blue Buster™, are available and when properly used are quite effective in removing most discoloration from pipes. "

Dave

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/04/14 at 13:04:06

Quote:

"All chrome plated steel exhaust pipes or mufflers will "blue" or discolor when the surface temperature reaches 900°F. This can occur if the fuel mixture is too rich. Instead of the charge burning mostly in the combustion chamber, the mixture continues to burn after the exhaust valve opens, down the pipe, causing extreme heat and bluing of the metal and its plated surface in the most restrictive areas - most commonly the bends or the baffle area. Cleaning products, such as Blue Buster™, are available and when properly used are quite effective in removing most discoloration from pipes. "

Except in our case, we are jetted so lean that it frequently misfires causing unburnt gas to flow in the header where it burns yada yada yada.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Kris01 on 08/04/14 at 13:51:09

Someone check my facts here. I thought our header turned blue because of the excessive heat from burning lean. Lean=hot. Rich=cool.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/04/14 at 14:02:36

aircraft industry say rich=hot

my own experience says pipe turning blue put in larger main jet pipe goes back to gold and mpg improves.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by pgambr on 08/04/14 at 16:25:40

Quote:

Is their something, that you have used that works?

I couldn't get mine cleaned up either. I took it off, used an electric palm sander with 180 grit, then painted it with BBQ paint. I tried high temp paint and it came right off. With the BBQ I still had to start the bike up 4 or 5 times and gradually warmed it up to cure it. Once a year I give it a little dusting with the BBQ and it has worked out well.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Gary on 08/04/14 at 16:29:32

My aircraft experience is full rich is lower exhaust gas temperature and as you lean the mixture the EGT will rise to a peak then fall off. Normal operation would be to run a few degrees on the rich side to reduce fuel burn and look after the exhaust valves.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Silverhippi on 08/04/14 at 18:02:04

This looks like probably the best/least expensive way to remove the blue from the header:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181471931790?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/04/14 at 18:30:15

When I did a search for the "bluing of chrome exhaust header" - just about every thing that came up was a forum where plain folk claimed the fuel mixture was rich......and just as many plain folk claimed it was lean. There was not any reliable source that I could provide a link to.....Khrome Works was the best I could do, and since they manufacture exhaust systems I felt they were most likely to have some knowledge of the subject.

I tuned my bike to be at about a 13.6:1 air/fuel mixture....and my pipe does not turn blue. From what I have read if it was a single wall pipe it would turn blue - but the double wall pipes are made to help prevent the bluing. On some bikes....it works - on others.....not so much.

Dave

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Serowbot on 08/04/14 at 18:57:37

It can be rich or lean... either will make your bike run crappy, and a crappy running engine works harder and gets hotter...
Mine was blue when I bought it,... caused by a bad leaking petcock...
Way... rich...

Also,.. idling too long in hot weather... inevitable here in Tucson...
... also,... mountain rides...
Also,... excessive time idling to warm the engine, or idling too long while tuning it...

Once it's a deep rich blue... no more worries... ;D...

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by HAPPYDAN on 08/04/14 at 19:41:08

535546405B52340 wrote:

Exactly what I was taught in pilot ground school. The old Cessna 152 has a mixture knob, and as altitude is gained, the mixture must be leaned to prevent loss of power and potential carb icing. So, lean = hotter, rich = cooler head temps.

So what is the problem if the pipes are turning yellow? Can that be removed also?

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by bobert_FSO on 08/04/14 at 20:03:10

Yellow is just a lower temperature discoloration. As temps rise, colors go from yellow to brown to blue.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by BobH on 08/04/14 at 20:45:46

352631302F2224262D72430 wrote:

aircraft industry say rich=hot

565043455E57310 wrote:

With a normal aircraft carburetor with variable mixture adjustment, rich is cool, lean is hot, but only to a point. Aircraft carburetors have an enrichment valve to slightly enrichen the mixture during full throttle operation to help cool the cylinders during a climb at full throttle when there is less air cooling the cylinders. However for cruise, it is preferable to operate lean of peak Exhaust Gas Temperature in the Best Economy area of the chart where temperatures have started to decrease. Typically this is only possible for fuel injected engines where the injectors can be adjusted to get all the cylinder mixtures to be the same so they all peak at once. Of course a single cylinder carbureted engine doesn't have that problem.
So, lean to rich can increase exhaust temperature and rich to lean can increase exhaust temperature depending on from where you start. So, where on the chart is a stock S40? I'm guessing lean of peak.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s460/rmhough/Mixture_zpseab10a63.jpg

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by stinger on 08/05/14 at 00:46:26

When I bought my bike year ago, the dealer drilled out the brass plug and richened it for me and said they run on the lean side which cause alot of backfire and blues the pipes. Must have dialed it right in because at 53,000 my exhaust still looks new and the only bluing is maybe a 1/4 inch from the header. Hasn't backfired either since them except for the little pop when I shut it down. I have tried the Blueaway on other bikes tho and it is not worth the effort. Just ride it. Who cares!

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/05/14 at 03:27:43

Who wants to be the first to try Blue Buster?

http://www.bikebrite.com/bike-brite-Blue-Buster-Kit.html

Blue Exhaust pipe.....Fashion Statement or Header Faux Pas?

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by MnSpring on 08/05/14 at 07:56:15

This has gotten to be interesting and informative.

In looking at, blue remove options, I found this:

http://www.classiccoatings.com/prices.html#motorcycles

Of course their main thing is,
'keep the heat in the pipe', with a side of, 'looks good'.

If I had a spare header lying about, might think about it.
But don't want to spend 100 at steel-bay
then 110 + shipping to coat, just to experiment.

Although, 'Satin Black', on a, Red bike ??

Has anyone, 'ceramic' coated?

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/05/14 at 08:04:16

Lots of folks have ceramic coated - just not on this forum. All the street rodders and drag racers do this, as it is the only product that works on headers and holds up a long time. The lighter colors can ultimately get stained if you have an oil leak and it bakes on...but it doesn't peel off or rust for years.

You can get is done pretty cheaply at his company - $ 14 a foot for any pipe up to 2" diameter.

http://boneheadperformance.com/

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/05/14 at 08:21:18

I've been toying with the idea of adding perlite to the header as internal insulation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perlite

drill a small hole at the top in the outer shell and pour it in, cover with a hose clamp or weld shut.

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Serowbot on 08/05/14 at 08:21:53

I really do like the blue...
I thought about taking the spring winding off the brake and speedo cables and blueing them with a torch,... but I couldn't figure out how to get the springs off the cables...
Bummer!... that would look so cool!...;D...

Blue handlebars would look kinda' neat... :-/...

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Dave on 08/05/14 at 08:24:12

7E687F627A6F62790D0 wrote:

There must be some way to get them off......Doody814 painted his orange to match his tank.

Dave

Title: Re: Removing, Blue, on Header ?
Post by Serowbot on 08/05/14 at 08:35:41

Doody's got mad skills... ;D...