Rust on headers?

kontraband · Full Member Joined: Oct 29, 2008 Posts: 36

Hello everybody.

What's the best / easiest way to remove rust build-up on the headers?

Trying to clean them up a bit:

pumps · Posted: November 19, 2008, 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Rust on headers?

On my old Virago I used SOS soap pads to start and finished with fine steel wool. They weren't terribly bad though. The before:

Can't seem to find an after...

Retiredgentleman · Posted: November 19, 2008, 8:33 pm Post subject: Re: Rust on headers?

Try some 'Auto-sol"; its very useful around bikes. Removes rust,polishes chrome. Buy at motorcycle dealers.

yamaman · Posted: November 19, 2008, 10:58 pm Post subject: Re: Rust on headers?

I saw mythbusters use coke, worked as good as the specialty products!

JAKE76XS650 · Full Member Joined: Oct 16, 2008 Posts: 13

my headpipes were pretty rusted out, but the general integrity was still pretty good. instead of forking out the $200 plus dollars for new ones, i just cleaned up the old ones and wrapped them.
if you don't want to wrap or paint them, then the best method i have found is to use about a 320 or so grit sandpaper to remove the majority of the rust, bur's, scrathes etc. then work your way up to a finer grit sandpaper like 600 and then 800. each step will then work to make the scratches from the previous sandpaper get smaller and smaller. once your finished with the 800, then move to a green SOS pad, and now introduce some luster pad or never dull polish. do this about two times working over the entire pipe, and then go to a white SOS type scrubbing pad. its a little more gentle. alternate between the white pad and a rag using the luster pad polish until you get a good shine out of them. finish off with some mothers polish and you should have some shiny new metal pipes!

we use this method at work for the shiny aluminum parts of the boat (I'm in the coast guard, scrubbing and cleaning corrosion is a daily thing) when they get all scratched from the wear and tear. so if you use this method let me know how it works, and if anyone has anything else to add, please do!

Jake

Jake68 · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Mar 23, 2007 Posts: 841

autosol, WD40, Wirebrush and possibly Scotchbright fine..

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650