Keeping the exhaust system looking good

[xsrider]

I really like my old Jardine 4-2 "spaghetti" pipes, but the chrome on the headers was getting just a bit too hard to polish. It was looking worse every year. So, this year I roughed up all the header pipes with a green pad and applied a few coats of high temp stove paint [flat black]. I was scared it would look cheesey, you know cheap and awful. But when finished, the results were awesome. Got a lot of compliments. Even from my 15 year old. Anyway I really like like the looks. If I could figure out how to send a picture, I show you all.

Lets ride.

[b1rks]

High temp took to chrome? Did you re-do every year

[Da-Bubble]

I sand blasted my Kerker header down to bare metal and the 1200 degree ceramic header paint still started bubbling after the first ride. After 300 miles it's flaking off at the upper front of each pipe! I read somewhere to paint it then put it on and ride to bake the finish. I painted mine 6 months before I used it so maybe that's my problem.

Let me know if yours holds up. How much have you ridden it since?

-Scott

[xsrider]

I just did it for the first time last summer. There will be some touching up where the chrome shows through, but the spots are small and few.

I really rubbed the whole header down good with a new green pad until most of the chrome was satin finish.

This year I'll rub down any bare spots and paint the whole thing again. Oh ya, I cleaned the header with solvent, too, so the paint would stick smoothly.

Spring is close!

[xsrider]

I rode a lot last summer. Put a newer engine [15k miles] in from a 79. Rode down to Pa and the Allegheny river valley several times, lots of small towns, lost of getting lost. frequent ice cream cones, East of Cassadaga to Springville, NY and up and down the north-south routes. This year Milton, PA area, thats where my ancestors are from, maybe some more camping... is there an XSEast this year?

Ya, the paint held up well. I am satisfied. Lots of looks, too.

[trbig]

Da-Bubble,

I had the same results with some headers and 1200 degree paint (Silver) last year after sandblasting. I cooked mine in the oven as directed, but still stunk to high heaven for the first 100 miles after that. In 3 months they were getting rusty again. Maybe it's just an Okie thing??

Tod

[DELL82]

Well I read all your comments on painting headers and have this to add.

Painted my Jardine 4-2 "spaghetti" pipes, mufflers and crossover with Dupli-color 1200 Deg. paint.
The Mufflers and crossover were baked in oven as directed, 3 hours at 350D and one hour at 450D (I think) .

headers were tempered on the bike thus:
start and idle 5 minutes-Stop
Wait 30 minutes and restart, run 10 minutes Stop
Wait 30 minutes and start again and run 15 minutes-Stop
Wait 30 minutes then restart and go for a ride for 30-45 minutes Stop.
Next day I went for several hour ride.

Results are that after more than 12800 miles over a two+ years no chipping or rust.
Tod I don't know what happened to your paint but maybe try again with better tempering. Also I had no smell associated with Dupli-color paint.
My 2 cents worth

[trbig]

That may be what I try next then. I used VHT 1200 degree paint. It will stink up a house in a hurry. My kid followed me in my car for about 45 minutes (I was on the bike) and the fumes 100 yds back were killin' him on the open road.


Tod

[Paintman]

Since my bike has no Exhaust to speak of im going to get a set of Jardine pipes in black and have them done By Jet hot in a satin black ceramic finish i have all the headers on my cars on truck done that way. after many yrs i can still wipe em down and they look great.
PS if i put anything in wifes new oven to bake id be sleeping in my shop lOL

[trbig]

I may have run across something interesting. There is a small company here in Oklahoma that does electroplating. I was actually just going to find out about getting a few small things like the acorn nuts and washers for the heads nickel plated, but I started quizzing him on larger stuff and costs. He stated that there were different kinds of nickel plating (???) and that what he uses is the hardest and most corrosion resistant type. It makes the finish a little greyer than chrome he says, but will last much longer than any chrome.

I explained to him about lots of folks on this site wanting an affordable option to these rusty headers, so he told me to bring a set by and he's going to do them and see what kind of price he can come up with for us. He did state that the final product actually enhances any imperfections in the base metal, so the smoother you can get them the better. I took some before photos of mine and I'll get some after.

He has an old tractor exhaust pipe he did. He sandblasted and sanded with finer grit until he ended up with a 1500 grit, then nickel plated it. He said it still looks great after more than a year outside being used and getting wet.

So... I'll write more later after I find out more. Just thought I'd share for anyone that may be interested.

Tod

[trbig]

I got a few little things nickel plated today. I tried a couple different ways. The head nuts I was going to use were pretty rusty, so we just hit them with a sandblaster and instead of polishing them smooth, I just had him plate them as is. They came out with a matte stainless looking finish.



I rubbed on the washers for the heads for a few minutes with some fine sandpaper, and I can tell that with a little effort, things will come out looking chromed.




He told me that the nickel color would be a little darker than chrome, but I sure can't tell the difference.



The headers and collectors won't be done until next week. What I suggested was to plug the pipes with a rubber stopper and just do the outside, but he's going to use these as a test because he's curious also. So he will dip them in an acid bath with an additive to prevent the acid from attacking the metal and totally clean all carbon and other deposits from the inside before plating. He is thinking that by coating the inside also, no carbon would be able to stick to the pipe?? I doubt it but if he wants to coat it all... who am I to disagree? He nickel plates a company's cast iron pans and it makes them non-stick as Teflon.

He wants to use these pipes as a test model and abuse them. He is going to coat them with a 2 mil thickness and wants me to ride in rain/salt/ etc without polishing and see if I can get them to rust. I believe I'm the man for that job!

I had some carb caps done also in the matte type finish, but we got to talking and I forgot to get them.

Again... just thought I'd share...

Tod

[mro]

Some of these old stock exhausts have had the baffels turn to rust. Last week took off a set from an 81 SH, poured out about a cup full of rust

Looking forward to see how yours turns out.


mro

[DELL82]

Tod, I have two header pipes from a CB450SC I am refurbishing that would look great plated. I can sand down and send them to you for plating. Can you take them to him or can I ship directly so you don't have to? I pay freight, plating etc.
Dell82

[trbig]

MRO... I am not doing the mufflers, just the collectors and headers.

Dell... I'd hate to recommend doing this to your headers un-proven. If you really want it done, I can check on a price and just have you ship them to me. If you can wait until I try mine out it might be better. This guy isn't going anywhere. He is getting pretty busy and about to add a midnight shift to keep up with things.... but still likes to tinker with things like this. I think I'll be able to tell within a month if this is going to work out with the headers or not.

Tod

[DELL82]

Sounds fine to me Tod. Not in a big *ss hurry. Haven't even painted the motor yet, or looked at the points. Do have the console, swing arm frame signals chain guard done. Working on the forks now, got apart, cleaned, and sliders polished.

Dell