blue pipes

[robywan_kenobi]

I have recently purchased an '81 XS1100H with only just under 1000 miles on the new pipes. They are already turning blue. Does anyone have an idea as to the cause and the simplest fix?

[skids]

Some pipes will blue and there is nothing that will stop it. Stock head pipes are supposedly double-walled and are quite resistant to bluing. Jardine's seem to turn gold near the head. There is some stuff called "Blue away" or something like that which will remove some of the blue with a lot of work, but I hear that the blue comes back. I once lined the inside of some Jardines with a ceramic material called "Blue Guard" but I understand that it can be dangerous to valves if the heads suck fragments backwards. You can minimize bluing by making sure you don't run the bike lean and hot with any of the throttle ranges.

[randy]

Don't waste your money on 'blue away' or similar product 'blue job'. Catchy names but that's all, neither do a damn thing. BTDT.

Randy

[John]

Blue/gold pipes

I think the blue/gold color looks good on a set of pipes. I know that indicates a lean condition, but it still looks good.

[Pat Kelly]

My Jardines haven't turned blue partially because I set the bike to run a tad rich.
I do suffer decreased performance above 5,000 ft elevation. Not too hard to give the screws a 1/8th turn if I know I'm heading to the mountains.
My MN Special has the black chrome pipes. These are the original pipes and they're still in very good condition. A little discoloration under the passenger pegs. Anyone have any suggestions to keeping them nice?

[fredintoon]

real pipes turn blue!

When chrome gets hot it oxidises in pretty colours. Typically your Triumph, Norton etc would blue it's pipes just around the first bend fading out to pale straw down the first leg.
Japanese Mfrs were embarassed by this and avoided it by making their pipes double wall with an air gap to keep the outer chromed pipe below the oxidation temperature. It seems they don't give a toot about doubling the pipe's weight or having a skinny working pipe inside the shiny unblued outer one.
If your new pipes are after-market it's likely they are single wall and can't help but turn blue just like they are supposed to.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Bob Falter]

I took a Scotch brite pad to my blue pipes. It took off the blue and left them gold. I kinda like the gold and I didn’t like the blue. It also took off the mirror finish and give them more of a satin or brushed finish. I did that about a year ago (12,000 miles) and the blue is just starting to come back on one pipe.

[robywan_kenobi]

OK, I'm getting the idea that the pipes are blueing because the bike is running lean, can anyone give me the simple procedure for curing this. I have a repair manual, but it gives no process whereby to adjust the carbs or whatever else I may need to do to cure the lean issue. Sorry that I seem clueless, I am a new rider/owner and need all the help I can get.

[xssiveone]

Originally posted by robywan_kenobi
OK, I'm getting the idea that the pipes are blueing because the bike is running lean, can anyone give me the simple procedure for curing this. I have a repair manual, but it gives no process whereby to adjust the carbs or whatever else I may need to do to cure the lean issue. Sorry that I seem clueless, I am a new rider/owner and need all the help I can get.

Have you cleaned the carbs? It might be that simple, take them off and clean the carbs. Or, more likely, since these are after market pipes, you need to change your jets to one or two sizes bigger. Also, if you do take them off for cleaning, check the float levels and adjust if needed. Too low of a float setting can cause a lean condition.

Another thing, when you take them apart to clean them, you MUST take the idle mixture screws out. Yes, the ones the manual will tell you not to touch. You simply can't do a proper cleaning unless you take them out.

[thumperjsa]

To verify the lean condition, pull the plugs from the bluing cylinder. If the ceramic part is very light colored, almost white or white, then you are running lean. If they are tan or dark, not lean. By the way, dark is rich.


As to making it richer, there are a few things you can do. Also, are you running any modifications on the bike like 4-1 exhaust, k&N type air filters... That will make the bike run more lean and the main jets need to be changed out if they are factory size.

Other than that, I will let people with more expertise than me answer.

[robywan_kenobi]

The pipes are not stock. I did not install them, so all I know is that they are 4 into 2. I have seen the receipt from where a previous owner installed the pipes and all it says is "tt 4-2". I don't know if that sheds any light onto the type of pipes or not. If there is something I can do to make the carbs richer short of rejetting, I would like to try that first.

[thumperjsa]

I don't think you need to rejet for 4-2 pipes, only 4-1's. There is a faq somewhere on what items done to the bike require re-jetting. Do a search and I am sure you will find it.

I assume you have a stock air box as well. So you should not require re-jetting if that is so. Pull and check your plug color after running it on the road for a while. Most likely you are getting blue headers from thinner material. I got mac 4-1s on mine and I get bluing on two of my cylinders. I rejet the needle because I was lean. Because my carbs are earlier than 80, I can. I believe 80 and on are fixed settings for the needle jet. Also you can adjust the needle jet without puling the carbs. You can probably do the same for the mains but it might be easier if you pull the carbs.

If you do have to re-jet the mains, Mikesxs is a good source. You have to know that what size you have though to know where to go.

[fredintoon]

first, check the plugs

If the Jedi has aftermarket pipes I betcha they are single wall.
If so they will go blue just at the head and around the first bend even if the carbs are perfect. Before adjusting the carburation check the plugs. If they are:-
white the carbs are lean.
between a pale tan and a medium brown the carbs are fine.
sooty black the carbs are rich.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Robert Haller]

Originally posted by Pat Kelly
My Jardines haven't turned blue partially because I set the bike to run a tad rich.

When I installed a new set of Jardine 4-1 on my bike in the spring, they didn't change color at all for over 6 months/3000 miles. It wasn't until I rode in the winter when the temperature was in the 30's that they discolored, and that was just after a ride or two. So in addition to jetting I think the temperature swing has an affect. (Prior to the ride in the 30's, it had always been at least in the 50's).

[Pat Kelly]

I've had these for 3 years, 14,000 miles. I ride everyday rain or shine (or fog or wind or....). Even tho this is Calif it still gets below freezing in the winter.
These are the Jardine 4 into 2 "spagetti" pipes. Dyna coils, Bosch platinum plugs, K&N filter in the airbox, rejetted accordingly (I don't remember what # mains I went to), stock pilot jets.
I set the air/fuel mixture with my Colortune (flecks of gold in the mostly blue flame).