eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 21, 2009 05:20 PM
cleaning headers
While I ll that stuff off I thought about ctrying to shine them back up just a little. Is this possible? Or are they going to look "old" no matter what? I'm not sure what you can and can't put on there.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
  
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LAB3
Needs a job
Posts: 2977
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posted October 21, 2009 05:31 PM
I purchased Shane's used Muzzy M14 months ago. And spent Hours hand rubbing all the blue and gold off. Used Semichrome Polish and a Lot of hand work. 4000 miles later
the head pipes are blue again. It can be done but not worth the time spent. I sent Shane a pic of it after I was finished as the Muzzy looked new then. All my riding friends were Suprised how New the headers looked. I noticed the Yosh stainless headers on my friends 2006 is not as tarnished as the stainless Muzzy. He has 26,000 on the Yosh.
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 21, 2009 05:38 PM
The blueing dosent bother me as much as farther down where they turn to go under the bike (where tire slings road crap up) looks bad. Just dull, bad looking... I have a day to waste tomorrow. Oil pan wont be here til friday.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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LAB3
Needs a job
Posts: 2977
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posted October 21, 2009 05:50 PM
Semichrome Polish and some hand rubbing.
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kawasakijockey
Pro
Posts: 1876
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posted October 21, 2009 06:00 PM
There is a stainless cleaner that janitors use. I cant remember the name of it but I thought Brock sold it too at one time.
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Get on the shortbus boys 'cause its time to get schooled.
2007 ZX-14
1.38 60ft
9.03 @ 149mph
8.95 @153 small shot n2o
8.68 @160mph 5lbs boost
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 21, 2009 06:25 PM
Honda polish don't work. I tried it on a small spot.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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Douglas Home
Zone Head
Posts: 710
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posted October 21, 2009 06:35 PM
Yoshi "stain magic" its the..................ducks nuts!
goodluck
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Doug Mackay Australia
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 21, 2009 06:50 PM
Doug that's freakin funny everytime I read it!... The ducks nuts... Lol
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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zxbob
Pro
Posts: 1692
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posted October 21, 2009 07:37 PM
 Edited By: zxbob on 22 Oct 2009 03:38
A few years back when I had my H___y ~ we'd warm the header, spray it with easy-off
oven cleaner and hose it off (minor rubbing if needed) . . . . . . it worked great !
Bob
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Good parts aint cheap and cheap parts aint good !
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BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
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posted October 22, 2009 01:47 AM
Edited By: BobC on 22 Oct 2009 10:01
Whatever you do to clean steel headers they will Blue again as soon as they reach 575°F, probably the next time you ride the bike, it's perfectly normal.
I loved the way the titanium system on my GSX-R1000K5 went bright blue, shows it was being ridden properly and up to temperature. The headers of the TiForce system on my 14 were cherry red on the dyno which is around 1400-1500°F, glowing like an elecric fire. I currently have a Brocks SMEG in black ceramic, so far still black.
For the technically minded:
Steel exhibits different colors depending on temperature. Temperatures above 800°F produce incandescent colors; the atoms in the steel are so energized by heat that they give off photons. Temperatures below 800°F produce oxidation colors. As the steel is heated, an oxide layer forms on the surface; its thickness (and thus the interference color as light is reflected) is a function of temperature.
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Candy Thunder Blue 2006 ZZR1400
Stock wheelbase
Max: 205.4 mph in 1.25 miles
2012 ZZR1400 in Golden Blazed Green
Brock CT Full System. etc
Max: 203.1 in 1 mile (so far)
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zixxer14
Pro
Damn that was Quick
Posts: 1233
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posted October 22, 2009 04:57 AM
quote:
A few years back when I had my H___y ~ we'd warm the header, spray it with easy-off
oven cleaner and hose it off (minor rubbing if needed) . . . . . . it worked great !
Bob
I would of thought toilet bowl cleaner would work better! 
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zxbob
Pro
Posts: 1692
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posted October 22, 2009 12:53 PM
quote:
I would of thought toilet bowl cleaner would work better!
OUCH . . . . . . . . . Hey, we all have our moments !
Bob
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Good parts aint cheap and cheap parts aint good !
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gilberjj
Needs a job
Friend of Fast
Posts: 3196
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posted October 22, 2009 01:04 PM
I have avoided most stainless steel cleaners as they are oil based and attract dirt and road grime after you clean them. Use orange pledge!!!!!! TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT. It is water based and smells nice!
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sweetfa65
Expert Class
Posts: 110
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posted October 25, 2009 03:23 PM
Edited By: sweetfa65 on 25 Oct 2009 23:26
Best thing I ever did was getting mine ceramic coated. Keeps the heat down and it stays looking nice. It can be polished too and holds its shine and colour. 1st pic was when I did them, second pic is now (1year later).
 
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'2013' SE Spark Black & Golden Blazed Green ZX14R. Bog stock after trading my 07 ZX14.
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 25, 2009 04:08 PM
how much is it to ceramic coat a full exhaust? specifically alienhead.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
Posts: 13081
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posted October 25, 2009 06:28 PM
quote:
Best thing I ever did was getting mine ceramic coated. Keeps the heat down and it stays looking nice. It can be polished too and holds its shine and colour. 1st pic was when I did them, second pic is now (1year later).
That looks bitchin! I've seen ceramic coat on cars and other bikes but not on the 14 yet. I'm thinking of doing that to the stock header on my 14 cause it looks like 
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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Flame On
Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
Posts: 17104
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posted October 25, 2009 06:41 PM
Ya think they coated them after 06
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77 RD 400
80 GS1000 GT
06 ZX14
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sweetfa65
Expert Class
Posts: 110
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posted October 25, 2009 07:47 PM
Edited By: sweetfa65 on 26 Oct 2009 03:51
quote:
how much is it to ceramic coat a full exhaust? specifically alienhead.
Doing the headers with ceramic coating helps keep the heat down in front of the engine too. It only cost me about $140.00AU to get it done. Was money well spent I thought. It was only the headers though, the Staintune exhausts were already polished stainless. All I do to the headers now is wipe them off with soapy water when I wash the bike.
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'2013' SE Spark Black & Golden Blazed Green ZX14R. Bog stock after trading my 07 ZX14.
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LAB3
Needs a job
Posts: 2977
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posted October 26, 2009 03:52 AM
quote:
quote:
how much is it to ceramic coat a full exhaust? specifically alienhead.
Doing the headers with ceramic coating helps keep the heat down in front of the engine too. It only cost me about $140.00AU to get it done. Was money well spent I thought. It was only the headers though, the Staintune exhausts were already polished stainless. All I do to the headers now is wipe them off with soapy water when I wash the bike.
Where did you send them to be plated? Jet Hot or??
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sweetfa65
Expert Class
Posts: 110
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posted October 26, 2009 12:42 PM
Edited By: sweetfa65 on 26 Oct 2009 20:44
LAB3, I took them to a place funny enough called Ceramic Coat Australia, in South Australia. Any reputable manufacturer of car headers should be able to point you in the right direction. Oh, BTW, from memory you can get them done in black too.
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'2013' SE Spark Black & Golden Blazed Green ZX14R. Bog stock after trading my 07 ZX14.
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LAB3
Needs a job
Posts: 2977
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posted October 26, 2009 01:19 PM
I forgot you were "Down Under" :-) They are polished great. I like your bike :-) Several here too. Jet Hot, etc.
Louis
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sweetfa65
Expert Class
Posts: 110
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posted October 26, 2009 01:28 PM
Thanks. I've done a bit more work on it since, smoke lenses and crash knobs. It's looking good. Good luck with the ceramic coating if you go down that road, I highly recommend it..
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'2013' SE Spark Black & Golden Blazed Green ZX14R. Bog stock after trading my 07 ZX14.
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LAB3
Needs a job
Posts: 2977
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posted October 26, 2009 01:47 PM
Yeah, me too smoked all the lens except head light :-) a few carbon parts and a ZX-10 style carbon fiber front fender with Lyle's barckets. Runs cooler in summer too. Nice looking radiator screen/guard.I ordered the fush "Grills" waiting for them to be painted to
match the 2007 Metalic Black. Not sure if that will stay on. One of those I drank too beers
while on Ebay :-)
Sorry no Pm's back to topic. Use metal poish where you see the exhaust every time
you change oil.or sooner. Takes away the gold color out of the polished stainless.
Ecklipse636 you have a Brocks on the new 14 right? I think he has polish for his systems, might call him.
Oven claner to messy and would make you remove the plastic. Not sure about that cleaner on the plastic trying to wash off after applying while pipes warm. I could be wrong on that.
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sweetfa65
Expert Class
Posts: 110
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posted October 26, 2009 09:07 PM
Edited By: sweetfa65 on 27 Oct 2009 05:13
+1.
I went through the polishing phase with the headers too, but I've got too much polished stuff to keep up with now, so the ceramic coating was a god send.
I was told when I was looking into chroming mine that the stainless used on our headers is of a very low quality ie: high iron content or some such. That's why they don't hold their polish for long. Chroming also blues off after a little while. As lab3 suggests, just keep the polish up to them whenever you're inclined. I'd steer away from the oven cleaner too, that just gives me the heeby jeebies. Not sure if I'd like to see what it could do to the plastics and engine parts?
Any good metal polish (ie: Autosol etc) would do the job. you'd just have to repeat the polishing every 2000 miles or so to keep them looking good. More in bad weather.
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'2013' SE Spark Black & Golden Blazed Green ZX14R. Bog stock after trading my 07 ZX14.
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted October 27, 2009 03:59 AM
alirght thanks for the replies. i think im just going to forget about it, becuase i tried polishing them with metal polish, but didnt work good, so im going to look into ceramic coating after i get my wedding paid for
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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