cleaned headers

[fredkb_imp]

Hello everyone. I work in the boating industry as a mechanic. We have this acid we spray on aluminum pontoons to clean algae, scum and stained water line off. I read all the comments about opti glans restoring headers to silver color. I thought I would try some of the pontoon acid cleaner on my pipes just out of curiosity. Here are the results.

I am not necessarily saying it is good to use on the headers or not, but it took the golden color away. I dont know it is safe to use on stainless steel, but it seems to have caused no harm.I sprayed it on, being careful to not let overspray on other surfaces. Let it sit a few minutes, then rinsed with plenty of water as I wiped it with a wet rag.

 

[the Ferret]

Whatever it is it certainly made those pipes shine!

 

[Lord Popgun]

According to the Toon-Bright MSDS (a pontoon boat cleaner), it contains sulfuric and hydrocloric acid.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/pdfs/MSDS/Toon-Brite/TNB_BC1000.pdf

What cleaner did you use?

 

[Ack-CB11_imp]

Wow
The acid must be the key, nothing green could work that good.
Looks great.
More details please

 

[meowguy_imp]

I have just given up on my headers. Spare time I have I just ride.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

You just know that for a product to work that well, it has to either be highly toxic, or banned in 48 countries, or makes your testicles fall off or something.

 

[wildezt_imp]

Looks good but it would be safer to Stick with the regular cleaning products... Sometimes these science experiments can be heart breaking .. The CB is too precious for that. We waited long enough for Honda to make her kind again..

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

Hey, this reminds me: When I had my sailboat I'd use a teak cleaner called "Snappy Teak-Nu." It was 2 parts, an acid wash and then a neutralizer. One of the boatyard guys told me to try the acid part on some aged S/S stanchions etc. It snapped it right up to a shiny clean condition.

I bet it'll work on the headers too, and at $10 a quart it's got to be less than the Opti-Glandular crap.

 

[fredkb_imp]

I figure if I screw the headers up by experimenting with the pontoon acid, then I will have a good excuse to buy the yoshi black exhaust system. I will post a picture of the pontoon acid I used when I return to work. We get it in a 55 gallon drum.
A few more pics.

 

[Todd_K_imp]

Thanks for reminding me what my headers used to look like.

 

[Papa Weeley_imp]

Wow! That's just incredible! Care to stop by my place and do mine now?!

 

[Houtman_imp]

Could you just go around the country and clean all the Forum members headers ?
We will all appreciate it.

 

[the Ferret]

Could you just go around the country and clean all the Forum members headers ?
We will all appreciate it.

:rofl:

 

[Cormanus]

Could you just go around the country and clean all the Forum members headers ?
We will all appreciate it.

Omit "country"; insert "world".

 

[fredkb_imp]

Here is a couple of pics of the acid we use for pontoons.

 

[Mdalon_imp]

The pics of those headers made me realize just how bad mine are. In fact dudes walk by my bike and say "you know your engine is running lean cause your pipes are yellow" then I get "if they turn blue then it's too rich" and the pipes are done. We have an 1100 that has PGI!
I want to clean the pipes but your product says not to use on polished or anodized aluminum. What are our headers anyway?? Is there an aluminum cleaner from auto parts store? Acid is a trip to use!

 

[Cormanus]

The pics of those headers made me realize just how bad mine are. In fact dudes walk by my bike and say "you know your engine is running lean cause your pipes are yellow" then I get "if they turn blue then it's too rich" and the pipes are done. We have an 1100 that has PGI!
I want to clean the pipes but your product says not to use on polished or anodized aluminum. What are our headers anyway?? Is there an aluminum cleaner from auto parts store? Acid is a trip to use!

Nice. :rofl:

 

[ride4now_imp]

Will they stay that way? Or just go back to that bronze color over time?

 

[meowguy_imp]

Will they stay that way? Or just go back to that bronze color over time?

Give them about two weeks. They will be their old self again.

 

[InDC_imp]

I have just given up on my headers. Spare time I have I just ride.

I hear ya. I live in an apt. and hate cleaning my bike (2002 CB750). I don't know if the two are related (e.g. it's against the rules to wash cars, etc.), but I also have a perverse pride in riding a dirty bike. Like it's some kind of purist/real rider kind of thing. Ridiculous? I took it to a self-service car wash once, and although I thought I was being careful, water was sucked in or made it's way into the system and one of the pistons wouldn't fire when I was done. Maybe that's because it was hot and I should have put it in the back of my truck and washed it cold. Thoughts?