Rep Power: 372

what can i use to clean my headers? they are gold looking with some purple in it. I bought them off a member here and i dont know if they were polished or what, but they look like that are stainless steel polished.

Injen

 
Rep Power: 372

here is a pic of the header....

http://www.7thgencivic.com/memberrid...hp?photo=44061

 
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bling bling

 
Rep Power: 812

ya it could be. use mothers mag metal polish but you're gonna have to work at it especially around the flanges where there's rust prolly. I bet it will look like new but once it gets hot over time the colors will come back.

 
Rep Power: 295

I don't think it will take away that purple gold stains just because thats from heat and those are permanent. But, if there is like a milky oxidation on there like on my header, I think some polish will clear that up. I may have to try that because I;ve been wondering if theres anything that will make it shine again. I just wish they weren't so hard to take off because of the power steering pump.

 
Rep Power: 812

why take it off? Just do it when the car is cool.

 
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True, but I have one of those headers where the pipes are pretty thick, and near the collector its almost impossible to do. But your right, Whatever I can polish while the header is still on, are the only parts people will be able to see.

 
Rep Power: 351

Your headers are "blueing". Mothers mag polish will do a good job getting most of the stuff off, but try and get it while its fresh. It works really well as we have used it on the bike pipes, and it takes most of the blue out. Dont be afraid to use a godo amount and rub the spots for a while.

 
Rep Power: 295

I sort of like how they change to that purple/blue/gold color. But the header I bought probably isnt' the highest quality of stainless steel which is why its got that light layer of oxidation.

 
Rep Power: 812

well its stainless steel regardless and can be polished. You just gotta repeat the process over and over. Put some polish, keep rubbing until black stuff appears, buff with new cloth, and repeat until it starts shining. Don't do it once and just give up.

 
Rep Power: 372

sweet, thanks for the help. i thought about that mother polish, i use it on everything else, but i was just wondering if my headers were supposed to look like that.

Gearbox.... if the mounting flanges are rusty, will that take the rust off or should i use some wd-40?

Injen

 
Rep Power: 812

the polish should remove the rust. Just might take a while.

 
Rep Power: 372

alright, thanks for your help man as always you come through with helping others!

Injen

 
Rep Power: 0

Don't even wast you're time, it look's like you're header is stainless if so you can polish it all you want it will polish up nice, But as soon as the header get's hot it's gonna discolor no matter what you do. Using mother mag polish will help alittle bit but if you want to polish it you gotta have special buffing wheel's and buffing compound. You're best bet is leaving it the way it is cause it's just gonna discolor any way's from the heat.

 
Rep Power: 372

i used some mothers mag and aluminum polish yesterday, it seemed to help removing the rust but not clean the headers that great.... It really shinned up the headers though. I will try and get some pics up.

Injen

 
Rep Power: 812

if you want to try and polish it, you gotta do the sandpaper and stuff. Not worth it. You could always send it to jet-hot to get sterling coating. Kepps heat in and looks very shiny, almost like chrome.

 
Rep Power: 372

^ that prolly cost an arm and leg.

injen

 
Rep Power: 0

ya it does, prabally a few hundred. Best thing to do is leave it the way it is, or wrap it with header tape, or clean it with mag polish. Try this Get some small buffing wheels, They make tapered ones and ones that are 1 inch or smaller, get thoes put it on a cordless drill then put the mag polish on the header and polish it it will remove alot of the discoloration but it won't last long. If you're header is made out of good stainless like 304 series it will not rust cause theirs no iron in the stainless.