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Author Topic: Rusty header pipes  (Read 1052 times)

Offline Bill Conquest

  • Lives in Foothills of Mt. Olympus
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Rusty header pipes
« on: November 18, 2014, 12:20:51 AM »
Hi, Im thinking about removing my header pipes and trying to de-rust them..they are only 3 years old but things rust here quickly.
Does anyone know about using electrolysis to de-rust? I've seen a bunch of videos on you tube showing it..looks effective..
Also, are there gaskets between the pipes & the heads & where to get?
Thanks, Bill
79 r65/75 r60/76r75/76r100

Offline Luca

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Re: Rusty header pipes
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2014, 08:33:51 AM »
No gaskets at the pipes for the R65.  They've got re-usable compression rings.  Just make a note of their orientation on the pipes.

I've used electrolysis before by filling a 55 gallon drum with water and baking soda.  Used an old brake rotor as the piece of sacrificial iron and a battery charger as the transformer.  If you use a battery charger, keep a close eye on it as you might push it past it's limits.  A thermally protected unit would be good, as it's less apt to light itself on fire.

Electrolysis works well (although you still will need to do some gentle scrubbing), but it requires line of sight between the piece you're cleaning and the sacrificial metal, and a container big enough that you can suspend everything in your electrolytic liquid.  Make sure you dry out the inside of the pipe too.

It would probably be a fun project to try, but a lot of work to de-rust something that's apt to rust again quickly.  0000 steel wool and WD40 works pretty well too, and you can use it in situ
'82 R65LS
'01 K1200RS

Offline Bill Conquest

  • Lives in Foothills of Mt. Olympus
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  • Posts: 229
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Re: Rusty header pipes
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2014, 12:51:47 AM »
Thanks Luca,  I pretty much came to that same conclusion..but I actually saw a video on youtube of someone who suspended theirs in a big tub...came out nice..!
Ive had good success with small parts, though..
Bill
79 r65/75 r60/76r75/76r100