Header Sandblast?

[Thresher90]

I just bought a 2001 XR650R and I am now in the process of cleaning it up and getting it ready for spring. I was looking at my headers and they are pretty dirty an was thinking of sandblasting them to clean them up. But I dont know if they will rust when I do this. Are they stainless steel? So is it a good idea to sandblast them?

[dldavis_66]

I was looking at my headers and they are pretty dirty an was thinking of sandblasting them to clean them up. But I dont know if they will rust when I do this. Are they stainless steel? So is it a good idea to sandblast them?

If they are stock headers, then they are NOT Stainless Steel. They will rust if you sandblast them unless you re-paint them with high-temp paint.

Sandblasting: maybe. If they are in good structural shape. Need to use as little blasting pressure as possible with bead grit. No guarantee that will work as far as not creating leaks.

Good Luck

[butcharin]

Sand blasting works great as long as they are not rusting out. I have used hi temp header paint and Bar b Q paint on headers and it has worked out great.

[ToXicD]

If they are stock headers, then they are NOT Stainless Steel. They will rust if you sandblast them unless you re-paint them with high-temp paint.

Sandblasting: maybe. If they are in good structural shape. Need to use as little blasting pressure as possible with bead grit. No guarantee that will work as far as not creating leaks.

Good Luck

i am not sure that is 100% true. i believe i have read somewhere that the stock xr650r headers are stainless and just painted black. in fact i believe where i read it the other day and i will try to see if i can find it again and post it.

Easy way to test is just get a magnet off the refridgerator and see if the header is magnetic. if the magnet sticks then you know its regular steel. if the magnet doesnt want to stick very well then chances are it is stainless.

If you want to make them look nice do not sand blast the paint off. go to walmart or autozone and get something called aircrafter remover. it comes in a tall blue spray can. use it to remove the paint then it will take very minimul polishing to make it look like a chrome header pipe if you want to get an idea how you can make it look go to xr'sonly.com and checkout their stainless polished header, with a little work you can make yours look just like that!!!

[ToXicD]

The stock headpipe is defenitely stainless!!! http://www.motorsports-network.com/HONDA/mc2000/XR650.htm

[Thresher90]

Nope, I did the magnet test and the headers are 100% steel. They are NOT stainless steel.

[martinfan30]

Thresher, maybe yours are aft. mkt. That article that toxic posted definately states stainless.

[porterdog]

Nope, I did the magnet test and the headers are 100% steel. They are NOT stainless steel.

Some stainless steels ARE magnetic.

Also, where in MI are you?

[Denn10]

if you have access to media try some walnut shell, used in for aluminum Rotax engines and it takes anything off you want and still safe for aluminum, SO it will never harm anything on SS or steel and get rust and anything else off. Glass bead is harsh to some metals but walnut is very easy on stuff yet powerful

[Troy_Bell]

Some stainless steels ARE magnetic.

This is correct.

If any of you have stainless steel appliances, give it a try. Chances are, the magnet will stick. If it doesn't, then you have yourself some expensive appliances.

[martinfan30]

if you have access to media try some walnut shell, used in for aluminum Rotax engines and it takes anything off you want and still safe for aluminum, SO it will never harm anything on SS or steel and get rust and anything else off. Glass bead is harsh to some metals but walnut is very easy on stuff yet powerful

Is corn cob any good?

[Denn10]

havent used it but im sure its just a tad softer than walnut but both of these are top choices as there good for aluminum and will still clean rust of anything also.

Why you got some corn cob's leftover from your local hillbilly festival this past weekend??

[martinfan30]

Ya, gonna grind up all my old pipes!

[dldavis_66]

Yes...it will, not as fast and destructive as mild steel though.

In fact, if it is magnetic then it's not what many in the metals industry consider a true Stainless since it doesn't have the minimum of 10% Chromium. Actually it's % of Chromium is between 3 and 7 % and is mostly described as a Chromium-Steel Alloy (series 4xx, 5xx, etc...).

Chromium is the main element for true Stainless Steels and is responsible for most of S/S anti-corosive properties. Nickel is also an important element.

Even true Stainless (series 2xx{Chromium-Nickel-Manganese Alloys} and 3xx{Chromium-Nickel Alloys) can be slightly magnetic, but only as a result of being cold worked (machined) a lot without it being annealed afterwards.

So there...

[martinfan30]

A metallurgic genious! Good info.

[cj650]

stock headers aren't stainless

just sand blast them and the get some high temp. paint and paint them

[Thresher90]

Ya that seems to be the best idea, to sandblast them and paint them with the high temp paint. Thanks for all the info everybody.

[dldavis_66]

Stock headers ARE Stainless for that particular year...

Wonder if the newer R's are S/S too...

[ToXicD]

Yes I know stainless is somewhat magnetic. If you read carefully I said if it doesn't stick very well then it is stainless.

The walnut and stuff like that will work ok but to make them mirror smooth then a buffing wheel and compound is the way to go cause you can also use it to polish other parts. You can get a good 3/4HP bench buffer and stand from harbor freight for like $80. To get everything you need like wheels and compound go to caswellplating.com and check out their stuff. They also have a forum to help you out. I recently starting polishing myself and it is very simple and saves you a lot of money not to mention you can make tons of money by polishing parts for other people