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CVO Technical => Cleaning/Detailing => Topic started by: greglyon on November 19, 2006, 08:26:07 AM

Title: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: greglyon on November 19, 2006, 08:26:07 AM

I have a set of Supertrapp slip-ons that have yellowed around the muffler section.    Is there anything I can do to restore the chrome?  Is the yellowing due to a too lean condition?
Thanks

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: doubledeuce3 on December 06, 2006, 04:52:37 PM

you mention the muffler section. are you referring to where the mufflers attach to the header pipes?
 if so, you most likely have a leak, some gasket material will solve the problem of the leak                   and
some serious rubbing with something like blu job will get the yellow off the chrome. but it takes a whole lot of rubbing to get it right!

the yellowing of pipes is usually related to too lean a mixture of gas....
but this yellowing occurs away from the muffler/header pipes connections.
 usually close to the where the header pipes connect to the piston or at a sharp turn on the exhaust pipe.
hope this helps out

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: flytens on July 05, 2007, 10:57:46 PM

I have the same yellowing issue under my saddle bag on my V&H pro pipe.  No luck removing the yellowing.

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: 2006_CVO_HD on July 06, 2007, 08:23:26 AM

Extreme heat can cause mufflers to turn yellow in that area also......

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: ccr on July 06, 2007, 08:30:03 AM

Yeah,  Mine started out with a light yellowing, and have now turned a bright gold.  They still work great and sound great, but they are not that great looking any more.  Some day I will swap them out, but not sure when. 

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: bbrown on July 06, 2007, 02:05:02 PM

I have had the same problem and have been able to remove some of the yellowing by getting the pipes good and hot and using oven cleaner on them

It takes a little care and rubbing but it will take off some of the yellow.

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: Hoist! on July 06, 2007, 02:06:27 PM

Quote from: bbrown on July 06, 2007, 02:05:02 PM

I have had the same problem and have been able to remove some of the yellowing by getting the pipes good and hot and using oven cleaner on them

It takes a little care and rubbing but it will take off some of the yellow.

Just don't leave that rag in your pocket! ::) ;D Hoist! 8)

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: bbrown on July 06, 2007, 02:09:05 PM

GOOD POINT

Title: Re: Pipes that have yellowed
Post by: grc on July 06, 2007, 03:02:55 PM

Normally, yellowing of a chromed surface is the result of the nickel layer becoming tarnished (chrome plating consists of 2 or 3 layers, copper-nickel-chromium or nickel-chromium).  If you were to think of it in terms of a paint job, the copper is the primer, the nickel is the base (color) coat, and the chromium is the clearcoat.  If the chromium layer is too thin or becomes damaged/eroded, the nickel layer will tarnish and turn yellow.  Once this happens, cleaning with various abrasive products may remove some of the oxidation (tarnish) temporarily, but there is no permanent fix I'm aware of short of re-plating the part.

Jerry