Man shed day with Father pat - Teach the Monkey how to polish

[movenon]

Looks beautiful Mark !  One nice thing about shiny headers is you can get a "read" on the exhaust temp by visually checking the color at the top end of the pipe.  At least all 4 should look the same ?  I like your new ride.  Here is a link also for polishing information and compounds. http://www.caswellplating.com/buffman.htm
George

Excellent web page on polishing and buffing. Regarding pipe color, when Randy saw my RPM headers he pointed out that the much darker (brown) indicated that my '86 is running lean and getting too hot. Now that the pipes are clean and shiny I will see how the '89 runs.

I can see they were turning a little bluish on the top end. Probably getting good fuel economy .
George

[FJmonkey]

I can see they were turning a little bluish on the top end. Probably getting good fuel economy .
George

That drove Steve (Moparman) absolutely nuts... He hated my getting 50MPG while keeping up with him on rides. 

The down side, performance loss, my '89 feels much stronger than my '86... 

[moparman70]

I can vouch for that more performance ---- pulled on my 90 in roll-on and he never did on the 86....

[FJmonkey]

I can vouch for that more performance ---- pulled on my 90 in roll-on and he never did on the 86....

We need to do that again... The '89 pulls so well and runs like a good FJ, I was in 4th on the slab. After our roll on I was surprised when I shifted into 5th... 

It was fun pulling away from you like you had peddles instead of an engine....

I expect my 18/38 to give you some advantage when in the same gear and speed....

[movenon]

Well then you are not to lean .  I guess the goal is to see just a little blue tint on the top end of the pipe.  "Pipe Dyno" 
George

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Wearing PPE with foot stabilizing the polisher. OSHA approved operation there. About that roll on ....As I recall there was an 86 that held it's own . BTW My mileage definitely improved since the addition of RPM exhaust and unipods. RPM messed with my carbs too. I have seen 50 MPG, but after last weeks 300 miler it was about 45. Use to be about 38. Go figure. Polished parts  

[movenon]

Wearing PPE with foot stabilizing the polisher. OSHA approved operation there. About that roll on ....As I recall there was an 86 that held it's own . BTW My mileage definitely improved since the addition of RPM exhaust and unipods. RPM messed with my carbs too. I have seen 50 MPG, but after last weeks 300 miler it was about 45. Use to be about 38. Go figure. Polished parts  

Hi Mike!  45 is pretty good.  I have never checked mine because it ran so poorly I didn't really want to know.  But after the top end refresh I am curious. After I dump the break in oil and replace it with some Mobile 1 I will give it a go.  Never thought of an FJ as a economical bike to run, to much fun factor.
I am sure Randy has your carbs pretty zeroed in.  Can't beat experience.. Keep "shining" Mike .. 
George

[Pat Conlon]

Hey SD Mike, the buffer stand was anchored. I had (2) 1/2" dia. red heads into the concrete slab at the rear of the base....I'm gonna add 2 more for the front. The PPE gloves are needed for grip, not heat.

BTW, I have a  '84-87 polished swing arm with your name on it...free, if you want it.
Well, not exactly free....you do have to take up to the WCR Randy's Givi luggage he bought from Paul Lawson.
I'll even polish your header tubes to sweeten the deal. I'm trying to help Randy out....

[Russfjr1]

I have stainless down pipes (headers) on my FJ but they had not seen a bucket of water in a very long time and I don't think they had ever seen polish of any type. So to 'try' and get years of baked on crud off them I turned to the 8" wire wheel on the bench grinder .... result.  I now have nice brush finished stainless pipes but how long will that finish stay looking good against how long a polished finish would last? You can just see them on the bench, they do look better in real life 

[FJmonkey]

I now have nice brush finished stainless pipes but how long will that finish stay looking good against how long a polished finish would last? You can just see them on the bench, they do look better in real life 

The SST pipes will turn a light golden color from the heat, that is normal. However, remember to wipe them down really well with a solvent like Lacquer Thinner before you fire up the bike. Otherwise any contamination like oily/greasy finger prints will become dark badges of shame on your pipes. As for how long they look good, I cannot tell you. Others with polished pipes will have to post up.

[movenon]

Mine have turned golden after a few hundred miles.  I clean them up pretty good every spring and during the summer I hit them with some SemiChrome polish as time allows.  I don't get to crazy about it.  I will say that a small amount of stuff (asphalt ?) will splash up on the headers with real world riding and make some black spots.  What ever it is it melts onto to headers.  To keep them clean you do have to do some cleaning and polishing to keep them looking good.

As Mark mentioned after you polish them it helps to wash them down with some Acetone or Alcohol etc. to get all the oil off from your hands and residue from the polish. A little more maintenance but I like the polished pipes.  And forks, covers, side plates, mufflers etc. 

George

[FJmonkey]

A little more maintenance but I like the polished pipes.  And forks, covers, side plates, mufflers etc. 
George

George, RPM has one more thing you can polish...

[movenon]

A little more maintenance but I like the polished pipes.  And forks, covers, side plates, mufflers etc. 
George

George, RPM has one more thing you can polish...

I would never want to change oil again... 
George

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Hey SD Mike, the buffer stand was anchored. I had (2) 1/2" dia. red heads into the concrete slab at the rear of the base....I'm gonna add 2 more for the front. The PPE gloves are needed for grip, not heat.

BTW, I have a  '84-87 polished swing arm with your name on it...free, if you want it.
Well, not exactly free....you do have to take up to the WCR Randy's Givi luggage he bought from Paul Lawson.
I'll even polish your header tubes to sweeten the deal. I'm trying to help Randy out....

No problem. Happy to. We shall make it happen and Thanks! I noticed the single side anchoring. That's one more than needed! Red head waster.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

I have seen 50 MPG, but after last weeks 300 miler it was about 45. Use to be about 38. Go figure. Polished parts  

My disclaimer is I need to compare with another bike on the same ride. Maybe my miles o meter is off. The improvement is hard for me to believe.