Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to fix
than the dents would have been.

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to fix
than the dents would have been.


great - out of interest did you cap the ends in any way?

On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:49:11 +0900, K Ludger wrote:

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to fix
than the dents would have been.


great - out of interest did you cap the ends in any way?

No - capping was something I read about, but people also said they had done
this without, so as that was easier I tried it first. Apparently what
happens is the ends of the water tube freeze first, forming caps in situ.

Brazing the crack might be a tidier fix - will the plater be able to put
chrome on a brazed joint?

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:49:11 +0900, K Ludger wrote:

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on"
(yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now
they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to
fix
than the dents would have been.


great - out of interest did you cap the ends in any way?

No - capping was something I read about, but people also said they had
done
this without, so as that was easier I tried it first. Apparently what
happens is the ends of the water tube freeze first, forming caps in situ.


That makes sense.


Brazing the crack might be a tidier fix - will the plater be able to put
chrome on a brazed joint?


I don't know, but brass is often plated - the gurus here will know.....

I imagine MIG/TIG and grindback & anneal may be better in terms of strength
& longevity.

On Mar 13, 8:01*am, _
wrote:

Brazing the crack might be a tidier fix - will the plater be able to put
chrome on a brazed joint?

I've heard that brazed muffler repairs rot out quickly from
condensation and acids, which was true the only time I tried it.
Headers may warm up quickly enough to avoid it.

Depending on the application, the outside of a header near the engine
may get pretty close to the melting point of your braze material.

_ wrote:
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:49:11 +0900, K Ludger wrote:

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.
The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to fix
than the dents would have been.

great - out of interest did you cap the ends in any way?

No - capping was something I read about, but people also said they had done
this without, so as that was easier I tried it first. Apparently what
happens is the ends of the water tube freeze first, forming caps in situ.

Brazing the crack might be a tidier fix - will the plater be able to put
chrome on a brazed joint?

On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:01:21 +0000, _ wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:49:11 +0900, K Ludger wrote:

"_" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:56:44 GMT, _ wrote:

Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on"
(yeah right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating
oil, electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally
used a propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they
shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now
they are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below
-10 centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.

The dents are gone - fabulous.

One of the pipes has a crack in it now, on the outside bend of the 90
degree elbow. Perhaps next time it would be better to avoid so much
putting water in it - the dent wasn't in that part.

Oh well, after it melts the crack can be welded shut again - easier to
fix than the dents would have been.


great - out of interest did you cap the ends in any way?

No - capping was something I read about, but people also said they had
done this without, so as that was easier I tried it first. Apparently
what happens is the ends of the water tube freeze first, forming caps in
situ.

Brazing the crack might be a tidier fix - will the plater be able to put
chrome on a brazed joint?

Butt-brazed pieces of sheet metal tend to crack like crazy. Welding is
much better.

Have you checked the general condition of the pipes to make sure that
they're not already rotted out? Exhaust gases tend to be nasty...

--
http://www.wescottdesign.com

I know a blacksmith who makes shapes out of 16 ga sheet steel. Like a
banana, for instance. When he welds the sides (the "peels") together
and grinds down the welds, the thing looks kinda flat, not "fat". So,
he welds a 1/8" pipe coupling to the end, fills it absolutely FULL of
water and caps it.
Puts it in the freezer and it comes out looking beautifully
"fattened". He then removes the pipe plug, cuts off the coupling and
welds on a stem.
The thing is, you have to have it FULL and the end sealed up Tight
for this to work, I think.

Pete Stanaitis

_ wrote:
Won the battle to remove motorcycle header pipes from the "slip-on" (yeah
right) 2-1 collector - multiple applications of penetrating oil,
electrolytic derusting, fitted wooden clamping blocks, finally used a
propane flame to get the outside pipe red hot and then they shifted.

Two of the header pipes have not-so-small dents in them. Right now they
are outside, filled with water, and it's supposed to drop below -10
centigrade tonight.

I'll have a look in the morning and let you know what, if anything,
happened.