What's the Z'd header pipes / manifold made from?
 

This is probably a question I should just know, but are the headers stainless?? Mine have gone a funny brown colour. It doesn't look like rust, but I don't want to take any chances so I've been coating them with ACF50 after every wash over this winter � problem is when I start the old girl up I make smoke signals so thick it could call the fire brigade as the stuff burns off.

If they're stainless I guess I can get away without the ACF � looks like the main pipe to the silencer / cat is stainless ans the silencer too, so perhaps I'm just being paranoid about the headers

Please somebody enlighten this misguided fool.

Easy,

Find a magnet, put it on the pipe, did it fall off? If so its stainless

If it stuck its not stainless and can rust as the Chrome content in relation to the Iron content is not enough to make it a stainless steel which must by definition contain 18% Cr to qualify as a stainless steel.


Ordinary stainless steels as used in exhaust systems are nearly always 304 and sometimes 316L are both non magnetic stainless

Al.

I think the headers are Stainless Steel.

I also think the best way to keep them looking good, is not to use Solvol Autosol, as I find this makes them "yellow" prematurely.

I use a medium then fine rubbing compound, or a light wet and dry paper, or even better, a Scotchbrite pad.

The best way to keeping them lookin good is to stop the s..t getting on them in the first place - fit a front mud flap - made my own up - if long and wide enough it also keeps the mud away from the rectifier.

As fitted to my Triumph Scrambler

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/...ch1/hjljjd.jpg

They're stainless, but not a good grade.
Over 20,000 miles in and mine aren't holed yet so I wouldn't worry prematurely.

cheers guys � my mind can rest easy.

Just assumed if it were stainless it would be all shiny like a 1200GS

Stainless-ish is good enough for me � I'll keep covering it with ACF for the time being as it looks like Somerset council bought more salt than they needed are are finding new and exciting ways of getting rid of it on our local roads, but once the summer's here again I'll leave it alone.