Chrome Header Problem Please Help

[fred30350]

Hi my name is Fred i have a 1999 Honda Civic Ex and I First off want to say i LOVE the Meguiar's forums. They have tought me soo much over the past 6 months about detailing cars ect..

My Problem i am having is I Bought a RACTIVE CHROME HEADER 2 days ago and put it on yesterday. And within 40 miles of driving it has started to change gold-purple-blue ect.. I asked the guy i bought it from if it would change colors, because i heard chrome headers change colors and HE said it would NOT change colors and that it was a high quality header, SO i bought it from him..
I wanted a chrome header because i plan on chroming entire engine bay and wanted everything to match. I have tried using Meguiar's NXT GEN METAL POLISH and Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish and it still DID NOT work. The Header is NICKEL CHROME PLATED. I REALLY want to keep header chrome for CAR SHOWS.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated..
i am worried about using someting that might take plating off header.

Pics of my HEADER changing colors attached.

Thanks,
Fred Atlanta,GA

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Fred,

I owned a Sanger Drag boat for almost 20 years, in that time I met everyone on the lake with a fast boat, mostly after beating them bad...

In all those years I met a lot of guys with typically Jet Boats, but sometimes Drag Boats running Chrome Headers, I have to tell you I can't remember a single set of chrome headers that didn't turn colors, primarily blue, where the bolt onto the head. There's just too much extreme heat over long periods of time and the result is the chrome is affected.

Here's a shot of the engine in my boat, note the black headers, not chrome... black headers dissipate heat better than chrome and the sides of my hull had areas where the Fiberglas was melted from the heat... (It gets' kind of hot back there when you're cruising over 100 miles per hour).



(That's my son Rand in the seat when he was around 1 year old)


I don't think you'll find a chrome header that will not change colors. Perhaps stainless, but not chrome and stainless will likely change colors also.

It could be the person that sold you the header was operation under the truth as he knew it, or it could be he was a salesman. Either way you should probably let him know he was wrong and hope he's honest with future customers.

[fred30350]

I talked to the guy and he has offered to refund my money/he said he made a mistake, but i spent 2 hours with my uncle installing it so i would lose all the labor/time i spent putting it on and i had to drive 2 hours to get it put on. Do you or anyone know if Ceramic Headers Change Color? I was hoping to find something/cleaner/polish that could remove color ( even if i have to use the cleaner/polish every day to keep header looking chrome. i will DO it). I was going to but a DC 4-2-1 Ceramic Coated header, but i wanted a CHROME one.

Thanks,
Fred

[Mike Phillips]

No polish will remove the bluing on the chrome, the bluing is a part of the chrome as as such to remove it you will have to remove the chrome... kind of self-defeating.

I've read some good things about ceramic coatings, you might check with some hot rod forums, anyone running a big block Chevy race car is going to be pushing this kind of coating to it's limiits...

[the other pc]

A properly chosen and applied ceramic coating won't change colors.

I believe the ceramic coatings with "polished" finishes can be used in normal applications but the highest performance thermal barrier coatings (the kind you really want for turbo manifolds and other very hot applications) are only available in dull finishes.

I've read that some people have been successful in keeping a chrome header shiny by having the inside ceramic coated but I've haven't seen it.


PC.

[fred30350]

Hey i have been reasearching and i found this product and it claims to work magic..

gokart.net/shop-utopia/bluejob [edited for commercial link; 2hotford]

The only problem is the phone number is no good so i don't know if i can get some of this stuff or not..

Also i don't know if it would eat through NICKEL chrome plating since it is not TRUE Chrome.

Thanks,
Fred

[fred30350]

Found official site now blue-job.com/ [edited for commercial link as this violates the forum rules; 2hotford]

But still don't know if it will eat through Nickel Chrome Plating

[black240sx]

Any polish will wear through the plating if you use it enough.

I suppose you could get the headers gold plated. Gold is about the only metal not subject to heat discoloration. It'll give your engine a different look, of course.

A double-wall header would be another solution. I don't know if they are available or not.

[fred30350]

Hey i talked to the inventor of BLUE JOB on the phone and it is not a polish it is a powder you use a cloth and dampen it then stick in in the jar with the powder then rub affected area pretty well and it is suppose to work. He said it has no abrasives and will not eat at the nickel chrome plating on my header it is also Nontoxic,
all Natural Organic Ingredients, Environmentally Safe,
Balanced Neutral pH Factorabrasives,also It does not smell at all not any thing like polishes.

The down side of this product is it is $12 for a small can, but I am going ahead to buy a can and see how/if it works.

Thanks,
Fred

[black240sx]

lol, salesmen...


The discoloration is a layer of chromium oxide. You'll need a hard abrasive to cut through that, but then the abrasive will cut into the softer metallic chromium underneath.

I don't know how thick the plating is on your headers.

[fred30350]

LOOK at the site above for yourself. It's money back guarantee so i am going to give it a shot. It has had lots of good reviews. It is only sold on that site and Harley Bike Shops - AnD Ebay OF course. It is a very know product by Many Motorcycle Users.
Now iam not saying it will work for me on my chrome header but ill give it a shot.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Fred,

I hope the product works for you. I have seen it at the Harley Shops, but have not tried it personally. Everyone in this thread has tried their best to help you with the situation you are in. Just to clarify, to remove anything requires either a chemical or an abrasive. I am not sure what is in that product, but I would use caution. Keep in mind, generally a gurantee will be for the product and not any damage that may occur to your headers.

Please keep us posted!

Tim

[fred30350]

Will do..

I bought some of the Blue Job on ebay and I will try it out on a lower part of header where it is not as visible just in case it does start eating through the headers chrome plating and i will post back and the yall how it worked out for me.
Thanks for all the feedback so far.

Fred

[Mike Phillips]

If it works, definitely take some before and after pictures. If it doesn't work, definitely take some before and after pictures.

[fred30350]

Yes will take before and after pictures.. And will tell yall if it truely works.. Would post pictures of before/after but having problem.