Stainless Steel Cleaner For Headers

green_comet · Postby **green_comet** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:50 am

I'd give oxalic acid a try. Go to Bunnings and get yourself a 2kg bottle of Digger Rust & Stain Cleaner and a big tub. Mix up a fairly strong mix of oxalic acid and warm water in the tub outside and submerge your headers in it. Leave the headers in the mix for a couple days, giving them a scrub every now and then with a non-scratch pad (make sure you wear globes). This should remove 95% of that staining. Once they're looking good give em a rinse with clean water and you're good to go.

I've used this stuff on several bike frames and other metal parts and it has always worked great. It's very gentle so you don't have to worry about it ruining your parts. Google search bmx and oxalic acid, the bike guys love it.

green_comet · Postby **green_comet** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:28 am

Have a look if there's much info on its use with stainless, I didn't have a problem using it with my stainless bike parts, but just make sure before you give it a go, as it might remove that polished surface and make it look more like brushed stainless.

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 12:34 pm

Purchase a spray can of "Bug and Tar" remover.
Greg.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:04 pm

and oxalic acid comes with safety warning as well- the kitchen is not the right place.

green_comet · Postby **green_comet** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:42 pm

Good to see it's working for you. :wink:

fastfreddygassit · Postby **fastfreddygassit** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:51 pm

Dupain wrote:
Mr Morlock wrote:and oxalic acid comes with safety warning as well- the kitchen is not the right place.

Why? I like to eat burgers when I work on the car. By the way I'm a Chemical Engineer.

Oops, Morlock got PWNED! :NETPOINTZ:

greenltd · Postby **greenltd** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 3:10 am

Is the residual discolouration not just the effects of the exhaust heat?

Postby **NitroDann** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:02 pm

Dural is out in the country ? :lol:

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:43 pm

Dural sounds like Rural.

fastfreddygassit · Postby **fastfreddygassit** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:17 am

Great work. Excellent write-up!
:NETPOINTZ:

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:29 am

I take it is too big to fit in a dish washer?

Postby **Okibi** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 1:09 am

Awesome effort! :mrgreen:

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:25 pm

One thing I did not follow is - 600g/L is 6%. and 300g/l is 3%. - would it not be 60G and 30G?. Guess it also must have been powder form i.e. grams

cookie · Postby **cookie** » Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:48 am

Hi, just wanted to say thanks for the information. Just received my na6 headers and are completely rusted, wire brushed them then sanded one pipe with 120g paper and took forever to find something resembling shiny metal. Would the first product mentioned work in my situation where it's heavily rusted? I like your wheelie bin idea...thankfully no kids/pets around my place and no rush to install