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hey everyone
what causes pipes to turn blue?

i noticed that some of the used VStars i look at have blueing throughout the pipes.

Did they not install the pipes correct?
I saw a bike w/ Cobra pipes (slip ons) and was told that the owner put on the pipes by themselves and it only took a couple of minutes, but obviously something went wrong since the pipes are blue.

Does it have something to do w/ Rejetting?

I am not sure if i want to deal w/ the asthetic issues Vs. sound level, and obviously, i dont want to sink money into pipes if they will eventually turn funny colors.

Finally, i hope that the only way to ensure that my pipes dont turn blue doesnt turn out to be having the dealer install them.

thanks

Heat causes metal to oxidise and discolor, a little blueing is not an issue, and it CAN usually be polished off. It is not a reason to not buy the bike.

The pipes that do not blue usually have a pipe over pipe design that means the outter layer you see doesn't get as hot.

heat turns them blue... it isn't anything wrong... in fact some people like the look of blue pipes.

Thinner stainless pipes are more likely to turn blue but eventually any iron-alloy exhaust pipe will change colors near the head.

You may notice some pipes blue and some do not because they are different types of pipes. Many times what you think is a pipe on a bike, especially some of the metric cruisers... is just a big chrome cover... the real pipe is under Some companies also make pipes within a pipe so the blue-ing does't happen... I think it looks cool.

I think the blueing effect is cool. I remember when I put the header and new muffler on my VW, the thing had a nice blueing effecting going for about a week then it rained and I had to immediately paint it because it was starting to rust (regular steel header and muffler)

in my CX500s 26 years of existence it has not even shown the tinyest hint of blueing on the header pipes, damn double wall pipe LOL

Sevulturus wrote:Heat causes metal to oxidise and discolor, a little blueing is not an issue, and it CAN usually be polished off. It is not a reason to not buy the bike.

The pipes that do not blue usually have a pipe over pipe design that means the outter layer you see doesn't get as hot.

I just brought home a Triumph Bonneville with only 850km on it...and the pipes were very blue already down to the bottom front corner of the frame. I'm not sure yet whether I'll leave them as is, or try to shine them back up. I saw this mentioned on another forum as a possible remedy (albeit temporary...). Anyone out there ever used it? (Please excuse the slight hijack...!! )

I also heard some mechanics talking about that Blue Job stuff. They said it helps somewhat to tone down the blueing on the pipes.

social distortion, the pipe on my bike have also turned colour right where they are coming out of the engine. Although they don't look blue, they look more golden.

thanks everyone.
Well, i guess the options are to deal w/ the blueness ( which as long as its not a sign that something is wrong, i'll be ok with) or to look at those double walled pipes that people talk about.

I think Vance and Hines mentioned that they they have these double walls so that the inside takes the heat and the outside remaines astheically nice.

Which then leads me to wonder about installing the piped myself-
I saw the instrutions on some slip ons and it seemed pretty straight forward.
I just need to see if i have to rejett the carbs- which i have no clue on what thats all about.

i have so many lovely ideas and i dont even own a bike yet..........

blues2cruise wrote:I also heard some mechanics talking about that Blue Job stuff. They said it helps somewhat to tone down the blueing on the pipes.

social distortion, the pipe on my bike have also turned colour right where they are coming out of the engine. Although they don't look blue, they look more golden.

when welding color of most steesl turn yellow then red then blue then purple (you know you just royally screwed up the metal when it turns purple)..

With the V* the commonest cause of bluing is running the choke open too long. This causes a richer mixture and hotter exhaust, so the pipes turn blue quicker. Nothing wrong with the bike or pipes.