Weird Discoloration on One Header Pipe

1038 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by imst0ked, 11 mo ago

sbassin

Discussion Starter · 11 mo ago

I recently returned from my first long trip (6,500 miles) with my 2021 RT, and noticed some strange spots that kinda looks like oxidation on the right header pipe, but not the left. It's also on the cross pipe that connects the right and left pipes, and on the catalytic converter. At some point during the trip, I thought I smelled oil burning, but my oil level never dropped and I couldn't find any evidence of leaking oil, so I convinced myself that the smell must have come from another vehicle. I also pulled the spark plug and it looked pretty normal to me. I bought the bike new, and it now has 7,200 miles.

The spots have a slightly rough feel and can't be rubbed off. Do they look normal, and if so, why are they only on the right pipe?

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The_real_hati

· #2 · 11 mo ago

Those spots look like baked on dirt to me. Can be quite hard but it should come off. Try soak them with CRC or similar solvent and use hard bristle brush (not wire brush) then a chrome polishing compound.
The spark plug looks ok to me, given it is such a grainy photo. If all your fluid levels are ok, your bike is definitely not the source of the oil smell.

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sbassin

Discussion Starter · #3 · 11 mo ago

Thanks. The solvent is a good idea to try, and if that doesn't work, I may try some oven cleaner. I was concerned that the spots might be damage from the pipe getting too hot which somehow led to rust, but baked on dirt makes more sense. Still not sure how it ended up on only one of the pipes, though.

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Mellow

· #4 · 11 mo ago

Something probably stuck to it and burned off.

I pulled into the garage once and the bike was smoking - only had a few miles on it... a big leaf made it's way to the pipe and was smoldering... lol... taken out by a leaf, go figure...

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sbassin

Discussion Starter · #5 · 11 mo ago

Yeah, I've had lots of stuff baked on to pipes over the years. I just don't remember seeing multiple random large spots on only one of the pipes. Hope you got the big leaf off.

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Mellow

· #6 · 11 mo ago

sbassin said:
Hope you got the big leaf off.

LOL.. yes, it was smoldering and lots of smoke but I got it off and didn't burn down the house in the process.

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rtwiz

· #7 · 11 mo ago

sbassin said:
I recently returned from my first long trip (6,500 miles) with my 2021 RT, and noticed some strange spots that kinda looks like oxidation on the right header pipe, but not the left. It's also on the cross pipe that connects the right and left pipes, and on the catalytic converter. At some point during the trip, I thought I smelled oil burning, but my oil level never dropped and I couldn't find any evidence of leaking oil, so I convinced myself that the smell must have come from another vehicle. I also pulled the spark plug and it looked pretty normal to me. I bought the bike new, and it now has 7,200 miles.

The spots have a slightly rough feel and can't be rubbed off. Do they look normal, and if so, why are they only on the right pipe?
View attachment 179007 View attachment 179008

Yeah...don't worry, the other pipe will be that color soon enough....might be fried bugs? Spark plug looks normal.

Ride on.

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Panman40

· #8 · 11 mo ago

Mellow said:
LOL.. yes, it was smoldering and lots of smoke but I got it off and didn't burn down the house in the process.

I have odd discolouration on both headers in small patches, it will no polish out with anything I’ve tried so put it down to poor bmw materials.

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imst0ked

· #9 · 11 mo ago

Could it be heat related? I had a friend with a Harley who returned home after a trip through the desert to find his rear header pipe had totally turned blueish, while his front was normal chrome. He figured the front was fine as it was in the wind (cooler), while the rear is somewhat sheltered from the wind, hence it got hotter.

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