How to polish your car exhaust header
As a result of the extent of heat exposure that a car exhaust header is subjected to, it's prone to displaying signs of deterioration. Therefore, on occasion, you can decide to polish your car exhaust header to give it a shiny, brand-new like appearance. This article gives you step-by-step tips as to how you can polish your exhaust header.
Tools and materials needed for the task
- Aluminium polish
- Cloth
- Latex gloves
- Rust cleaner
- Newspaper
- Toothbrush
- Sandpaper
- Soapy water
Step 1
First of all, detach the exhaust header from the car. Dip a cloth in soapy water and scrub to get rid of grime and dirt that's covering the exhaust surface. Likewise, use an old toothbrush to clean difficult-to-get-to spots. If you notice the exhaust header is corroded, you can apply a sizeable amount of rust cleaner and scrub using a cloth.
Step 2
Use a clean cloth or rag to dry the exhaust header once through with the cleaning.
Step 3
Spread pieces of newspaper across your worksite, and position the dry exhaust header on the work area.
Step 4
First, put on latex gloves to avoid skin irritation. Apply a thin layer of metal polish on the exhaust header, then in a circular motion polish it firmly using a clean rag. Repeat this process as you see fit to treat the whole surface of the exhaust.
Step 5
Take the exhaust header outside and rinse off the surplus metal polish using a water hose.
Step 6
Wash the exhaust header using soapy water once again like you did in the first step.
Step 7
Let the exhaust header dry outdoors on a clean surface.
Step 8
Sand the exhaust header surface using a sandpaper in back and forth and up and down motion. Then, clean it again in soapy water. If desired, you may clean it once again using metal polish, and wash it off for the last time before air drying it outdoors.
Tip: For best outcomes, once you've mounted back your polished exhaust header on your car, lightly apply a brake cleaner on its surface. Then, wipe it clean using a cloth or rag to get rid of any lubricants mistakenly left on the exhaust header.
In conclusion, although polishing your exhaust header is time-consuming and labour intensive, the final outcome is a source of joy to any auto enthusiast. Turning a discoloured, rusty header into a brand-new condition is doable and relatively cheap, and it's destined to make your car's under-the-hood sight far more attractive.
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