# What does chrome do when it's heat cycled? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [June 8, 2007, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544 "2007-06-08T06:32:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/1 "2007-06-08T06:32:28Z")
Does it get blue/gold? Does it just degrade the finish or does it chip off. Thinking about chroming my elise exhaust, vs jet hotting it I really want the “look” of blue/gold heat distortion that i see on some bike pipes… ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/2 "2007-06-08T06:33:32Z")
I dont think chrome changes color, look at a harley exhaust ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/3 "2007-06-08T06:34:10Z")
[quote=“93dx–hatch,post:2,topic:30544"”] I dont think chrome changes color, look at a harley exhaust [/quote] usually they have chrome heat shields OVER the other pipes. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/4 "2007-06-08T06:34:56Z")
Heh, just do what my dad did with his '75 BMW bike. He got the thing running again, let it idle and went to get a sammich, the thing started surging or something and was revving way high for a while. When my Dad came back the pipes were glowing red. The bike still runs fine. Old BMW motorcycles are fucking indestructable. Oh, and I have nothing of value for this thread. :tup: ---
**Author:** ![Bacon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bacon/32/7230_2.png) [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/5 "2007-06-08T06:41:15Z")
When I had chrome pipes on my motorcycle they just turned the blueish/gold color over time with heatcycling. No issues with it chipping off or anything but this was only over a period of a year with no rain or anything ever getting on the bike. ---
**Author:** ![audios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@audios](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/audios)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/6 "2007-06-08T06:41:34Z")
hhahaha lafengas is here. i wont reply. me=guessing lafengas=knowing more about it than you asked for ---
**Author:** ![LAFENGAS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/lafengas/32/7573_2.png) [@LAFENGAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LAFENGAS)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/7 "2007-06-08T07:37:54Z")
^ fine, i’ll keep it simple. you wont get the colors you want with the relatively low heat at end of the exhaust… Headers yes. But yes, chrome will change colors with heat cycling, but more so with the intense heat, since it builds up a higher oxidation layer that refracts the ‘pretty colors’ you’re looking at more of a goldish brown color over time…as compared to the purples and blues. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blue_eyed_devil/32/7292_2.png) [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/8 "2007-06-08T07:40:06Z")
Different temps = different colors If memory serves me correctly blue is about 850F. ---
**Author:** ![Viper966](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/viper966/32/7268_2.png) [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/9 "2007-06-08T07:52:19Z")
so bust out the oxy torch and pre color it ---
**Author:** ![FiftyCheven](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fiftycheven/32/4950_2.png) [@FiftyCheven](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/FiftyCheven)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/10 "2007-06-08T07:55:38Z")
i have chrome headers and they are blue now…no signs of chipping etc. ---
**Author:** ![Samsara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Samsara](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Samsara)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 8:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/11 "2007-06-08T08:23:49Z")
[quote=“Viper966,post:9,topic:30544"”] so bust out the oxy torch and pre color it [/quote] +1 rice it up ---
**Author:** ![King](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/king/32/7329_2.png) [@King](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/King)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 8:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/12 "2007-06-08T08:31:32Z")
i gotta imagine yours would turn black. you wont clean them 😛 ---
**Author:** ![snowracer101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@snowracer101](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/snowracer101)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 9:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/13 "2007-06-08T09:27:03Z")
.by the time the exhaust reaches the outlets…it will be cooled down, on my r6…the cans are warm to the touch…but just that…warm…i’d say 110 degrees. the headers now…wouldn’t want to touch those. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 9:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/14 "2007-06-08T09:29:26Z")
the tip was hot enough to melt my shoe on… ---
**Author:** ![articzap](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/articzap/32/7361_2.png) [@articzap](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/articzap)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/15 "2007-06-08T10:01:22Z")
Stainless… ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/16 "2007-06-08T11:10:39Z")
it’s not stainless, and i don’t feel like buying another one. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Russian](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/the_russian/32/7414_2.png) [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/17 "2007-06-08T13:10:21Z")
I think people fail to remember that with a mid engine car, the exhaust has a much shorter distance to travel to the exhaust tips. Newman, I dont think youd have a problem having it get blued, but you could also have it Anodyzed blue. ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/18 "2007-06-08T13:13:19Z")
please don’t do it anodized blue, that would be horrible; I just picture it looking like a massive earls fitting ---
**Author:** ![Viper966](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/viper966/32/7268_2.png) [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/19 "2007-06-08T13:14:08Z")
[quote=“The\_Russian,post:17,topic:30544"”] I think people fail to remember that with a mid engine car, the exhaust has a much shorter distance to travel to the exhaust tips. Newman, I dont think youd have a problem having it get blued, but you could also have it Anodyzed blue. [/quote] you cant annodize steel, only alum… and anodizing doenst take to heat very well ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544/20 "2007-06-08T13:15:16Z")
i don’t want it consistently blue i just want it to look kinda… old? ish? not blangity blang, not one big blue thing either… [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-does-chrome-do-when-its-heat-cycled/30544.md?page=2)