Exhaust Pipe Clean Up Advice

[twr1776]

I have a better set of OEM pipes for my 1100 I was going to clean up over the winter and install. The dreaded PO spilled battery acid or brake fluid on the ones it came with so of course "Captain Bling" has said they have to go. My thoughts were to clean up & neutralize the existing rust, re-prime and paint with either a silver or imitation chrome color high temp paint. I have used the VHT products before on calipers, etc and they seem to work pretty well. Any other products or suggestions on what to use for this application? Here is a not so great pic of what I am starting with.

[Joe Nardy]

Tim,

I had pretty good luck cleaning up my black 1100E exhausts using fine (000) steel wool and Turtle Wax chrome cleaner and rust remover. Steel wool by itself seemed too harsh and the chrome cleaner with a rag didn't do much. it seemed to worked best keeping the steel wool pretty saturated with chrome cleaner.

Thanks,
Joe

[Nessism]

Oxalic acid works great for rust removal on chrome. Get yourself some powdered wood bleach sold at hardware stores and mix up a good sized batch using a clean plastic garbage can or similar. The acid will eat off the rust in a day or so and not hurt the good chrome or metal. The oxalic acid is cheap too and you can dump the excess down the storm drain since it's common deck cleaner.

[twr1776]

Joe, thanks for the reply. Did you use any touch up paint after cleaning?

Ed, I am not familiar with Oxalic acid. Do you mix it thick and brush it on like a paste to let it work or dip the front of the exhaust in the garbage can of the mix?

[Joe Nardy]

Joe, thanks for the reply. Did you use any touch up paint after cleaning?

Not yet. I have a better set of pipes coming soon so I'm waiting to see if they need any touching up as well. Like yours, the areas that need touching up are far enough from the head that a decent high temp paint should be fine. Plus, they are mostly out of sight so the paint will be used just to prevent further rust.

Thanks,
Joe

[twr1776]

#5 Today, 03:40 PM Joe Nardy Not yet. I have a better set of pipes coming soon so I'm waiting to see if they need any touching up as well. Like yours, the areas that need touching up are far enough from the head that a decent high temp paint should be fine. Plus, they are mostly out of sight so the paint will be used just to prevent further rust.

I see "great minds" are thinking alike.

[Nessism]

Ed, I am not familiar with Oxalic acid. Do you mix it thick and brush it on like a paste to let it work or dip the front of the exhaust in the garbage can of the mix?

You mix the oxalic acid powder into water, about 0.2% mixture by weight. Mix up the solution and drop your rusty parts in the solution. Leave for about 24 hours and then pull it out and check your progress.

Check this link for some before and after photos... http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ht=oxalic+acid