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29-01-2020, 11:23 PM | #1 |
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Exhaust system tarnish: help is at hand!
You can guess how it went: some bean-counter in the bike industry said "Why don't we make exhaust pipes out of stainless steel? No need for expensive and toxic chroming and the riders will thank us cos the pipes will stay shiny forever!"
OK, major rust is no longer an issue but hot stainless of the type used does slowly corrode and will eventually look like it's been plated with cocoa. The best way to slow the process down is to polish the pipes and get rid of the tiny pits in the surface, but even professional polishers hate the job because stainless is so tough. Even polished, the metal will still gain an amber tint but there is a low-effort way to keep it at bay. Hydrochloric acid magically removes the tarnish, returning the pipes to something that resembles metal. And the best, cheapest source of HCl? None other than Harpic Power Plus Max 10 lavatory cleaner! It comes as a natty green gel that can be painted on. Any drips hitting concrete will rapidly demonstrate its limescale-eating properties but it doesn't appear to harm stainless at all, just removing the tarnish of oxidation. After a couple of minutes, perhaps with a bit of scrubbing, just wash the Harpic off. Yes, you can get busy with metal polish too, but the acid treatment is much easier! Give it a go. Yucky pipes are a major eyesore on a tasty bike! |
29-01-2020, 11:30 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Southampton
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 2,465
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30-01-2020, 05:54 PM | #3 |
Upsetting normal people..
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Portreath
Bike: S2r
Posts: 833
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I also may have bought some earlier in the week to try this weekend...
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30-01-2020, 06:33 PM | #4 |
Transmaniacon MOC
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sutton In Ashfield
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 6,085
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Had read the same in previous posts and can also keep your u bend stain free so win, win!
Does anybody know if it only works on stainless or can I use it on my titanium pipes too?
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Roast Beef Monster! Termignoni and Bucci - Italian for pipe and slippers! S4 Fogarty, S4R 07T, 748, Series 1 Mirage |
30-01-2020, 08:08 PM | #5 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Southampton
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 2,465
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Quote:
If you are concerned, citric acid (for descaling kettles, etc.) used in a 25% solution, or nitric acid in a 10% solution can be used with no need for corrosion inhibitors. |
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31-01-2020, 07:14 AM | #6 | |
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Quote:
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31-01-2020, 11:07 AM | #7 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Southampton
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 2,465
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Quote:
So formic and citric acids will be less effective than hydrochloric, but also less damaging (if that's a concern). If you look at my earlier thread, you'll see that the Australian formulation for Harpic contains formic, rather than hydrochloric, acid, presumably for environmental reasons. For what it's worth, the active ingredient in Solvol's own Bluing Remover, is hydrochloric acid. It also contains 'secret ingredients', which probably include a corrosion inhibitor. http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...93&postcount=1 Last edited by Luddite; 31-01-2020 at 12:00 PM.. Reason: concentration detail added to pH |
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31-01-2020, 12:39 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Livingston
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 866
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I went the time consuming route of buffing with a dremel. Took awhile but I preferred the non-chemical route and it gave me the finish I wanted.
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31-01-2020, 03:12 PM | #9 |
Ciao, come stai?
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Somewhere
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 4,158
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Took the pipes off mr 1200R and polished using a pukka polishing wheel set, excellent results, only took about an hour. Yes they start to turn brown when hot but five mins with Autosol keeps them bright and shiney
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Monster 1200R! KTM 990 SuperDuke |
31-01-2020, 05:34 PM | #10 |
Pleasantly surprised!
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Stoke on Trent
Bike: M900ie
Posts: 780
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Same here. Once the pipes are polished its not too hard to keep them up. "Blue off" (eBay) can be a useful thing for the header after a long ride...
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