Markm Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Whats the best stuff to cleanthe exhaust silencer and pipe, mine's looking a tad neglected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JampJ Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 I presume you are talking about a stainless exhaust. I used welders stainless pickling paste, which contains nitric and hydroflouric acid to remove the brown hard crusty film, then polished with a polishing mop. You can polish by hand using a good metal polish, but using a mop is a lot easier and quicker. Cheers J&J JFDI (Just F*****g Do It) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 Take it to a metal polisher I use Caerphilly Metal Polishing @ £25 for a full exhaust system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 If you choose the welders' paste method, follow appropriate precautions. HF acid is evil and will, if abused, munch the flesh off your bones in such a way that you can't wash it off with water. It sets up some sort of necrosis of the flesh which once established can only be remedied by amputation. No, I am not kidding. Googling "hydrofluoric acid necrosis" will tell you all you don't want to hear and probably make you feel extremely nauseous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosetestbestanden Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 HF acid is evil Seconded. Be Careful w/ it. ------- Chris Veni Vedi Blati Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud 9 Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 Very very fine grade wire wool and autosol works very well on mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DohNut Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 I have just finished polishing my exhaust, it was looking at little sad. I used a polishing mop(s) bought at a kit car show mounted on a grinder. For the bits that were golden the cloth mops are OK but the pipework that was brown I needed to use some wet and dry and/or a scotch brite mop. (I think that is what they are called) to break though the surface and then finish with the mops. Pleased with the result but its a dirty job and I have I grinder taking up room in the garage and once every couple of years paying £25 for a professional is maybe not a bad choice. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbutnotslow Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 Comma alloy wheel cleaner sprayed on and worked in with a paint brush. Its a very mild acid and takes the brown crap straight off. Wash off with water and polish with Autosol. Job done Grant 😬 183 BHP of black and stone chip excitement. 😬 here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DohNut Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Mr Oldbutquitecleverreally Comma alloy wheel cleaner (from a Caterham goodie bag) is great. It got rid of the golden sheen in moments. The real time saver was the slightly tarnished TechCraft which would have taken ages mechanically and scratched easily. The really tarnished bits high up on the primaries need something more mechanical but trying it can only have helped. I might try a bit of cleaning on the grinder then again with the chemical. Considering my last company sold cleaning chemicals I have been rather slow off the mark 😳 Nick here "abbyandnick" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted July 8, 2005 Area Representative Share Posted July 8, 2005 Clean the exhaust? I think that the iridescent patina of a well used stainless steel pipe is an attribute and positively desirable quality. Get out and drive it! Occasionally I do wash the car and spent yesterday afternoon getting French gravel out of the car - but I consider that time is wasted compared to driving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted July 8, 2005 Leadership Team Share Posted July 8, 2005 How do I clean the stone-dents out of teh exit pipe 🤔 Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JampJ Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Stu, I'm trying to do the same myself! There is a tool available for widening pipes, I'm wondering if that will do the job. Some exhaust manufacturers have them, I believe they have a 4" reach. Hopefully they may be able to push the dents out. Other than that, I may try a large diameter drift and a lump hammer. For tiny ones, you could weld over them and grind/file back, and then polish. Let us know if you come up with anything. Cheers J&J JFDI (Just F*****g Do It) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Hydrofloric Acid is indeed nasty, it can be produced in electrical fires with batteries and motors, if got on the skin you need Hydrofloric acid Antodote Gel, As an firstaider I've had to use it once at work on someone, then sent them off to the casualty... nasty stuff. 'Pinky Pics' here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susser Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Don't want to hijack the post here, but I feel the need to back up the HF acid scaremongering. It needs scaremonging and every chance I get to mong it some more I grab with both hands. One of the new "wonder materials" is "Viton" it is found in a lot of engines, industrial seals, valves, gaskets. When heated, say, in a fire or when a bearing gets overheated, to some 400+ deg C, it breaks down to form a black sticky mass containing Hydrofluoric acid. It will have the bones out of you. Be afraid of it. Be Very Afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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