Author Topic: Plastic bag on Mid Pipe (Read 4399 times)

Soro · « **on:** June 30, 2006, 05:30:21 PM »

Ugh....pulling up my driveway a clear plastic bag blew onto my mid pipe. I saw it coming in slow motion and grabbed it as fast as I could but of course the hot mid pipe and the thin bag were quicker. Any tips how to get the residue off of the mid pipe?

gearset01 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2006, 08:48:08 PM »

I got something on a hot muffler awhiles back tried soaking and all kinds of chemicals no go. Finally I got it hot and used a brand new utility knife blade and gently scraped it all off, no scratches, go slow and pull back if it stops short and go in from another direction dont press hard it will come off. Let it cook till it gets nice and crisp !!!
PIN

Grissom · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2006, 11:07:05 PM »

Acetone should work. Use on a cold pipe only

Soro · « **Reply #3 on:** July 01, 2006, 02:58:52 AM »

Thanks, I'll try both methods (separately of course).
I'm sort of bummed that this happened. My brain saw the bag, and I knew that it was going to hit the mid pipe but my mind just didn't react fast enough.

Soro · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2006, 01:09:47 PM »

Just an update on the plastic bag situation. Acetone didn't work. I think I rode the bike too many times and the plastic bag basically turned into some sort of heat coating on the pipe.

Tried various knife blades and got a lot off that way (tried it both hot and cold). Scratched the finish a few times also. Most recently, I got almost the entire rest of the bag off with an acrylic edged ice scraper (cold pipe only!!!!). I could really press down and scrape without scratching the pipe.

Another hour or two and the pipe should be back to normal.

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2006, 03:19:20 PM »

I highly recommend Mothers Metal Polish for the last little bit.... it might even get rid of some minor scratches you put on there.

texasbandit · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2006, 10:56:03 AM »

I've melted plastic bags on pipes several times as well as a tank bag that slipped down and hit the headers on my xs650 a thousand moons ago. I just rode the bike a half dozen times and the multiple heat cycles essentially disintegrated the plastic. When I washed the bike the last of the residue fell off, no tools, no scratches.

Soro · « **Reply #7 on:** September 06, 2006, 04:19:01 AM »

I must have been thinking too much about the plastic bag because yesterday another bag flew up and melted on my front headers. ARRRGGGG!
I'm going to try texasbandit's method and ride it a bunch and just let the heat melt it away. Boy does it STINK

SmokeyAndTheBandit · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2006, 11:19:30 AM »

Try the polishing compound known as white rouge. I use it to polish my header. It takes every discoloration off with ease. You just apply it to a cotton buffing wheel, prefferably a smaller diameter one, and watch it come right off. I like to go over the spot with mothers afterwards to give it a smoother finish. I'll warn you now, if you try to just get that one spot off of your header, you'll probably have to do the whole thing because it's going to make it look like this

Good Luck!

P.S. Where do you live that all of these plastic bags are flying around?

Soro · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2006, 08:07:41 PM »

I keep picking the bags up driving around Philadelphia. The first was in the North East part of the city and the one the other day was on the 95. I've seen people dump garbage out of their windows in Philadelphia (and I mean an entire fast food bag including the cups).

Your headers look sweet. That would definitely be my winter project.

666 Bandit · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2006, 10:42:19 PM »

Steel wool works great. There are diferent grades available. I routinely polish my pipe & header with "0000" which is the finest that I have found. You may need to start of with "00" and work your way up. Use it with WD-40 and I'm sure you will be amazed at the results. Good luck

SmokeyAndTheBandit · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2006, 01:06:01 AM »

Thanks! I'm gonna redo mine again this winter to clean all the crap off. I've been looking for something to put on afterwards that will protect the surface of it better. I know they make stuff to protect stainless steel, but whatever I get will have to hold up to a substantial amount of heat without discoloring it in the process.