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Old 21-10-2019, 07:15 PM   #1
Ron1000
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Cleaning advice

Hi guys,
I’m going to clean my exhaust over the winter. Seems like the best approach is autosol. Is this used with a scotchbrite pad or just a soft cloth.

Also has anybody went the harpic and pickling paste route?
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Old 21-10-2019, 07:42 PM   #2
Albie
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Hi guys,
I’m going to clean my exhaust over the winter. Seems like the best approach is autosol. Is this used with a scotchbrite pad or just a soft cloth.

Also has anybody went the harpic and pickling paste route?
Scotchbrite pad with wd40 and solvol autosol
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Old 21-10-2019, 08:04 PM   #3
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Also has anybody went the harpic and pickling paste route?
If you're aiming to clean off that original brown/bronze finish, Ron, then whatever you use, you'll need to add a fair bit of elbow grease to get the desired result.

When I did mine, I didn't want the full shiny chrome look, just smooth, clean and silver rather than rough, brown and always dirty-looking.

I used some 600 wet and dry (wet) then a stainless wire brush in a drill, then a brass brush, then Scotchbrite pads, then Solvol blueing remover, then finally Autosol and a buffing wheel.

Once done, a light bronzing starts to reappear after a few hundred miles, but that's easily and quickly removed with either blueing remover or Harpic, which is what I use now.

Have a look here for more info.

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...ad.php?t=56466
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Old 21-10-2019, 08:25 PM   #4
Ron1000
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Braw link thanks lud.

Is the whole pickling paste afterwards thing a Requirement?
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Old 21-10-2019, 08:35 PM   #5
Luddite
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Braw link thanks lud.

Is the whole pickling paste afterwards thing a Requirement?
That pickling paste is a new one on me, Ron - perhaps it's a Scottish thing? Sounds like an acidic mix tho', which is what the Harpic and Solvol blueing remover are (i.e. hydrochloric).
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Old 21-10-2019, 09:10 PM   #6
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Using Harpic is a great start. Check the youtube vids for details.

If you have a Dremmel, there are a range of pouring pads you can get that work excellently with Autosol and eliminates 90% of the elbow grease. If you don't have a Dremmel I'd buy one!

There are also soft mops for Dremmels that will bring the final shine to better than new, also with a little autosol or gentler metal polish like Peeks.

Blue off gloop is cheap on ebay and it keeps them shiney.





I'm curious about the pickling though?
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Old 21-10-2019, 09:40 PM   #7
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Ron, I take the whole lot off and use a polishing wheel. It then becomes a good excuse to replace the exhaust studs and gaskets
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Old 21-10-2019, 10:10 PM   #8
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+1 for what Rollo says.
I get all my polishing stuff from https://www.metalpolishingsupplies.c...olishing-kits/
For scratches and deep corrosion start with a flap wheel, say 120, or 80 if it's a stubborn mark, then back to 120, then the polishing mop regime.
I have a heavy duty 1/2" chuck drill that I can mount in a vice, that has enough power to spin the 6" mops. I've built up a collection of mops and soaps for alloy and steel too.
I keep the same soap on any one mop.
Get a Stainless Steel kit and follow the instructions, they work well.

Taking the pipes off once a year does no harm. I swapped the nuts for S/S dome nuts and use plenty of coppaslip on the studs, swap the pinch bolt on the rear pipe for S/S too. I also keep a stock of the sealing washers as they are cheap.

Once they are shiny they are a complete piece of Pistachio to keep clean.

I have cast exhaust clamps which I use Graphite stove polish on (used to be Zebrite, not sure if that's still available). Dead easy to touch up mid season.
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Old 22-10-2019, 07:59 AM   #9
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Yep exhaust is off. I was thinking about getting a flap wheel and go the ‘flap wheel and autosol’ route.

I think that’s best option.
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