Cleaning chrome exhaust?

[Jackal]

Just been cleaning the Guzzi and decided to give the exhaust pipes and mufflers a real good polish up. To get access to those 'hard to reach places I have taken the mufflers off the bike. I can't remove those baked on bits of tar and road film. I have tried using tar remover, petrol and Autosol without success. Has anyone got any ideas on how to remove those stains. (other than picking away with the fingernail). I will leave the computor for a while and go and start the bike up without the mufflers on and see how long it takes for a neighbour to come over and complain!!! Any reasonible ideas appreciated.

[The Lone Rider]

I'm surprised autosol didn't work.

The problem is, to get really bad marks off it's easiest to use a semi-abrasive polish (which autosol is..). Using stuff like autosol though, over time, will actually wear the chrome plating down to it's nickel coat.

I guess if you are cautious and use it sparingly, a slightly more abrasive polish may get tar marks off.

One thing you can use, if you are careful, is an industrial polishing wheel attached to a drill. They are cloth but have a very fine wire like hair in some spots. I've found it hugely helpful using that combined with autosol or other semis in cleaning up heavily pitted aluminum parts. Maybe that would help with the tar?

I am in canterbury if you want to drop them by and give mine a go.

Good luck

[cc rider]

Try spraying some brake cleaner (spray can) onto a clean soft cloth, hold it on the tar spots & let 'soak' in for a bit, then gentle rub the area. Always good to test clean in a 'not to be seen spot' on the component.
Yeah, try not to use too much Autosol on chrome, like Lone Rider said, it will bare down to nickel. Not keen on a polishing mop. Fine for stainless steel & ali. It's hard to judge how good a quality the chrome coating is. Basically, if a product is an abrasive it will be just that.

Good Luck Jackal

cc

[Flip]

My zorsts extend way past the rear wheel and I am always cleaning them. I use CRC contact cleaner sprayed onto a rag, held against the burnt black spots, it softens the worst before I use autosol.

[Jackal]

Thanks guys. I spent the rest of the afternoon on them. Sprayed on a bit of De-Solv-it on the stains and let it soak in to try and soften them up. Then got stuck in with the Autosol and on the real stuborne spots used my fingernails. Took bloody ages and now I have to figure a way of getting the tar from under my fingernails. At least the pipes are looking alot cleaner. (The Guzzi sounded AWESOME without the mufflers on!!!)

[The Lone Rider]

(The Guzzi sounded AWESOME without the mufflers on!!!)

Might be worth giving the inners of the mufflers an examination, as you could easily modifiy them to sound a bit more like what it's like without mufflers. Without it being too much I mean..

[YellowDog]

Yep I find finger nails really good at those stubborn tar spots.

I recently tried FW1 which was more amazing than any cleaner/polisher should be.

It's a bit pricey, but for those really stubborn bits it is excellent.

[cc rider]

Vote 1 for fingernails, have used mine as screwdrivers on occasion. But mostly I just get them ripped off pulling off other peoples knee sliders.

What's FW1?

[Molly]

Auto Glym (sp?) make a really good tar remover. I'd recommend that.

[Pussy]

Try spraying some brake cleaner (spray can) onto a clean soft cloth, hold it on the tar spots & let 'soak' in for a bit, then gentle rub the area. Always good to test clean in a 'not to be seen spot' on the component.
Yeah, try not to use too much Autosol on chrome, like Lone Rider said, it will bare down to nickel. Not keen on a polishing mop. Fine for stainless steel & ali. It's hard to judge how good a quality the chrome coating is. Basically, if a product is an abrasive it will be just that.

Good Luck Jackal

cc

Lacquer thinner works good, too!

[hayd3n]

hav you tried butter the fats in it will soften the tar

[vifferman]

I'd recommend using some heat (hairdryer, hot air gun, etc.) first before trying anything with a solvent in it (kero, WD40, CRC, petrol, Pledge etc etc.)
The key is to soften the tar up a bit so the solvents can do their thing.

[Skyryder]

Try some brake cleaning fluid. Used some the other day to get of some baked plastic sole that the wife shoes had left on the exhaust. Worked a treat with a little soaking.


Skyryder

[rphenix]

Try some dissolve it very good at removing tar from surfaces on the bike. If it really wont work then a bit of cut n polish would definently work though repeated use wouldnt be advised on the same place on the exhaust.

[Jackal]

hav you tried butter the fats in it will soften the tar

BUTTER??? I want to clean them not eat them.............or something worse!!!!! (Last Tango in Paris springs to mind)

Thanks for all the suggestions. My cleaning cupboard is going to be chokka.