cleaning out expansion chamber?

[thestuz]

i got some time off coming up and one thing on the "to do" list is clean out my exhaust. after many many years of riding, this thing feels as though its got 5 kg of carbon built up in it. and by looking in it you can see all the cakage.

i used to have a rgv250 and always took the pipes down to the local auto store to get the pipes bathed in the hot dip caustic tank, then i would just repaint them up black.
my problem is ive been told the caustic does nasty stuff to the exposed and chipped chrome plating on the gnarly. so a caustic bath might be out of the question.
i could just do my own caustic mix,fill and plug up the pipe and let it sit for a few days but i dont think this would be as effective as the big hot tubs are.

option 2, ive heard of people burning them out with a hot oxy accetylene flame but once again, im not sure what this would do to the pipe. it would more than likely do some damage to the chroming.

any good ideas, or should i just hock it on flea bay and buy a freshie for a hundred dollars more?

[hoofarted]

I used to pour Berryman's chem dip parts wash inside and let it soak..worked OK for me.



then again, it was before they made the California compliant version...real nasty shit would burn your skin if you weren't careful.

[maddog1927]

I have done both. The burn it out works awsome, but bye bye to the chrome finish...

I used drain cleaner, and it seemed to work o.k. . No issues with the finish. There is a good post on it at TT on the YZ 2 stroke page. I will link it later. TT is doen right now. Also running YAMALUBE sure keeps the build up to a min.

[DitchWitch]

I used oven cleaner to de-carbon a head and it ate it straight off, dont know what it would to to the chroming if you got it on the out side? But maybe try a few soakingings by just spraying it inside?

[nmdesertrider]

I would try oven cleaner since it is real foamy and will probably fill up the pipe.

Buying a new pipe is not very hoonish.

[thestuz]

there are two ways ;

#1
http://piperepair.com/carbon.htm



but i dont wanna ruin the chrome off the pipe so ill do option #2




WARNING!!!
DOING THIS PARTICULAR JOB WITH CAUSTIC CHEMICALS IS A MESSY, DIRTY AND DANGEROUS JOB!
THE CHEMICALS USED MAY CAUSE SERVERE BURNS AND EVEN BLINDNESS IF EXPOSURE OCCURS.

IT IS ALWAYS ADVISED THAT YOU USE THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY GEAR. GLOVES, FULL LENGTH CLOTHING,RESPIRATOR,RUBBER GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES.

THIS POST IS MERELY A GUIDE.
I TAKE NO LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PERSONS TRYING THIS THEMSELVES.



IT IS RECOMMENDED THIS IS DONE SOME WHERE WHERE A SPILL WILL NOT CAUSE DAMAGE.
I HAVE USED LATEX GLOVES AND TAPE TO SEAL OFF THE END.


I HAVE CHOSEN TO DO THIS MIX OUTSIDE TO AVOID DAMAGE TO MY SHED FLOOR WITH A CAUSTIC SPILL AND FOR VENTILATION.


I HAVE GIVEN IT A GOOD SHAKE FOR AGETATION PURPOSES.
SOME PEOPLE PUT A STEEL CHAIN IN THERE AFTER A FEW DAYS AND GIVE IT A GOOD SHAKE AROUND TO LOOSEN CARBON DEPOSITS.

"WARNING, THE PIPE GETS HOT DUE TO THE CHEMICAL REACTION INSIDE. HANDLE WITH CARE"



NOW WE WILL LET THAT SIT FOR A FEW DAYS AND LET THE CAUSTIC SODA DO ITS JOB.IT MAY TAKE A SECONDARY CLEAN YET.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THIS AWAY FROM CHILDREN OR ANIMALS OR ANYONE THAT MIGHT INTERFERE AND HURT THEMSELFS.
IN THE MEAN TIME, LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE MUFFLER.



ONCE WE HAVE REMOVED THE THREE BOLTS FROM THE MUFFLER BRECKET, USE A SOLID PIECE OF WOOD TO KNOCK THE ALLOY HOUSING OFF THE SILENCER CORE. IT IS TOO HARD TO PULL OFF WHEN SEALED WITH JB WELD.


REMOVE THE SILENCER CORE


REMOVE THE OLD INSULATION.


CLEAN OUT THE INSIDE WITH SOME DEGREASER



YOULL NEED TO CLEAN THE END CAP WITH A TOOTH BRUSH AND DEGREASER.

[thestuz]

STAY TUNED.

ILL BE REPACKING IT AND FINISHING THE POST ONCE THE CAUSTIC SODA HAS EATEN OUT ALL THE CRUST. IT MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS (HOPE IT WORKS ). ILL BE USING GENERAL HOUSEHOLD INSULATION FOR THE REPACK. SOME OF YOU MIGHT THINK THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA AND TO A DEGREE,I CONCUR. BUT I GOT A WHOLE LOT HERE LEFT OVER SO IM GONNA GIVE IT A TRY.

ANY COMMENTS/CRITICISIM/BETTER IDEAS ARE WELCOME.

[Crow500]

When I repacked, I was going through my silencer core with a small piece of wire cleaning out all the holes. That lasted about 5 minutes and I decided to try my pressure washer, it cleaned it up almost perfect. I had scraped any of the heavy stuff off first, but it cleaned all the holes out almost instantly. I used the FMF repack stuff though.

[Rosco-Peeko]

I am a fan of Berrymans Products!!! I use a ton of Chem-Tool. Its a far out cleaner! It has Mek in it.....good stuff but bad for you. The Air Force used it for many years in vast quantities in cleaning of Jet Engine Components until they discovered maintainers with 3 eyeballs and four asses as a result of working with it in LARGE quantities.

In what you are using it for......it should work on cleaning out a pipe quite well. Of course, I would do it in a well ventilated area. And keep it out of your eyes.....its hurts like hell!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butanone
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927358

For cleaning out a stinger..... a big wire brush and fire. I was cleaning a stinger of someone elses bike.....the spooge was so bad the whole thing lit off like a friggen torch. It burned for an impressive amount of time. Even with it most of burned off it coked so badly it was near impossible to clean off afterwards.

[AlisoBob]

I thought Rosco used "Kimm-Chee" juice.......

[Rosco-Peeko]

I thought Rosco used "Kimm-Chee" juice.......

Only in extreme cases..

[bgraley]

We used to use yellow fiberglass insulation on my old 125 when i was growing up. we had a lot left over from building the house. my dad said it was what they used to do in the "old days". It worked, i don't know about performance but it does silence the bike, so give it a go

[1ugly85cr500]

For the pipe cleanin would sea foam work? I did a good job on a truck I had with a 100,000mi on it.

[dannygraves]

easy-off oven cleaner FTW. that stuff will melt the skin off your hands, so it wuold probably damage the finish if you got any on it.