Chemical exhaust cleaning

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Sevyndaze
Spree
Spree
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:43 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Chemical exhaust cleaning

Post by Sevyndaze »

Hi guys,

In the not too distant future I’ll be putting new gears on my Elite, which will mean removing the muffler and rear wheel. Its got about 5000 miles on it, so I plan to clean and repaint the exhaust while I’ve got it off. I’ve read the wiki procedure for doing the lye exhaust cleaning. I know how to safely handle the stuff and I have the proper PPE, but I have just one question:

What do you do with the lye solution when you’re done? I mean I get that it’s basically drain cleaner, but what about all that carbon gunk from the muffler? Wouldn’t that clog up pipes?

Just want to hear from a few people who have used this method and what they did with the stuff afterwards. Thanks!
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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Wheelman-111
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Location: Deepinnaharta, Texas

Re: Chemical exhaust cleaning

Post by Wheelman-111 »

Greetings:

I just poured it out in my neighbor's yard. I never liked them.

Just kidding. Recycling rules! Run it through cheesecloth and de-hair that shower drain!
Wheelman-111
Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
Sevyndaze
Spree
Spree
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:43 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Chemical exhaust cleaning

Post by Sevyndaze »

As it happens, I just got new neighbors! What a great way to say hello!
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
Sevyndaze
Spree
Spree
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:43 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Chemical exhaust cleaning

Post by Sevyndaze »

So I've got the muffler off and ready to do this, but thought I'd weigh it first since I've seen people comment about the muffler "feeling lighter" after being cleaned. I weighed it by stepping on my bathroom scale, then again while holding the muffler and subtracting the two. I got a weight of 7.6 lbs (with the heat shield still on), and the wiki notes that a stock elite muffler weighs about 7.2 lbs. Has anyone else done before and after weight measurements? I'm not sure if the 0.4lbs of carbon buildup is a ton or not that much.

Just want to see if anyone can advise on if its worth doing, though being the stats nerd type I might just do it anyway so I have the data :-)
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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eclark5483
CB900F
CB900F
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Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:15 am
Location: Spencer Iowa
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Re: Chemical exhaust cleaning

Post by eclark5483 »

That's a lot, think of that volume in a measuring cup. Takes up a good chunk of space.
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