Removing Rust from the Standard Exhaust

[philshaq]

Hi guys,


I haven't been on here in a while, little riding recently combined with moving house has meant I've had hardly any time for anything!


We've now moved house, and I have a garage, so the Fazer is tucked away all dry at night now as opposed to being out in the weather.


Its going in for its MOT on Saturday and I've been getting it ready for the summer after riding it all winter then putting it away since March, sadly I can't ride it this week as no MOT and a rear tyre squared off with winter riding and down to the minimum.


I've already put new front callipers on, braided hoses, sorted out the binding rear brake, un-stuck and lubed (ooherr) up a lot of parts. left to do is;


New Clutch,
New Rear Pads,


and sort out the exhaust manifold, I've taken the full exhaust off and there is quite a bit of rust that needs sorting out before I re-spray Matt Black again and put it back on.


My question is; what's the best way to get rust off? I've heard Phosphoric Acid works well and a sanding drill bit, just wondering if there are any major doo's and don't's that people have come across as I imagine that its slightly different doing an exhaust due to the high temperatures that can be reached (so Kurust etc is off limits?)


Thanks as always

[Skippernick]

Coca cola works just as well as acid if you want a cheaper method, not done it myself.   Might get sticky as well.
I just took a soft angle grinder brush to them and a stiff wire brush, beware though when you start you might start to reveal holes in the pipes.

[darrsi]

Wow, you've still got the original exhaust on, they've normally rusted to bits by now!!

[Ebme Geek]

You can get Phosphoric Acid quite easy, "Ph Down" you can get in an 81% variant. Get off as much rust as you can with wire brush attachments first, but as said you may make holes, I have used Kurust on other things but not on exhausts but would give it a bash, I am sure it's active ingrediant is Phosphoric Acid but there is mention of it having a co-polymer element to it as well.
Overall biggest advise get off as much rust as you can mechanically, rather than rely on liquids, they only seem to go so deep.
 
I have just bought stainless direct from Motad, I had holes 

[His Dudeness]

You could try electrolysis. No need for chemicals and there's no danger of damaging the good metal on the exhaust. Just make sure you've got the anode and the cathode connected the right way around 

[elbrownos]

Never heard of rust removal by electrolysis. Got a link?
Is it normal for the collector to rust far worse than the downpipes?
My collector is like cheese but the downpipes are fine. Shame I have to replace the whole thing because of a shitty few inches in the middle.

[bandit]

As others have said downpipes tend to be good collector rusts through really quickly so when you start rubbing down EEK, I would put them back on for M.O.T & when you can afford it get some stainless ones from here,carbs will need balancing after fitting, if you ring them direct your get them for the price shown.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FAZER-600-FZS600-YAMAHA-downpipes-exhaust-collector-/161036554835?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item257e86d253
 

[philshaq]

Hi guys

Thanks for the responses.sorry for the late reply, just had the internet installed at the new house so can reply!

From all your comments I think I'll go for sanding off the bulk and acid for the hard to reach places.

 interested in the electrolysis idea although I probably won't go down that road!

 Stripped down the rear brake tonight and I won! So feet up on the sofa with beer in hand at the moment!

Thanks for the link to the stainless headers, very tempted, have a vw camper to convert as well so stretching the pennies as is!

 Im starting on the exhaust properly tomorrow night so will report back with how it goes.

Thanks

Phil

[Yamazer-92]

Just my 2p worth, I took my original pipes off a few months back and got them all welded up as they had a lot of holes, more than I initially thought. Then sanded down the rust and painted the pipes (could have treated the rust better but was more interested in plugging the holes). Anyway I ride in all weather and even with acf 50 etc they have rotted through again elsewhere and were one of my 2 MOT advisories recently  . I'll be getting some motads soon so honestly unless you do dry miles only and are a clean freak (I actually kept mine fairly clean) I would advise the stainless.


Did look nice at first though, still look alright now just the noise from under the engine of leaking exhaust is very annoying.

[Andy FZS]

I'd like to remove mine to paint but I am worried about snapping a stud and then having to remove the engine all for the sake of paint. What is the likelihood do they normally come out ok after a good soaking or should I leave well alone.
Andy

[Dead Eye]

Depends on how they look...

On my first 600 they came with ease and no issues, on my second one every single stud snapped as if it was made of cheese...

[philshaq]

I think mine had been kept indoors and only dry ridden prior to me owning so the headers are actually in fairly good nick aside from the surface rust that I'll sort tomorrow and friday.


As for the header bolts, I had a play with a few a while ago so knew that they were going to be OK. They came off really easily, I had been spraying them with DT-85 for a while though, after every wash and most weeks when it was stood outside.


I was going to make a start on the headers tonight but was late home from work and greeted by a moody Mrs Shaq I thought it best to stay out of the garage for a night!


I'll try and take some before and after shots and post them up.

[elbrownos]

Out of interest, does anybody know what those plugged ports 1/3 of the way down the downpipes are for?

[69oldskool]

Never heard of rust removal by electrolysis. Got a link?
Is it normal for the collector to rust far worse than the downpipes?
My collector is like cheese but the downpipes are fine. Shame I have to replace the whole thing because of a shitty few inches in the middle.

It works~ you're gona need a big tank for an exhaust system though.
 
For smaller items,You can do it with a battery charger, a solution with a couple of tea spoons of baking soda, a clean steel piece of steel for one electrode & your rusty (but cleaned) item for the other.& a suitable plastic container.
Can't for the life of me remember which way round +ve & -ve go but i'm sure you could work it out from first principles.iron has Fe+ ions i think..

[Dead Eye]

You use the rusted item as the Cathode (-ve) and a suitable piece of metal (typically plain steel, not stainless) as the Anode (+ve)

[philshaq]

I'd like to give it a try... seem to remember doing something similar in science class at school! Although like 69 says, I think I'll try on something smaller as using the bath tub in our new house would likely get me kicked out!


I managed to remove most or the rust using a hand file and treated the rest with a few coats of Kurust before sanding that off and spraying it all with high temp spraypaint. It was all a bit of a rush to get the bike through its MOT yesterday morning. Which it passed! So success!


Thanks for all your help guys