Author Topic: Melted my motorcycle cover onto one of my exhaust headers (Read 3197 times)

Ezile · « **on:** February 24, 2017, 08:50:17 AM »

Pretty dumb moment but I'm sure I'm not the only person who has done this.

The plastic/vinyl is hardened to the pipe now and I am trying to figure out the best way to get it off. Any advice would be helpful!

PS - I used the search function to search for "Melted plastic exhaust" "Melted cover header" etc and did not find anything. If there is another post about it I'm OK reading through it I just couldn't find it!

flybox1 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2017, 08:56:18 AM »

heat gun?

evanphi · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2017, 09:08:59 AM »

Melt it with acetone.

540nova · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2017, 09:28:28 AM »

If it's a stainless steel pipe, 3M Scotchbrite Roloc discs on an angle grinder

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ofreen · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2017, 09:47:11 AM »

Chrome exhaust? If you are patient, most of it will flake off over time with repeated heating/cooling cycles, then you can knock off the small stuff that is left using a plastic scraper or some other gentle means.

Ezile · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2017, 12:07:07 PM »

Great suggestions everyone. Thanks for the help... I'm going to try Acetone first, then a heat gun with a wood scraper and see how that works!

I wondered if it'd just kind of go away eventually also, I don't know what material the metal really is. I'd guess steel.

Duanob · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2017, 01:01:21 PM »

Badge of honor dude!

I have plastic on one of my pipes that hasn't come off yet. Steel wool, heat gun, acetone won't touch it. I may try a blow torch next but I have my doubts.

markreimer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2017, 01:52:20 PM »

Always wondered what would happen. I have to park my bikes on the street (apartment) and always have them covered. Sometimes I get impatient letting them cool and throw the cover on. But then I get visions of looking out the window to a raging inferno or something. Do you have a center stand? Might help keep the cover away from the headers.

Ezile · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2017, 03:09:51 PM »

It wasn't even impatience, it was carelessness. The worst part is I park my motorcycle in my heated garage so I just use the covers during winter to keep the dust accumulation to a minimum, the cover didn't even need to be near the bike.

I had gone for a ride on an unseasonably warm Chicago day and had just parked it again in the garage. I took the cover off another motorcycle of mine to shuffle the bikes around and I rested the cover on the handlebars completely forgetting that the bike was just used... I didn't even notice it until I went to cover my Bonneville. All of a sudden there was a massive hole in the cover and I was like wtf? It was only then that I noticed the weird smell in the air and all the plastic dried to the pipe. *sigh*

I've been thinking about wrapping the pipes so this might motivate me to do so if I can't get the plastic off. Sounds like I won't be too successful...

Don R · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2017, 04:18:52 PM »

razor blade?

carnivorous chicken · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2017, 04:33:17 PM »

Easy off oven cleaner. Don't let it sit on the pipe too long.

MikeSimon · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2017, 04:43:31 PM »

Get the large blobs off with a sharpened edge of wood which will not scratch the chrome. The rest comes off with "Nevrdull" and a lot of elbow grease.

pjlogue · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2017, 05:01:57 PM »

You might try dry ice and try chipping it off while it is very cold.

-P.

evinrude7 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2017, 05:32:11 PM »

heated garage. i'd kill to have that.

BRAD CHIEDUCH · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2017, 06:38:53 PM »

+1 on the Easy Off oven cleaner. I have a V-twin bike and melted my boot to the exhaust. I ran the bike up to temperature and sprayed the pipe with oven cleaner and it wiped off with little effort.

Don R · « **Reply #15 on:** March 01, 2017, 08:55:04 AM »

Let us know what worked when you get it done.

Duanob · « **Reply #16 on:** March 01, 2017, 04:02:28 PM »

Quote from: speedwobl on February 28, 2017, 06:38:53 PM

+1 on the Easy Off oven cleaner. I have a V-twin bike and melted my boot to the exhaust. I ran the bike up to temperature and sprayed the pipe with oven cleaner and it wiped off with little effort.

I might have to give that a try.

Gene · « **Reply #17 on:** March 01, 2017, 05:09:15 PM »

Quote from: ofreen on February 24, 2017, 09:47:11 AM

Chrome exhaust? If you are patient, most of it will flake off over time with repeated heating/cooling cycles, then you can knock off the small stuff that is left using a plastic scraper or some other gentle means.

This. I've done it - this is what I did.

Ezile · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2017, 09:53:07 AM »

I purchased Easy Off, Wooden Scrapers, Acetone, and some other wipes. Hopefully I have the chance to mess around with it this weekend and let you guys know how it goes. (I'm also currently struggling with an electrical problem... switched to LEDs and it's not cooperating with me).

greenjeans · « **Reply #19 on:** March 02, 2017, 11:56:13 AM »

Get the pipes hot and use some steel wool & WD40. I have some experience with this.

carnivorous chicken · « **Reply #20 on:** March 02, 2017, 04:31:59 PM »

Easy off will do it by itself. I've never done it hot, but it'll clean that right up.

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Author Topic: Melted my motorcycle cover onto one of my exhaust headers (Read 3197 times)