Author Topic: Looking to clean the carbon out of oem Honda mufflers;what works good ? (Read 3967 times)

grcamna2 · « **on:** March 18, 2016, 09:14:28 PM »

I have never cleaned any carbon out of oem stock mufflers,they have a lot of different chambers inside them and sometimes I pick up a used oem muffler that's been sitting for a while and want to put it back into service that has it's own mix of rust and carbon.
What do you use to get the maximum amount of 'junk' out of these, liquid to melt the carbon w/ a combination of tapping and rubber hammer ? ideas please

grcamna2 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2016, 10:12:01 AM »

strynboen · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2016, 12:21:48 PM »

why? its a 2 stroke idea to klean exh.
.no one done it on 4 str bikes..they only blow in the exhosts.

..2 stroke sucks back chok wave..so dirt and rust is a problem going back in the engine..and they build up a large carbon vall in the port/tube..vho can block it total up....so they need a causic soda bath to loosen up..or burn them dry..and shake all loosen stuff aut

dusterdude · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2016, 03:14:50 PM »

100 mph blast down the interstate

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Don R · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2016, 07:19:09 PM »

Quote from: dusterdude on March 19, 2016, 03:14:50 PM

100 mph blast down the interstate

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yep. pull the baffles if you can.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2016, 08:33:19 PM »

Quote from: Don R on March 19, 2016, 07:19:09 PM

Quote from: dusterdude on March 19, 2016, 03:14:50 PM
100 mph blast down the interstate

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yep. pull the baffles if you can.

That's certainly in my plans

,although the baffles aren't removeable. I had my powder coating guy shoot the big sandblaster into the inlet side of a muffler I brought to him a year ago before he PC'd it and I was able to shake all the sand out later,I think it cleaned a little rust out.

cougar · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2016, 10:34:24 AM »

grcamna2 ; Most folks don't think about it but you do bring up a good question ! All the exhaust soot (rich running),rust (from condensation) and so forth, "Does" create a slowing of the air flow. Being able to remove as much of the build up as possible would help our bikes breathe ! Hope maybe one of the more "tech type fellows" here will chime in on this subject. Thanks for thinking ! ...cougar...

grcamna2 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2016, 10:37:29 AM »

Quote from: cougar on March 20, 2016, 10:34:24 AM

grcamna2 ; Most folks don't think about it but you do bring up a good question ! All the exhaust soot (rich running),rust (from condensation) and so forth, "Does" create a slowing of the air flow. Being able to remove as much of the build up as possible would help our bikes breathe ! Hope maybe one of the more "tech type fellows" here will chime in on this subject. Thanks for thinking ! ...cougar...

I'm wondering if pouring a strong special liquid into them would melt some of the carbon? or tend to damage the baffles(if they have fiberglass packing?) somehow ?

strynboen · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2016, 11:43:35 AM »

rust can close the small holes in the expansion tube part,, but does Honda use labyrent type or expansion.
.no idea,,,,but both make the back pressure stronger

grcamna2 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2016, 05:24:02 PM »

spotty · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2016, 04:26:17 AM »

on two strokes we used to use an unsafe concentration of caustic soda in boiling water which used to do a grand job of shifting the carbon. don't know if it would work on 4 strokes as the carbon may be 'drier' for want of a better word.
two stroke carbon seems to stay softer maybe due to the oil in it whereas 4 stroke carbon seems drier and harder so i don't know if the caustic soda would do the trick. give it a try and see maybe

on the two strokes, we'd pour a canister of soda down the neck of the chamber and then pour boiling water in afterwards, dangerous and probably stupid

just be very careful, it will blind you and it will take skin off. always add soda to water not the other way round, it will spit back, wear goggles, wear gloves etc

grcamna2 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2016, 06:16:50 AM »

The engine that this muffler came off must have been burning oil so i poured gasoline into both ends and shook it real well then tried to pour-out as much as possible & then let it dry out over the warm weekend we just had.I just gave the muffler to my PC guy who will use the large sandblaster into the inlet a little.
What is caustic soda,same as baking soda? unsafe to use?

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2016, 10:53:41 AM »

Is caustic soda actually lye? ie sodium hydroxide.

Would a radiator shop dunk it for you? Would that affect the finish?

grcamna2 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2016, 01:08:38 PM »

Quote from: Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er on March 28, 2016, 10:53:41 AM

Is caustic soda actually lye? ie sodium hydroxide.

Would a radiator shop dunk it for you? Would that affect the finish?

bump.
I'd like to know.

RevDoc · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2016, 01:31:01 PM »

Quote from: grcamna2 on March 28, 2016, 01:08:38 PM

Quote from: Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er on March 28, 2016, 10:53:41 AM
Is caustic soda actually lye? ie sodium hydroxide.

Would a radiator shop dunk it for you? Would that affect the finish?

bump.
I'd like to know.

The answers are yes, yes, and maybe, depending on the solution.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2016, 03:53:59 PM »

Quote from: RevDoc on March 28, 2016, 01:31:01 PM

Quote from: grcamna2 on March 28, 2016, 01:08:38 PM
Quote from: Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er on March 28, 2016, 10:53:41 AM
Is caustic soda actually lye? ie sodium hydroxide.

Would a radiator shop dunk it for you? Would that affect the finish?

bump.
I'd like to know

The answers are yes, yes, and maybe, depending on the solution.

Then it would be considered to me that I could stand up the muffler vertically w/ the inlet side facing up and plug-up the outlet on the bottom w/ a type of rubber plug and then try to arrive at a certain strength to mix the caustic soda solution(and the correct set-up and procedure w/o blowing myself up

)pour it inside until full? and then wait for a while and then rinse? I would appreciate a 'walk through' of procedures on this one but I hope I have the basics of a plan with it. Have any of you done this before ? if so please PM me some details if you like.
This muffler has had years of exhaust soot,burning oil,rust,etc. and I'd like to get it 'clean as a whistle' for best performance.

RevDoc · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2016, 08:46:19 PM »

grcamna, if you want to try this approach, I would NOT recommend using any caustic soda aka lye
crystals unless you have full chem-lab safety gear to protect your eyes & skin. Lye making contact with water can react violently and fly right out in your face.

You could try pouring boiling water through first to soften & rinse some material out and warm the metal for a quicker reaction then use a hair-clog type drain cleaner. It is also corrosive to some extent but, not to the extreme of full strength lye.

spotty · « **Reply #17 on:** March 29, 2016, 03:34:30 AM »

told you it was dangerous and stupid, but thats me all over.........maybe have a few drinks first to add that 'edge'

grcamna2 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2016, 05:03:49 AM »

Quote from: RevDoc on March 28, 2016, 08:46:19 PM

grcamna, if you want to try this approach, I would NOT recommend using any caustic soda aka lye
crystals unless you have full chem-lab safety gear to protect your eyes & skin. Lye making contact with water can react violently and fly right out in your face.

You could try pouring boiling water through first to soften & rinse some material out and warm the metal for a quicker reaction then use a hair-clog type drain cleaner. It is also corrosive to some extent but, not to the extreme of full strength lye.

I gotcha

I think I'd want to rinse it out after lets say.. 20 minutes of sitting after using the drain clog cleaner w/ some more hot water.

RevDoc · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2016, 07:54:41 AM »

I gotcha

I think I'd want to rinse it out after lets say.. 20 minutes of sitting after using the drain clog cleaner w/ some more hot water.
[/quote]

Good choice! Even then you should use safety goggles. We are only blessed with one set of eyes in this life.

And do watch for spills on any chrome, as the drain cleaner will discolor it.

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #20 on:** March 29, 2016, 11:42:19 AM »

Yeah, it's called CAUSTIC for a reason.

brewsky · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2016, 04:05:37 AM »

Radiator shop?

They "boiled" out a whole gas tank for me (had been sitting full of old gas for years), with rust, sludge and whatever else, and did a super job.

I told them not to worry about the paint.

When I asked them what they used to soak it in, he said he didn't know, just some "white powder mixed with water"?

RevDoc · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2016, 06:37:27 AM »

Quote from: brewsky on March 31, 2016, 04:05:37 AM

Radiator shop?

They "boiled" out a whole gas tank for me (had been sitting full of old gas for years), with rust, sludge and whatever else, and did a super job.

I told them not to worry about the paint.

When I asked them what they used to soak it in, he said he didn't know, just some "white powder mixed with water"?

The "white powder" may well have been TSP aka trisodium phosphate. It is used quite often for cleaning in industrial applications. Have seen it used in bike shop ultrasonic tanks and does a good job but, does discolor aluminum carbs.

MoMo · « **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2016, 07:13:53 AM »

Unless the interior of the exhaust is super dirty it seems to me that any "performance" increase would be insignificant, especially considering the possible danger to skin, eyes and the chrome of the pipe. Larry

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Author Topic: Looking to clean the carbon out of oem Honda mufflers;what works good ? (Read 3967 times)