Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all, any tips for removing the horrible mess on my newish downpipe (our hosts british made one) after a clear plastic bag blew onto it and melted last weekend - i didn't notice it until a horrible smell emerged when i stopped at some lights. It now looks really horrible and still smells. Any advice welcome. Thanks.

The same method I guess when my boot melts onto the exhaust. Tackle whilst hot, scrape off as much as possible with a piece of wood and polish the rest off with chrome polish paste like Autosol.Use a rag that won't itself melt and rub quickly resting every now and then before it starts to burn! Wear thick leather gloves to prevent hand burns!

--------had the same with my brand new nylon trousers when a friend visited one day.... I was too keen to sit on the bike (Electra) and didn't notice the creased edge just melt away !!! 'er indoors went up the wall---they were a birthday present --------- OOppss !!! Similar methods as per FRANK did the job---eventually !!!

I've had exactly the same thing happen. I spent ages phoning up chemical companies to try to find a solvent for the plastic but a waste of time. I found that with the exhaust and plastic completely cold, the plastic could be scraped of far more easily than I expected with something like the edge of a 6" steel rule of even the blunt edge of knife, as it just peeled or flaked off quite easily. It seemed that the chrome plate did not allow the plastic to grip or bond to it...Finished the job with ust a polish up with Solvol and no damage done at all.

My cousin borrowed my first Tempo some years ago, and melted a good part of the rubber sole of his right boot on the exhaust behind the footpeg. Like Les H says, most of it came off cold when I used a blunt knife and/or a hard plastic scraper. Be careful not to use it too hard. Then I followed up with steel wool and finished off with Autosol. I got all of it off, and got the finish NEARLY perfect, but some scratches were visible afterwards. And it took some time and effort! Good luck! Regards, Anders F. R.

Bit of Solvol Autosol on a piece of fine steel wool will shift it no problem and will not mark your chrome at all.

when using wire wool with the Slovo I always use 0000 grade wire wool. Its so fine you will not mark the chrome and its brilliant for cleaning alloy castings. You can obtain it from Diy stores and is used for cabinet making

I'm with Big Al, 0000 steel wool is genius stuff. Great polish not scratching.

On the other hand..........Solvol paste is good stuff but it's a bit aggressive for chrome. It is intended for aluminium (though they do make a chrome polish as well) The surface may look nice and shiney when you've attacked it with wire wool and Solvol but it will be damaged and it's life will be shortened.............On the other, other, hand I know it is difficult to get melted plastic off. I had some on last year and I got most of it off while hot then left it for a few weeks. Every time it got hot it seemed to get more brittle and easier to flake off when it had cooled. Trouble is, plastics seem to differ - some will come off with thinners.

PeteF, I've used fine steel wool and Solvol at least a half a dozen time on my Crusader Sport exaust and silencer as it is so easy to burn your boots on these little buggers and i can assure you and rustygman that it does no damage whatsoever. I have posted this tip before and others have been amazed at the result. If you aint tried it, dont knock it.