Exhaust clean up advise

[PaulP]

Hi Guys

tidying up my old GSX1100esd, don’t have time to do a full restoration at the moment so thought I would give it a good clean and do all the safety stuff but struggling a bit on how to do the best possible on the exhaust, it’s a piper 4 into 1 and has been on since about 1985, it seems solid enough but as you can see from the picture it’s very crusty, any advise on how to make it look more presentable ??

[eddiegsx]

Hi Paul, depends on what finish you're looking for? Looks quite far gone in the pics.

Personally if I were just tidying up to get roadworthy I'd give it a good wire brushing followed by rubbing down with wet and dry, then a few coats of heat resistant paint.

I used to have a Piper on my ET when I was a youth, haven't seen one for donkeys years.

Nice gsx BTW

Edited August 31, 2020 by eddiegsx

[Dezza]

If it used to have a chrome finish, try a bath of dilute citric acid (powder available from eb@y) and rub the cack off with some crumpled ali foil This won't scratch the chrome to fuck, unlike abrasives.

If my memory serves me correctly, reading an old magazine test of different 4-1 exhausts on an 1100 Katana, Piper was a poor performer. I think it lost power compared with the OEM system but they do sound good.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Dezza

[Russ750ET]

Wire wool and autosol is a good combination. Will bring it up to a polished finished while cutting through some of the heavier oxidation. Won't get it perfect but you should see a noticeable improvement.

If that doesn't work then red scotch brite and WD40 is another alternative

[banoffee]

Is it stainless? If so https://oldskoolsuzuki.info/archives/1679

[eddiegsx]

36 minutes ago, banoffee said:

Is it stainless? If so https://oldskoolsuzuki.info/archives/1679

I dont think the pipers were stainless banoffee, just old fashioned badly chromed steel.

Athough i must admit those downpipes do resemble stainless.

Edited August 31, 2020 by eddiegsx
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[PaulP]

Hi, they are chrome rather than stainless, I have spent the evening with wire wool and Solvol and they are getting there, ordered some citric acid to give that a go as well, the silencer section is looking acceptable, the down pipes won’t be as good, but looking much better already, so more elbow grease and time needed, I will let you know how it goes and thanks for the advice. 

[eddiegsx]

Good work looks like a different pipe already

[Pudzrx]

Great work  , a brass wire brush brings old chrome up nicely as well .

Puddy 

[fab]

great job,and looks like they were worth saving.