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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: YellowDuck on August 16, 2026, 07:37:50 AM
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Someone took my V7 stone for a ride and had an unfortunate encounter with a plastic garbage bag that blew off of a truck. A bunch of plastic got melted onto one of the header pipes (matte black paint).
We got most of it off using WD40 and a plastic putty knife, but there is some that seems to be resistant to softening. What should we try next? AI says acetone but I'm skeptical.
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It's possible, as acetone does eat some plastics: I used it regularly in a lab. from a plastic bottle, YMMV. Borrow some nail varnish remover, or perhaps (being PC) you have some yourself. Better keep some PJ1 black paint at the ready.
Good luck.
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Test the acetone on the bottom or the backside out of view location. I have used acetone to remove stuff from paint in the past but it needs to be tested. It will eat some paints and not others.
kk
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I had good luck with coming back from a ride, jumping off the bike and scraping the residual plastic off the pipe with a wooden block or a wooden yardstick in the tight places. My headers are Ceracoted, not painted, so I can't touch them up, but the scraping with wood took the clumps of plastic off....bit by bit. Patience helps.
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After scraping with a paint stirrer when the exhaust is hot, I would go with a rag soaked in acetone while the exhaust is still warm.
Perhaps before using acetone, do the same with a rag and some penetrating oil.
I would expect to have to re-paint the exhaust in that area. I would think that anything that removes the plastic will take the paint off with the plastic.
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Acetone can help get it started.
If the pipes have the satin finish, I believe WD-40 can get some of the gunk off.
Otherwise, heat will eventually burn off most of the plastic but it will look unfortunate until then.
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Melted shoe rubber/plastic can be removed with oven cleaner - but do note that that stuff is viscious & needs careful watching.
If once the plastic is gone you're not happy with the possibly leprous look of the paint I do recommend ceramic coating - the proper version with the bath & an oven, not just painted on. It's impervious AND good for the engine AND the headers cool down significantly quicker. It does cost, but it is a one-off.