Melted plastic bag

[YellowDuck]

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.

[DoubleGuzzi]

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.

[Moparnut72]

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

[mhershon]

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.

[SIR REAL ED]

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.

[danomar]

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.

[malik]

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.

[slowmover]

Just the heat from the pipe will eventually make it go poof. It did on mine

[jrt]

ABS will dissolve in acetone, but polyethylene or polypropylene will not. 
Lego bricks (the toy) are made of ABS- you can make a paste from it to repair some plastic parts and often even color-match.

[PeteS]

Just the heat from the pipe will eventually make it go poof. It did on mine

^^^^This^^^^

You can speed it up with a propane torch.

Pete

[YellowDuck]

Thanks guys.  It has indeed been improving over time.