Chemical Cleaning a Muffler
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- CBR1000RR
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- CharlotteSpreeRider
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FWIW, I found some PURE lye at Blackhawk Hardware here in Charlotte. It's an Ace hardware shop, I think, but it has WAAAAY more stuff than most places. So lye is still available, it's just not so simple to find anymore.
Next time I need to clean a muffler, I'll probably go get some. I think I need a new muffler on my red 85 as I used some clog remover on mine since I couldn't find pure lye and I think it rusted the * out of it.
Next time I need to clean a muffler, I'll probably go get some. I think I need a new muffler on my red 85 as I used some clog remover on mine since I couldn't find pure lye and I think it rusted the * out of it.

- LocoParaHonda
- Spree
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- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Chemical Cleaning a Muffler
I'm doing a chemical decarb...right now...as we speak. I almost got the Lye Crystals, I was just reading the tech doc and it warned against it. Wish I'd gotten it now, it's probably more powerful.Slinky wrote:ive used lye crystals (purchased from the local ace hardware store) with water in a 5 gallon bucket and gotten good results.
5 or 6 cap fulls of crystals in the bucket and it took less than 5 min to get the same results as soaking in your solution for 30
What I did was put a plastic bag over the end tip and zip tie it on, then I filled it with undilluted drain cleaner. I'm actually running the leftover cleaner through 2 other mufflers from other scoots while I'm at it.
One question: the tech doc says to do the clean out/refill process every half hour or so for about 4 hours. I'm feeling patient and I really want the max amount of goo out of the muffler. Is it kosher to just leave the undilluted drain cleaner in there for say, 24 hours to let it really soak into the built up carbon? Would that damage the internal parts?
85 Honda Aero 50 w/kickstart and Keli variator. (Proteus)
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
- LocoParaHonda
- Spree
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- Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:06 am
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Chemical Cleaning a Muffler
I went ahead and cleaned them out tonight. I was afraid of rusting if I let them soak for 24hrs. I had to drive ALL OVER town to get all the water out of all 3 mufflers.
Seems like everything went well, tons of blackness came pouring out and I spent a good long time rinsing them all out.
However, after I put the first one on, it kept stalling out at red lights, even after the water dried up. And even after I changed to one of the other mufflers and that one dried up. Still the same deal. It's fine as long as I'm revved up, but the second I'm idling it slowly starts to die.
Anyone else experience this after a decarobization?
Seems like everything went well, tons of blackness came pouring out and I spent a good long time rinsing them all out.
However, after I put the first one on, it kept stalling out at red lights, even after the water dried up. And even after I changed to one of the other mufflers and that one dried up. Still the same deal. It's fine as long as I'm revved up, but the second I'm idling it slowly starts to die.
Anyone else experience this after a decarobization?
85 Honda Aero 50 w/kickstart and Keli variator. (Proteus)
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
- LocoParaHonda
- Spree
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:06 am
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Chemical Cleaning a Muffler
Nevermind. I had just jostled the spark plug cable a little loose while I was taking the muffler off and on. All is well, no more stalling out.
85 Honda Aero 50 w/kickstart and Keli variator. (Proteus)
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
86 Honda Aero 50
87 Elite 50-S parts ped
Re: Chemical Cleaning a Muffler
LocoParaHonda wrote:I went ahead and cleaned them out tonight. I was afraid of rusting if I let them soak for 24hrs. I had to drive ALL OVER town to get all the water out of all 3 mufflers.
Seems like everything went well, tons of blackness came pouring out and I spent a good long time rinsing them all out.
However, after I put the first one on, it kept stalling out at red lights, even after the water dried up. And even after I changed to one of the other mufflers and that one dried up. Still the same deal. It's fine as long as I'm revved up, but the second I'm idling it slowly starts to die.
Anyone else experience this after a decarobization?
I didn't yet experience that, but your idea in cleaning a muffler is good. Probably, it will not totally be drained, it slowly starts to die. I will suggest, that you could change all your mufflers. However, if you could persevere on draining, the better. So that you cannot any again.