So i only revently got my gilera runner 50 and got it in a bit of a rough condition so had some bits and bobs to clean up. One of these things to do was the exhaust, it was very rusty and horrible looking. I took it off, cleaned it down completely back to the metal with sand paper/grinders probably hahah. I got it perfect and painted it with hammerite smooth matt black high temp paint. But only a couple of months later, ALL the paint is gone. its just all rusty again. So basically im going to have to take it all apart again, clean it all down and paint it again. But obviously i dont want it to go rusty again. Do you know of anything i can do to protect it or stop it rusting again? Maybe a better paint or something? thanks guys
First paint I used was generic stuff, it turned from black to grey and rust starting showing through after only 5 months I then sanded it down applied rust remover gel on bad spots and painted it again with some other generic stuff but in a spray can this time and it just worked a lot better no discolouration and its lasting a lot longer. There's no way to stop rust completely on the exhaust unfortunately because it gets wet, dirty and hot all the time along with debris hitting the paint damaging it and letting in that moisture. Baking it on better might be best course of action, you can't just apply it like normal paint and expect it to stay on well. Did you remember to bake it on before driving around with it? As well as properly keying in the surface for good adhesion? I applied one coat then let it dry then idled the engine for 4-5 mins then let it cool completely then a second coat which I let dry then followed by 4-5mins of idling to bake it on then cool then went for a 40 min drive.
Ok, sounds like a combination of both this rust gel stuff and baking the paint might help me. I think i might have possibly used a kurust thing. like a thin paint thing that is supposed to neutralize the rust reaction but if i did its very old and probably doesnt work anymore. But i definatly didnt bake the paint, i probably just let it dry fully, then rode it a couple of days later. But to bake it i will have to paint it whilst it is on the bike right?
Depends on the paint, you could do 1 coat let it dry fully then another coat and then put it back on the bike carefully as the paint is fragile and easily scratched up until it's baked on. Then once its on do the baking process. You'll get a fair bit of smoke when its baking on. Try two coats then back on the bike (carefully) follow by 2 idle bakes of 4-5mins letting it cool inbetween and then a long drive of at least 30 mins and then let it cool. Also do it on a day when the weathers nice not wet. When I recoat the exhaust on both my bikes it has always been on the bike as I can reach most of it apart from the very end of the down pipe which isn't bad anyway.
I've never found a "heat resistant paint", it will rust again 100% guaranteed, live with it or paint it every other week! We live in the UK where it rains occasionally, an import 15 y/o scooter will have a perfect original pipe due to no rain !
I used to do the exhaust on my Honda Vision every couple of months, with heat resisting aluminum paint, but it never lasted, and always started to rust again, although I think half the problem was that I used to buy "cheap" exhausts rather than the proper Honda one's........I have so far resisted the temptation to paint the exhaust on the Honda Sky
Cant you get the exhaust treated with some sort of chemical and then painted ? I had it done with my bmx frame years ago but cant remember where and what with lol
Its more economical to paint the exhaust once a year rather than buy a brand new exhaust. If you used the bike for 8 years it would still be cheaper assuming the exhaust only cost £100 and they usually cost alot more especially with a new down pipe.
yeah i think im just going to keep painting it. trying some different rust prevention products and a decent quality paint. hopefully that will do it. thanks guys
I just bought Halfords very high temp. paint.....yet to try it, but they reckon it is one of the best......£7:49 for 250ml.
ah yeah, i see it online, looks like 300ml for the same price though. I guess i will try that one. i mean i used hammerite last time and it did nothing special. I guess these hammerite spray paints are not like original hammerite where they are good against rust. I think its just a cheap spray paint with a hammerite label on it. i guess i will try a tin of that. make sure i take my ID. how silly, i need ID to buy a tin of spray paint haha
I can never get on with spray paint, and much prefer the brush on stuff.......if it ever stops raining I will do it ASAP....will keep you posted.........
First impressions are that this very high temperature paint from Halfords is very good.......I did discover two things however.....1. if there are any rust "blebs" they must be sanded smooth first......and 2. it may have been easier to have taken the whole silencer off the machine, as some parts are awkward to get to........
Hammerite is useless these days. It's nothing like the original as it's gone all ECO. I use PJ1 paint. Once it's on start up the engine and bake it. I don't bother doing right up to the manifold as it gets too hot and just burns off anyway. I just mask off the scooter with cardboard sheets and loosen off the mounting bolt so that cardboard will slide up behind. At least once a year is fine but the point is it will rust. It's just for cosmetics as most silencers rust from the inside. You never used to have much problems with 2 strokes lol
