Cleaning exhaust with stuck baffles

[R5HiFive]

Hi,
Am wondering what kind of heat stock chrome R5/RD pipes can take. I can't remove the baffles due to years of carbon buildup. Can I soak the inside of the pipes in diesel fuel and then set it a flame to let the carbon burn off?  Or simply heating the pipe with a propane torch until a flame takes then fanning it...Either way, can I start a fire in the pipes without damaging their shine?
Caustic soda diluted helped some but not as much as I'd like.

Thanks,
Tommy

[Evans Ward]

I've had success with your same issue on Kawasaki Triples by cutting off the broom end of a broomstick using just the long wooden stick and wedging it from the exhaust port end using a rubber mallet to hit and free it. You want to get the wood stick on the lip of the inner stuck baffle and I've done so by feel. I'd be very wary to use heat or fire IF your chrome is good.

[R5HiFive]

Evans Ward,
Did you cut of the header off the pipe and then weld it back on?  I wouldn't be able to manipulate a broom stick through the curved header as is right now

[m in sc]

r5 pipes then.
they don't need to be on fire to loosen them up. are they still on the bike? if so, run the bike till they get hot then try to get them out. if not, do you have a heat gun? if so, take them off and blow hot air through them. you can also soak them in mineral spirits, will loosen up lots of the gooey stuff. I would use fire as a last resort as it can discolor the chrome, badly. also, it can flame out like a jet engine. 

IF the cross bar is still in the baffle, taking the screw out and rotating them will loosen everything. smooth pressure , if you jerk or yank it you can break the tab off.

after you get thebaffle out, then take the  torch to the baffles.

[rodneya]

You will need an acetylene torch or cover the pipe in burning coals to get it hot enough to burn carbon, and then blow oxygen through to clean it the really old school way. It takes a LOT of heat and will smoke out the neighbourhood and will ruin the chrome.

[Evans Ward]

Evans Ward,
Did you cut of the header off the pipe and then weld it back on?  I wouldn't be able to manipulate a broom stick through the curved header as is right now

Sorry- Kaw Triple stock exhausts are 2 piece with removable head pipes.

Another approach IF the crossbar in the baffle is missing would be to fabricate a hook end on a slender bracket attached to a long threaded rod. A "T" piece at end would be nice as well to act like a slide hammer.

[Striker1423]

Yea, fire works best only to decoke the baffles once out. Just be wary that when doing so you don't let the flame touch the fiberglass material wrapped around it. That is unless you're Indiana Jones going into a cave and need a torch that won't go out easily.

[R5HiFive]

Thanks for all the input. I will put them on, run the bike till their nice and hot and have a go at sliding the baffles out then. I'm lucky enough to still have the crossbar on both baffles 👍  May need to craft a slide hammer 
Roger on torching the baffles only when they are out.

Thank you very much!

[Evans Ward]

You can also "wire wheel" the baffle once out before repacking so that the baffle goes in like butter and to lengthen time before the coking build up.

[m in sc]

slide hammer can yank the crossbars out. ask how i know.. lol. 

you can use one but you need to be gentle, but twisting gently then pulling out has always been my go to after i learned that lesson. a good set of channel lock slip jaw pliers are great for this. .02