Chrome Polishing, Mythbusters Style

Step 4 Gawp at the Results.

I was really blown away. In some of the pictures the flash makes it look more scratchy than it really is. I don't think I'd use this on a top dollar bike, but I hope a top dollar bike would have better chrome (and better care).

Comments

[sunofgod]

To protect the restored shiny chrome carefully spray with your favorite lubricating oil spray and then polish with an old cloth. This leaves a protective film on the metal which repels water. This is good for cleaning, polishing and protecting
and only takes a few moments effort every time you clean the motorcycle
to keep it looking good.

[ronmaggi]

The phosphoric acid in the cola is what does the trick. I have used regular cola without the foil on engine parts. The sugar helps hold the phosphoric acid onto the parts while soaking. After seeing what cola can do to rust you may want to try www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Carbonated-Beverages/

[ac7ss]

Diet cola has no sugar... :)

and it would be the Carbonic acid you are referring to.

[ronmaggi]

 I was referring to what I was taught, that the sugar in regular cola helps hold the phosphoric acid to the parts your cleaning. Carbonic acid does nothing to rust. We sell dedicated rust removers that are phosphoric acid. If you read the ingredient list on most commercial colas, Phosphoric acid is right there. 

[psychotron]

You might want to read the ingredients on cola some time...
Carbonic is a very weak acid, the phosphoric acid makes the cola "tart".
Pepsi has citric acid as an added ingredient...

[xchef95x]

so just scrub with Dt. Pepsi and Aluminum foil? That sounds to easy, whats the catch?

[Rich99]

that's how we did it up az\t the gm plant in tarrytown, ny., to the hundreds of cars sitting in inventory. (in the 60's) 

[t.rohner]

The catch is that i will rust immediately when it comes in contact with water.
Those spots that rust, are pinholes in the chrome coat. By this or other polishing methods you remove the rust and then you you have the bare steel on the surface. You'd need to clear coat it, but there are not too many clear coats, that can handle high temps on exhaust pipes.

[Leona3000]

When you remove rust with phosphoric acid, you are converting it to a compound with a single oxygen atom. It's black, and inhibits rust. Unless the pits are severe, it won't rrust easily

[Phoghat]

Hi Temp engine paint is available in colors, shines nicely, and gives a custom touch (black for eggsample)

[Captain Pedantic]

But then it wouldn't be... chrome.

[Phoghat]

Why no, it wouldn't be. But, given the choice between shiny slightly scratched chrome and a color which looked custom, I think I'll take the color.

[Captain Pedantic]

Like I said in the Instructable, the chrome wasn't great from the start. Of course the rust is coming from microscopic holes in the chrome. It's not very helpful to say to clear coat it, but then say clear coat won't hold up (it won't).

As with any polished metal, the answer is to simply keep after it. This method works well, quickly and cheaply.

[t.rohner]

There are other chrome plated parts that don't get hot... it may be helpful for that.

[old n grumpy]

Aside from a little elbow grease what makes this method better than chrome polish ?

[Captain Pedantic]

I tried them chrome polish, this worked better (and is cheaper).

The polish wasn't very effective on the rust spots. It seemed to be intended to shine up solid chrome.

[tcase]

I used to work for a company called PinWall cycles. We just used the extremely fine steel wool _{I always told them they were putting fine scrathes into the metal, but they didnt listen. this sounds better, I'll keep it in mind.}

[Zak]

Aluminum foil probably gives an electrolytic effect like it does on slver, removing the rust without the need for rubbing.