REAR SHAFT DRIVE DISCOLORATION

Soot

Its exhaust soot. Clean it with windex, comes right off.

Welcome to the club. That's just the way it goes with the design of the exhaust. Hit it with some chrome polish/windex. It will come right off. (Don't use anything abrasive!)

Not exhaust soot

Not exhaust soot. Have to clean it with chrome mag wheel cleaner and mothers chrome polish. Talk to honda and they think it posible could be improper air to fuel mixture, but they didnt have any solution to it. Looks like a laquer film. Windex wont begin to remove it.

It's not a 'problem'. That's just what happens when you blow exhaust directly onto chrome. It happens to 100% of the Runes out there. Some have said that using 87 octane gas reduces it. You will also notice it on the chrome wheel hub on the opposite side. You should alse be seeing it on the ends of your pipes.

I use chrome polish on mine before each ride.

we all get it. it is hard to get off....but it's just a form of 'soot'. Depends how long you let it go....how much wax you have on bike...etc, as to how hard it is to clean off.

I was using wax to get it off. then i found that simple green would take it off when i washed the bike. but more lately, i have found the soap used in the "Mr Clean" car wash kit i bought from WalMart takes it right off with miminal scrubbing!

like all the others said, you have what ALL of us have. and you'll have it collect about every 100-200 miles of riding. it will be on the drive shaft cover, the rear of the exhaust, AND on the rear wheel too!

happy cleaning............

Pig Snot

Pig Snot super bike cleaner absolutely melts the discoloration away. Toyota cleaner/sealer works with a bit of elbow wax.

New Element

:shock: Ok guys. The discoloration is actually a new, as yet, undiscovered elemental compound: RuniumNitride ---> it shows up as a result of the Nitric Oxides that are incompletely treated by the catalytic converter and cause a narrow molecular layer of ChromiumNitride on our babies! Treatment for the cause is don't ride anymore. Otherwise, perform the periodic (200mile) maintenance/worship ritual known as "loving cleaning" :wink:

So, if you go really really fast, will the soot only show up on the extreme end of the driveshaft cover and not be present on the exhaust covers?

soot - really fast - soot

Yo NiteRider - I go extremely fast, most all the time. I get soot exactly the same as the rest of the guys. Now, when we get the K&N airfilter modifications the soot will be reduced. AND, when we couple that with the PowerCommander module to remap the injection curve (actually a 3D surface plot of parameters) we should have a "self cleaning" bike!

For the PowerCommander guys: we need to make sure they map the performance of the bike on the Dyno with the improved airbox/filter, not stock. Then, we could make up a small corporation, and sell the whole upgrade as a single kit (air filter + Power commander)

Exhaust Discoloration

I have been using a lot of elbow grease and Honda spray cleaner/polish to clean these before each ride... Last two times I cleaned them immediately after I ended a ride of at least 10 miles so the pipes were still hot. Using the Honda clenaer/polish.. the soot came off like butter... little to no elbow grease required... So ... even if your pipes are dirty right now... take a short ride and try your cleaner on them hot... it sure works for me. Hope to see some of you in Marysville....

Rich, Ken, and the rest,
Safe ride, Rune speed.
Rich K ( Rune Ski )

NEVER DULL

Hey there dirty Runers. The best way that I've found is not to use a spray chrome cleaner but a product called 'Never Dull'. It is found in many stores and comes in a can about the size of a smaller coffee can. It is either in a dark blue can with red lettering or Eagle One packages it into a silver can with black letting. I've found it at Fred Meyer, Schucks Auto Supply and several others. The whole can is filled with a tan colored wadding from which you just pull a little piece out of the can and start to rub back and forth over the chrome. Soot comes off almost immediately. The wadding is adsorbed with a chemical that cleans many finishes and metals. It works awesome on brass also. I find sprays tend to take much longer and you gotta worry about overspray issues. 8)

Rear Shaft Drive Discoloration

I have now tried many methods listed for cleaning the pipes and drive shaft cover... trying to find an easier softer way. I have found nothing better for those parts than my method. I now clean both pipes and rear shaft drive in less than 30 seconds regardless of how dirty they are. I use the Honda spray cleaner/polish while the pipes are hot. The rear wheel and the "spotting" of residual soot on the sides of the back fender are the next issues top be tackled... Sorry I missed the anniversary..Had thunderstorms for all 3 days in northern and lower Michigan... hopefully next year... I've had my RUNE "528" for a couple months now... 30 rideable days here in the UP of Mich... turned 7000 miles last nite...
Is there a registration list put out that shows where all the Runes are located by VIN. I filled out an online form somewhere but for the life of me can't remember where.
I am ....totally runed.

Thanks Red

Got it....

Shell Hi-Test -

Gents,
Shell fuel keeps the dirty exhaust from happening. I ran my Rune for 600 miles and there was only a slight bluing color. Then, I filled up with Amoco Ultimate. After the 200 miles the exhaust ports were black. So, I reccomend youse guys clean up your pipes, and run your own tests.

The way I see it, the insides of my cylinders have gotta benefit from how much cleaner this stuff burns. I wish I owned stock in ShellOil!

Now, the Rune still runs rich at high RPMs. So, when I get back from Iraq (and have some $ in my pocket) I absolutely will install a pair of chromed out Nitrous bottles and the system will be set to lean out the mixture a wee bit. :twisted:
Ken (21,750 miles)

Ken, taking your advice I filled up with Shell. In that I still had two gallons kerosene in the tank I don’t expect to notice any change for a while.

Thanks for the tip.

Re: above post about using "Never-Dull" to clean the Rune’s final drive chrome cover:
Window cleaner may work (ammonia & soap). But a ‘cycle-geezer’ said to use “Never-Dull” chrome-metal cleaner to clean exhaust residue and other cycle chrome. I tried it on my final drive cover and it worked like a dream. It’s wadding, pre-soaked in clear petroleum-based Never-Dull.
It’s generally available at auto supply stores. Otherwise, Part # 1035605, Eagle-One Industries, Box 4246, Carlsbad, CA 92018.

The amount of blueing / soot deposit fell sharply after I drilled 2 ea. 1 1/8 holes in the exhaust crossover.

David,
I concur. I too see very, very little bluing after drilling the 1 7/8" holes (one on each side).

Frank (ETXRune)