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Dave Coleman posted on November 01, 2011 13:30 
Wrench Tips #27
Restoring Plastic is (Sometimes) Easy!
by Dave Coleman
I failed freshman chemistry, so let me be right up front here and point out that I have no idea how this stuff works or if the effect is purely cosmetic, but still, take a look at this:
I got this crusty old Miata radiator from my friend Moti at Blackbird Fabworx after my (much better looking) radiator turned out to be full of holes. The plastic end tanks on this new radiator, as you can see, were faded and oxidized. One quick spray with this 10-year old can of Motul Silicone Spray (hint: if you're looking for this stuff, the can graphics have been changed), and the plastic suddenly looks new again.
Again, I have no clue how this works, but I like it.
This same can has also, on occasion, been used to make brown old tires look new again without leaving that slimy, Soul Glow finish most tire dressings leave.
Want to read more nonsense like this? Click on the Wrench Tips thingy on the Tech dropdown, as indicated in this here photograph:
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 1:51 PM
Hmm, I wonder how well it will work on interior plastics. I've been using Turtle Wax F21 for my interior cleaning. It's low gloss and protects against UV rays, and it's kept my spare tire cover from falling apart. So once you've restored your plastics, use some F21 to keep from turning gross again.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 1:59 PM
Meguiar's quick interior detailer is great for interiors, too. Doesn't leave that chintzy Armor-All shine, either.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 2:58 PM
I use this all the time on my '84 Honda Nighthawk. Basically, anything with silicone seems to work. I've used silicone lubricant, tire shine, and even dielectric grease to get the same effect. The biggest problem is that dust will inevitably cling to the surface. Once this happens and you wipe it down a few times the buildup should dramatically reduce.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 4:41 PM
Not free and sitting around, but Mothers "Back to Black" probably has very similar ingredients.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 5:34 PM
I only use Mothers Back to Black on my cars plastic and rubber. Like many of you I hate that ultra-shiny look. B2B is probably not the best choice for the engine though like Dave's application above. In that case I use the Motul Silicone Spray. It has a nice citrus scent as well.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 7:18 PM
Is this the new one/the new name? http://www.amazon.com/Motul-818813-Silicone-Protect-Aerosol/dp/B0022ZF0BA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320193066&sr=8-1
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 10:38 PM
How long before it looks crappy again? I bought a Meguiars trim detailer and the new plastic look doesn't last very long (1-2 weeks).
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 10:42 PM
I love the Mothers B2B and Motul... Word of warning. don't use on painted surfaces and even more so if you plan on painting them in the near future.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011 12:49 AM
Well, the radiator still looks new several weeks later.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011 3:11 AM
@ KJ, Actually, I used silicone on the rear cowl of my bike to great effect. The paint is beyond gone, heavily cracked, and the PO's attempts to fix it had gone through the clear coat. Using whatever silicone product I feel like at the time does a fairly good job of camoflaging the hideousness and makes it look respectable since I'm far to cheap to have it painted. Before - note the chalky substance in the cracks of the paint. http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy254/hot_shoe22/Nighthawk%20650/123_4019.jpg After, obviously with different lighting. http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy254/hot_shoe22/Nighthawk%20650/120_4371.jpg
Wednesday, November 02, 2011 3:01 PM
It's fine as long as you wash it off and reapply it every few weeks, but it does attract dirt. I always have customers come in with this stuff all over their engine after they had it "detailed". If you don't use it very sparingly it makes your hands feel like you sprayed them with tire shine and if it's been a few weeks since the "detailing" it makes your hands black from all the dirt it attracted.
Thursday, November 03, 2011 5:17 PM
The Motul stuff all smells good too.
Monday, November 07, 2011 11:58 PM
It does not attract dust.
Saturday, January 07, 2012 10:40 PM
My appologies for being a buzz kill, but these silicone sprays only make things look better. They do not repair plastics. The chemistry is not something that will cure and permanently seal holes/ porosity. If it were, you would have to be worried about the eventual surface finish (brushmarks, etc.). I would imagine the higher end products use higher molecular weight silicone, which should stick around longer at the expense of a more difficult dispense (from the formulators' standpoint). If you want your chalked interior to look good this is the answer. If your radiator looks like this one, replace it with an aluminum one. I tried to fix my 12 year old Miata radiator with proper 2-part epoxy and it failed before I got home, despite good surface preparation.
Sunday, January 08, 2012 1:20 AM
I think you misunderstand what I did with the silicone spray. The first radiator leaked, so I replaced it with the faded white one, which did not leak, but was ugly. The spray made the faded white one look better. I suspect it might make it last longer, but I would never expect it to seal a leak. By the way, months later it still looks nice and black with no followup applications.
 
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