Suggestions for these exhaust tips, please?

loco · 05-08-05, 09:23

These are Borla stainless steel exhaust tips. I noticed over the winter that they'd developed these unsightly grayish-whitish marks (circled in the pictures below). I have tried Eagle One Nevr Dull and Heavy Metal Medium Abrasive metal polish on them and these marks haven't budged.

Does anyone have any suggestions what I could do next? Are they ruined? I don't know if this is damage from salt or chemicals from the winter season or what. They never had anything like this on them during the summer months last year.

I'm really kind of at a loss, so any suggestions anyone has would be most appreciated. If you folks can't figure it out, probably no one can! Thanks in advance.

audicoupej · 05-08-05, 10:39

How about lusterlace? www.lusterlace.com It should do the trick.

loco · 05-08-05, 11:21

Thanks, audicoupej. Is Luster Lace pretty strong stuff? I was thinking the Heavy Metal polish would do it, but no luck at all.

shaw · 05-08-05, 06:21

It looks like the damage is below the finished surface. It is kind of like below the clear on the paint. Boy, that has to tick you off especially when you care for them. If below the surface or etched, drop back and punt is the answer. Live with them and move on to another area of the car that you can indeed make progress on. Good Luck!

loco · 05-08-05, 06:46

Yeah, I may have to ask Borla about their Million Mile Warranty...

Any other suggestions from anyone?

White95Max · 05-08-05, 07:01

Did you ever apply any type of protection to the tips before?

jchetty · 05-08-05, 07:31

i would try a metal polish but apply it with steel wool #0000..make sure it has 4 zeroes as that means it is super fine and wont put any new scratches

it should shine it up real nice

i used that on my stock exhaust and it looks

nice so i can only imagine how nice the borla would turn out

But i agree with shaw and does marks do look below the surface

JeepZJ4.0 · 05-08-05, 10:01

I'm a noob but I have a Magnaflow exhaust system. The trick is to spray the interior of the tip with high heat pain to seal the metal from that side to prevent rusting. I used Brasso, stuff I had left over from polishing some trombone stuff and it put a nice shine on the tip and it even beaded water.

Gonzo · 05-09-05, 04:09

Stainless steel should not do that. I would recommend contacting Borla.

Totoland Mach · 05-09-05, 04:23

Loco: I 2nd the call to Borla. Remember, it's Stain-Less steel, not Stain-Proof steel. Exhaust manufacture companies don't use a high grade composition of stainless due to cost (unlike the food process and medical industries). It looks like you have a chemical etching on those spots. If Borla won't help, your best bet is to remove the tip and send it to a professional polishing/plating company and have them recondition the entire tip.

Hope that helps.

loco · 05-09-05, 06:30

OK, thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I will try the steel wool and see if it has any effect. If not, I will contact Borla. I already sent them an email with a picture attached, but I imagine I will need to call them and find out if they will help me out.

Borla claims their stainless steel (T-304) is better than everyone else's. LOL, naturally they do. But they do claim it is rust and corrosion resistant, so hopefully they will do the right thing.

White95Max, no I never put any wax or sealant on the tips. I always used Mother's Chrome Polish on them every time I washed. I know they're not chrome, but it seemed to shine them up nicely and work well. But over the winter, they certainly weren't kept as immaculate as normal.

White95Max · 05-09-05, 06:43

I like to seal mine once a month or more with WG or EX-P. I also apply a metal polish to them before sealing each time.