Need help - Cleaning the Exhaust Tips

**tricycle** · 10-13-2004, 03:38 PM

Hi there,

This is my 1st post, I have a problem cleaning my stainless steel exhaust tips. The black dirt seems never be removed. I tried WD-40, Meguiar`s metal polish and even wet-sanding, but no luck.

Can anybody suggest the most effective ways to clean these stuff out.

Thanks.

**Bill D** · 10-13-2004, 03:46 PM

Welcome to Autopia Tricycle :wavey

Hope something you`ll find in here will help:

http://www.autopia.org/forums/search...der=descending

**tricycle** · 10-13-2004, 04:06 PM

Thanks,

After reading the posts, it seems to me that most people are using the Eagle - Never Dull. Oh, by the way, the black stuff which sticks on the exhaust tips are caused by the "Carbon Dioxide (is this the technical term?) from the exhaust system.

Before, I try to buy this "never dull", did anyone succeed removing this dirt (100%).

**Bill D** · 10-13-2004, 04:15 PM

Perhaps try clay or even a Mr. Clean bar. Once you remove the rough contamination you can choose from a slew of metal polish products.

For the insides of tips I`ve always sprayed EO A2Z and agitated with an over sized test tube type brush from a good hardware store.

**slov98** · 10-13-2004, 06:53 PM

when I received my stainless steel exhaust tip, the directions were to clean it with a glass cleaner, it works but anything would in my case as I don`t let it get dirty that much, I also tried wax on it, nothing bad happened

**Bill D** · 10-13-2004, 06:58 PM

Use sealant instead, wax will burn off in no time under such high temps

**Jesstzn** · 10-13-2004, 09:59 PM

tricycle in the past on *so called* SS exhaust tips I had sucess using a terry towel and the Turtle Wax Rubbing compound ( White/Green tub ) followed with the Never Dull. I use it *ONLY* on the blackened area. Once clean keep it up with Never Dull .

The reason I say *so called* is there is many SS alloys some no more than a smidge of nickle added and they will corrode and take on staining .. Higher end SS like 316L is very resistant to staining and corrosion and will polish like chrome.

The pix below is ones I made from 316L and the insides look like this after months of driving.

**tricycle** · 10-13-2004, 09:59 PM

Perhaps try clay or even a Mr. Clean bar

2 questions:

1. The photo in your avatar is your actual look?

2. Is Mr. Clean bar strong enough to remove those carbons? (i.e. they are much more powerful than the metal polish?)

P.S. How about "Autosol" (from Canadian Tire retail stores)? The guy working in my company told me that they are strong enough to remove those carbons.

**Bill D** · 10-13-2004, 10:01 PM

The photo du jour is August Horch, founder of Audi

Mr Clean bar is only a suggestion, don`t know till you try, tips are tough and I highly doubt it could damge them if you`re worried about that.

**imported_n1976jmk** · 10-13-2004, 10:14 PM

i had great results using the meguiars pro series blue clay bar, and i used it on a 03 lexus gs430 last week followed up by nxt and they were glowing afterwards, they were pretty black before because i dont think they were ever cleaned... the clay worked great!!!

**Gonzo** · 10-14-2004, 07:28 AM

When I had my Lightning (which ran pig-rich to prevent detonation) I was always battling carbon buildup iside the tips. I used an old terry towel and Mother`s Mag and Aluminum Polish on the Bassani SS tips - inside and out. When finished, they always turned out like this