Polishing exhaust tips...please help!

[spike]

I was polishing the exhaust tips on my 2005 Acura TL today, and the inside of the tips was very black, and I thought that they were just really dirty. So I've been trying and trying to scrub all the black off of the inside of the exhaust tips, and I've been at it pretty much all day, and the stuff just isn't coming off. I'm using 0000 steel wool and blue magic polishing cream. So, I did a search on polishing exhaust tips, and one of the Acura forums says that the inside of the tips is painted with a heat-resistant matte black paint. OOOPS! I thought they were just really dirty, and I polished it all off! No WONDER it was taking freakin' all day to do this!

So now my question...am I screwed? Is that paint really important for the exhaust system? Do I have to get it re-painted? Or can I leave it bare like it is without damaging anything? Thanks for your help.

[Rsurfer]

I was polishing the exhaust tips on my 2005 Acura TL today, and the inside of the tips was very black, and I thought that they were just really dirty. So I've been trying and trying to scrub all the black off of the inside of the exhaust tips, and I've been at it pretty much all day, and the stuff just isn't coming off. I'm using 0000 steel wool and blue magic polishing cream. So, I did a search on polishing exhaust tips, and one of the Acura forums says that the inside of the tips is painted with a heat-resistant matte black paint. OOOPS! I thought they were just really dirty, and I polished it all off! No WONDER it was taking freakin' all day to do this!

So now my question...am I screwed? Is that paint really important for the exhaust system? Do I have to get it re-painted? Or can I leave it bare like it is without damaging anything? Thanks for your help.Just leave it alone and see what happens. I can't see where it will damage anything. Just seal it with what ever you are using for the tips.

[fairlady350z]

I would just leave it alone...as long as it's stainless there shouldn't be an issue. The tips on most cars don't have any type of coating to begin with...my maxima, z, and grand am gt (my old car) don't have anything like what you described. but I'm curious as to why you would polish the inside of the exhaust tip...after you drive it for a little, it'll wind up just getting more carbon build up.

[spike]

I would just leave it alone...as long as it's stainless there shouldn't be an issue. The tips on most cars don't have any type of coating to begin with...my maxima, z, and grand am gt (my old car) don't have anything like what you described. but I'm curious as to why you would polish the inside of the exhaust tip...after you drive it for a little, it'll wind up just getting more carbon build up.

Chalk it up to this being the first time I've polished exhaust tips...they just didn't look clean and have the "pop" that I was looking for, so I cleaned both inside and outside of the tips. I guess I really shouldn't have gone that far with it...

[Kurt_s]

I would just leave it alone...as long as it's stainless there shouldn't be an issue. The tips on most cars don't have any type of coating to begin with...my maxima, z, and grand am gt (my old car) don't have anything like what you described. but I'm curious as to why you would polish the inside of the exhaust tip...after you drive it for a little, it'll wind up just getting more carbon build up.

I recently detailed a Porsche with a stainless steel exhaust system. I didn't plan to clean the inside but as I polished out the tips, the inside cleaned up and I just kept going. It took maybe an extra minute but the owner thought it was pretty cool.

[ScottB]

finish them up all nice and shiny ... then take care of them and you'll stand out in the Acura crowd.

[fairlady350z]

don't get me wrong, it definitely makes a different but on a daily driver I found it to be impractical. I'll clean and polish everything on the tip on my z, as it's a garage queen. The
maxima is my DD so I just polish the outside of the tips and the edge. To each his own, but I'm sure they look great now!

[spike]

Thanks everyone. I was so upset because I thought that the black heat resistant paint was very important to have, and now that I have polished it off, I thought I really screwed up. But since that coating doesn't seem to be that important (correct me if I'm wrong, guys), then I will do like Killr said and keep 'em shiny and stand out in the Acura crowd! Thanks Killr!

:dblthumb2:

[ROMEO]

If I'm not mistaken that "coating" is just left there from the smoke that comes out... It serves no purpose, does nothing, is just "dirt".

So get :buffing: and keep them shiny... Something that "might" make a difference on how long it stays clean for is to seal it with wheel sealer, since it will stand a better chance to the heat... (But I'm sure the sealer won't last much, but is worth a try...).