Stainless Steel exhaust tip care?

[rvx290]

About a year ago I purchased a ss exhaust tip for my vehicle, it aged quickly, turning brownish yellow 'sort of' looked like rust or like it was overheated or some harsh chemical spilled on it, yesterday I swung by the exhaust shop to show the manager & he said he wasnt sure, maybe it was simply a bad quality tip? He is aware I am a detail freak & asked what I polished/waxed it with. Everytime I would wax the truck (the wax I use is FK1000p hi temp wax...which also seems on par for an exhaust tip) and the only other liquids that would touch it would be soap,water or megiuiars UQ detailing spray. I am pretty sure none of these would cause the tarnishing, but If anyone has any suggestions how to maintain a stainless tip incase I am missing something or doing something wrong I would appreciate any ..tips, no pun intended :xyxthumbs: (PS they installed a new tip for me free of charge & I didnt even ask. Awesome shop.) ...another note, is the tip is a long way from the engine on this vehicle, so heat shouldn't be an issue either.

[dad07]

try this to polish......P21S Polishing Soap - State-of-the-art German metal-polishing technology is now available from P21S. (http://www.autogeek.net/p153.html) leave the FK for the paint.

[snellvilleauto]

try this to polish......P21S Polishing Soap - State-of-the-art German metal-polishing technology is now available from P21S. (http://www.autogeek.net/p153.html) leave the FK for the paint.

:iagree: I used the P21S and it work pretty good. However, i tried this BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant, aluminum sealant, metal protectant, chrome sealant, wheel sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-all-metal-sealant.html) the other day w/ the 0000 steel wool pad and the result is even better than the P21S

[Rsurfer]

Blackfire is my favorite metal sealant, but I like Never Dull for polishing chrome and stainless pipes and then seal with Blackfire.
:iagree: I used the P21S and it work pretty good. However, i tried this BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant, aluminum sealant, metal protectant, chrome sealant, wheel sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-all-metal-sealant.html) the other day w/ the 0000 steel wool pad and the result is even better than the P21S

[Ohio Detailing]

:iagree: I used the P21S and it work pretty good. However, i tried this BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant, aluminum sealant, metal protectant, chrome sealant, wheel sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-all-metal-sealant.html) the other day w/ the 0000 steel wool pad and the result is even better than the P21S

Great thread, I've often wondered the same thing. I like the 0000 steel wool suggestion, however, it seems like the Blackfire metal sealant would be for applying after everything has been cleaner, maybe even after another chrome/metal polish has been applied - NOT for the actual cleaning portion right? What would be good for cleaning the exhaust tips beforehand WITH the 0000 steel wool?

[Rsurfer]

Mother's is cheap and otc.
Great thread, I've often wondered the same thing. I like the 0000 steel wool suggestion, however, it seems like the Blackfire metal sealant would be for applying after everything has been cleaner, maybe even after another chrome/metal polish has been applied - NOT for the actual cleaning portion right? What would be good for cleaning the exhaust tips beforehand WITH the 0000 steel wool?

[snellvilleauto]

Great thread, I've often wondered the same thing. I like the 0000 steel wool suggestion, however, it seems like the Blackfire metal sealant would be for applying after everything has been cleaner, maybe even after another chrome/metal polish has been applied - NOT for the actual cleaning portion right? What would be good for cleaning the exhaust tips beforehand WITH the 0000 steel wool?

I polished the pipes w/ P21S not too long ago. but i was suprise the buffing pads turned black using the BF metal sealant.



Mother's is cheap and otc.

:iagree: I also used the blue magic polishing cream. It has more cut than the Mother's. Collinite Metal wax #850 also works well.

I did my SS refrigerator yesterday morning. It's huge and the product i used was
BF Metal sealant
#850
Blue magic
Mother's

I tried each one on diffirent test spots and the one i choosed to use to complete the whole job was....



































































Blue magic
This thing RAWKED because it got just the right cut and you don't have to rub so hard. Also it was very very easy to buff off. Unlike the #850...it was a PITA to buff off.
The BF is a sealant so it was no cut at all
Mothers was ok

[BillyJack]

There's a lot of good products listed in these posts and I've used most of them over the years. The one that impresses me the most is Collinite Metal Wax. It doesn't have as much cut as many of the others, so it may be best as a second step on dirty, rusted or neglected metal. Like other Collinite products, it seems to last almost forever, so it's my maintenance product of choice on chrome, stainless and aluminum. I've never had any issues buffing off the haze, but I've never done anything as large as a refrigerator.

Bill

[truckbutt]

I've been using NvrDull for thirty years. Great product. Great product suggestions above. Thanks!

[basko93]

Collinite Metal Wax, love this stuff.

[Gachrid]

Can the products listed get off hardened carbon? I installed mufflers that were not cleaned often by the PO and I can not get the carbon build up off part of the inside of the tip. I've used megs degreaser and 00 steel wool but I still can't get it all off. Any thoughts if these products will cut through it better?

[wysiwyg]

I use Cerama Bryte cooktop cleaner for cleaning my exhaust tips.

Works very well.

[Robert8194]

Can the products listed get off hardened carbon? I installed mufflers that were not cleaned often by the PO and I can not get the carbon build up off part of the inside of the tip. I've used megs degreaser and 00 steel wool but I still can't get it all off. Any thoughts if these products will cut through it better?

Dremel tool with soft metal brush and a lot of patience.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I'm going to opti-coat my new 5.0 tips. :D

[4AudiQ]

:iagree: I used the P21S and it work pretty good. However, i tried this BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant, aluminum sealant, metal protectant, chrome sealant, wheel sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-all-metal-sealant.html) the other day w/ the 0000 steel wool pad and the result is even better than the P21S

I have in my memory from a post in my past reading, that any steel wool, even oooo, will put micro scratches into the metal. I can't verify this, but FWIW.