[The Wait Isn't Over]

Notice the outer two pipes get blackened while the middle ones are fairly clean. I have a Z51 with the performance exhaust with just over 800 miles. I run it with the baffles open all the time regardless of the mode selector. Is this normal or no?

 

[glen e]

yeah normal, but leave them like that and they won't come clean soon...exhaust soot is corrosive....learn to polish and clean them with a metal polish...simple with a mothers power cone on an cordless drill...all of 10 secs....

 

[The Wait Isn't Over]

yeah normal, but leave them like that and they won't come clean soon...exhaust soot is corrosive....learn to polish and clean them with a metal polish...simple with a mothers power cone on an cordless drill...all of 10 secs....

Ok I'll give that a shot. They blacken up real easy though-almost after every drive. Going to be a pain to have to worry about that so often. Any idea why the middle pipes aren't experiencing this?

 

[glen e]

once you get some polish on them it won't be that bad as the soot will not collect...a simple wipe every 10 days is all I have to do....right now the surface is not smooth and it's "catching the soot"...

 

[akpancake]

free flowing to the outside pipes, restricted to the insides

 

[Tpalmst]

What's the rest of your car look like?

 

[Dasyatis]

The only time the inner set of pipe are open is full throttle blasting around town (I mean the track...).

 

[53Vette]

Notice the outer two pipes get blackened while the middle ones are fairly clean. I have a Z51 with the performance exhaust with just over 800 miles. I run it with the baffles open all the time regardless of the mode selector. Is this normal or no?

MY first outing all was fine, 150 miles. Then the second trip they looked like that, 50 miles. There was also a lot of small spots of black crud on the back of the car. Did another 150 miles today, all clear. Who knows.

 

[Texas2Gun]

The only time the inner set of pipe are open is full throttle blasting around town (I mean the track...).

That must be why all four on mine get dirty!

 

[Boomer]

At 3300 miles mine don't look like that..still shiny as new..all I have done is wipe them off occasionally. Mine is a non-Z51. Does that have anything to do with it?? All four of mine look the same. They look like the two in the middle in the photo.

 

[Tom0021]

I have a Z51 with 3,000 miles and have had it about 6 weeks. Mine are a bit dirty but no black. When I wash the car I wipe out tips.

However stopping at Pep Boys on the way home to pick up the suggested items and will polish tonight.

 

[thrilled]

Maybe if you don't have NPP they don't get as dirty.

 

[Roadrat3]

well I clean mine after every other drive like glen e said it only takes 10 seconds, i like mine to look shiny everytime a take it out, i would never take my car out with it having black on the pipes, but thats just me. Hey i even whip down my rims after i bring it back in from a drive or worse case after every 2 drives. One more thing the harder you drive it the more the pipes will look the way they do in the above picture.

 

[Tom0021]

I have a Z51 with 3,000 miles and have had it about 6 weeks. Mine are a bit dirty but no black. When I wash the car I wipe out tips.

However stopping at Pep Boys on the way home to pick up the suggested items and will polish tonight.
View attachment 8268

So I stopped and picked up Mother's metal polish (mag & aluminum) good for all uncoated metals and a powerball mini.

Took about 15 minutes, very simple job and I'm glad I did it before pitting could take hold.

Final product!

 

[Z06 Owned]

Are you sure there is no coating on those tips? If not, that process rocks!


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[Dasyatis]

Are you sure there is no coating on those tips? If not, that process rocks!


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

No coating that I could tell when I polished mine. Once polished, the carbon doesn't stick nearly as much.

 

[STUNG]

One of the reasons that it happens to the outside more than the inside is that is the main flow of exhaust and the condensation of the exhaust system comes through them leaving more soot on the outside ones. If you look at the exhaust in the cooler mornings when the car is idleing, you will notice more exhaust fumes from the outside pipes. My ZR1 was the same way. This of course is my opinion not necessarrily the correct one. hahaha!!

 

[glen e]

there is no coating....and if you have a choice, get the powercone instead of the ball as it goes under the exterior of the exhaust pipes easier - also gets in some small areas when using them on wheels:

Amazon.com: Mothers 05146 PowerCone Polishing Tool: Automotive

 

[STUNG]

WOW looks like an operating theater. haha!! Good stuff man. I like what I see and have all the ingredients.

 

[Ragtop]

Z51 here. That is normal for me. gonna get power cone Glen suggests. Walmart has it.