Cleaned my exhausts today

[Stu R]

They were literally black, inside and out. I don't think they had been cleaned since new:

 

 

 

I was a bit sceptical using steel wool to polish metal, as it seemed quite abrasive and I really didn't want to scratch the exhausts:

 

 

After a LOT of scrubbing and finishing it off with some Autosol they came out quite well:

 

 

The only thing I couldn't do too well was the insides, and the bottom lip edges. I think I'd need to get a more coarse steel wool to begin to scratch it off as it was well and truly caked on.

 

[Trev-the-Rev]

Huge improvement All you've got to do now is keep em like that

[Liam's Z]

Looks much better mate but jezz steel wool

[Stu R]

Looks much better mate but jezz steel wool

 

Yea it's good stuff that steel wool. The really fine stuff is like cotton wool, so it doesn't scratch or do anything bad to the metal. Would be good for use on alloys as well, for like getting brake dust and crap off.

[Liam's Z]

I'll have to take your word for that or maybe see it for meself....

 

Where exactly you from mate???

[Stu R]

I'm at Aigburth (Liverpool), which is where I live/work, but gf and folks and home is in Royton Manchester so am over that way usually a few days a week as well.

[Beavis]

Yep you can get polishing grade wire wool especially for polishing metals, nice job but what a state to start with.

[Liam's Z]

That's about 15miles away from me

[Stu R]

That's about 15miles away from me

 

Yea I think there's a few of us over this way, Digsy I think said he's from Aigburth as well. We should all get a meet on in the new year

 

I often see a few Zed's passing, a Gunmetal 54 plate, a Silver, and two Blacks - one female, and one male driver. Although they are all moody barstewards when I let on!

[Liam's Z]

Haha zed snobbery

 

Yeah should sort out a meet and a nite out round Manchester again

[AndySpak]

Aigburth is not too far from me either.

[Liam's Z]

And your area plz

[Digsy]

That's about 15miles away from me

 

Yea I think there's a few of us over this way, Digsy I think said he's from Aigburth as well. We should all get a meet on in the new year

 

I often see a few Zed's passing, a Gunmetal 54 plate, a Silver, and two Blacks - one female, and one male driver. Although they are all moody barstewards when I let on!

 

You can't get a wave out of that girl in the black.

 

Where you at, Andy?

[Stu R]

You can't get a wave out of that girl in the black.

 

Nah she was morbid with a complexion of stone.

 

... I didn't have my exhausts polished when I saw her though.. hmmm

[bronzee]

All joking aside, a proper metal cleaner, something a little bit more oomph that the Meguiars Metal cleaner would have done the job. Always rather shy of steel wool, eek. Looks like it's come up nicely though.

[Digsy]

You can't get a wave out of that girl in the black.

 

Nah she was morbid with a complexion of stone.

 

... I didn't have my exhausts polished when I saw her though.. hmmm

 

Nah, a big shiny projection doesn't do it for her either....

[AndySpak]

Where you at, Andy?

 

I live in Warrington.

[nixy]

nice job! The steel wool is fine as long as you use the right grade. I have the same stuff as that which I got after advice from a professional on detailing world. Remember you can even get steel wool so fine that you can use it to restore furniture etc. It's good stuff.

[H5]

Brasso!

[M13KYF]

Found autosol better than brasso to remove the stubborn marks. I just use a soft cloth and some elbow grease

[H5]

For the real stubborn stuff, a Dremel with polishing bit helps.

[Rob_Quads]

Best thing i have found for cleaning the insides of exhausts is a fine flap sanding wheel on a drill. Use that with a bit of autosol - quite messy but you end up with a gleaming exhaust.

 

My friend had tried everything on his Skylines exhaust which was caked - bit of work and it was gleeming again.

[Trev-the-Rev]

I have to ask, WHY? I can fully appreciate wanting to keep the outside of the tailpipes shiny and clean, but what's the point of polishing the insides when they will be black again within a few miles?

[H5]

I have to ask, WHY? I can fully appreciate wanting to keep the outside of the tailpipes shiny and clean, but what's the point of polishing the insides when they will be black again within a few miles?

 

+1

 

As much as I can be a bit OTT with cleaning stuff, I couldn't agree more!!

[GIXXERUK]

I have to ask, WHY? I can fully appreciate wanting to keep the outside of the tailpipes shiny and clean, but what's the point of polishing the insides when they will be black again within a few miles?

 

what the hell are you doing driving it !! first rule of the detailing club - dont ever drive it !!