Man, I just got new stock exhaust over a year ago and already it looks like shit. Any way to clean off the black/red/brown gunk on my mufflers and tips?? Anyone swap out the old tips for new ones?

The mufflers(original) on my Eldo weren't looking too good. I used denatured alcohol and a fine scotch-brite pad to clean them. Then, I sprayed them with a high-temp-semi gloss black. If you want them to look like stainless, there is a high-temp stainless pigmented paint, that has fine stainless steel particles, in it. I have used the stainless paint on my Z-28 exhaust system. It still looks new(1973 model). AS for the tips, I "borrowed" a fine pot cleaning pad from the kitchen(didn't want to scratch the finish). and used it with the alky to clean the tips. I put on some polish(NU-Finish), on the cleaned tips, they look new. The tips are welded on, so if yours won't clean up, try E-Bay for some new ones. Good luck...

see what you can wipe off first with a towel and some window cleaner. Then start scrubbing. You can get some stainless polish to shine them up once you have it cleaned up. You could probably go to an automotive store and the stuff you use to clean wheels would work good.

thanks guys....so rek, did you just clean the underside of the mufflers or disconnect them for cleaning?

I use "00" steel wool on that kind of stuff. If you spray window cleaner on and hit it with the steel wool it works great. We also have this stuff at the shop called " Blue Away" That is very effective at removing heat related discoloration from chrome and stainless. The wool will also take off minor rust and stuff if it's not too deep!

niccceee, thanks KC (now if it would just warm up outside so i can clean my baby!)

Chuck, I didn't disconnect the mufflers. I just cleaned what I could see. But, hey, That's an idea. Take the suckers off, and while you're at it, you could clean up the underside of the floor pan(trunk pan?) as well. Now that would be a thorough clean job. I guess I like the Alky to clean stuff cause it reminds me of dragsters and one of my "other" fun time money pits....Nitro powered on-road/off road RC cars. WAAaaaaaaaaa/shiftWAAAaaaaaaaaa---42,000 RPM later, you're there... I know, off topic...I'm done

how bout using acetone??

I think it evaporates faster than the alky, but probably with less residue. Also, I think the acetone is harder on the skin. You do wear rubber gloves, right???LOL

I can second the steel wool. I use the 000 or 0000 stuff though on my chrome and glass... Works wonders and no scratches. :)

I can't believe nobody knows to use carb cleaner on it. The stuf cuts through carbon like it's nothing and leaves nothing but bright metal behind. I would wax them afterwards though.

Never heard that one, but makes sense, if it can cut through carb stuff it should be able to get through carbon.

Oh it does alright. Just don't ever use it on plastic or painted surfaces.

Oh! Yeah....I forgot to mention that! I use Carb cleaner or Brake cleaner all the time....Sorry about that Chief!

hmmm...what is carb cleaner? is it a brand, where can it be bought? (I'm sorta a deep car cleaning newbie)

Gumout Carb. cleaner or Berrymans Chemtool spray or BrakeKleen or any number of other brands available at your local auto parts store in the cleaning section.

Carb cleaner is far stronger than Brake cleaner for getting carbon deposits off. You can buy it in any parts store. You can also use throttle body cleaner too. If you use brake cleaner, it will leave less residue than carb cleaner and dries very quickly, but just doesn't cut the crud as well.

Chuck, if you have "carbon" on the outside of your 1 year old mufflers, they might be shot. I can see where "carbon" looking gunk would be on the inside of your tips. If it's on the outside of the tips, does it burn a lot of oil, smoke like crazy. Where's all the "carbon" coming from?

lol, i never said i had any carbon on my mufflers!

That's what I thought!!!!! I was trying to understand how carb cleaner would come into play as per your question. BTW nice looking ride! I got a spoiler on mine too, but it has a LED light strip in it. I got it from Roman Chariot in Cleveland.

Originally posted by rek
That's what I thought!!!!! I was trying to understand how carb cleaner would come into play as per your question. BTW nice looking ride! I got a spoiler on mine too, but it has a LED light strip in it. I got it from Roman Chariot in Cleveland.

Was THIS not the question?
"Any way to clean off the black/red/brown gunk on my mufflers and tips?? "

That "gunk" as you refer to it, is a mixture of carbon and rust. And rubbing it with a little "carb cleaner" will remove the deposits. After that, I would suggest some polish.

OK Gang, We've obviously got a lot of time on our hands here....'Cause we're pickin' nits here!......But I like it!

Well I guess I just didn't understand that he wanted to clean the inside area of the tips. And thanks, for the explanation of the "gunk", it was most useful. That would be kicking up detailing a notch, cleaning the INSIDE of the exhaust tips. I never thought of that.

Originally posted by rek
Well I guess I just didn't understand that he wanted to clean the inside area of the tips. And thanks, for the explanation of the "gunk", it was most useful. That would be kicking up detailing a notch, cleaning the INSIDE of the exhaust tips. I never thought of that.

I use Carb. cleaner to clean out exhaust tips all the time. I really catch a lot of crap from my friends about it 'cause they think it's excessive....But they always come to me for detailing tips!:D

KC, I cleaned the inside of the drag pipes on the pan I used to have. But the Eldo tips are a different story, they aren't "looking" at you, like on a bike. But, I'll check it out when it gets warmer, maybe mine could use it. Carb cleaner, huh, now if only I knew how to use it. ROTFLMAO I gotta go and clean the litter box, The cats been busy....

Just finished cleaning up my tips on the Caddy and I used some Gunk Engine Bright and one of those little scrub brushes you use to clean your rims (Yellow, plastic steel wool looking thing in a wedge shape) you can get it at any parts store. Well anyway sprayed that on and rinsed then hit it lighty with the brush and the grime just fell off, I will put a coat of wax on them tomorrow to keep the grime from sticking as much next time but they look about 75% better (not new but shiney again) :)
:banana:

My dual duals on my 92 seville were really bad, to the point if I RUined them tring to get them clean, I would have got new ones... But I used a brillo pad to get the things started then I windexed them. Total time - 25-30 minutes Looking alot better, time well spent

so does most of that gunk come off? i remember my original mufflers were so bad that they had huge rusted out holes. Shoot, I saw a new Envoy and the whole muffler and exhaust were rusty...couldn't have been more than two years old. Why don't they just install stainless ?