Detailing Chrome Exhaust Tips

Mikeyc

Mikeyc

TheDetailingHandBook.com
Well, I keep my car in the garage for the most part during the winter and I rarely take it out. However, spring is right around the corner and the weather is starting to warm. So, I thought I would do a little pre-spring detailing.

I washed the car on Friday and then today added a coat of P21S wax. I was looking at the exhaust tips and noticed that they were looking a little dull and had a good amount of road tar stuck to them.

It was no problem taking the tips off the exhaust because my car is slightly less than two years old. Here's what they looked like when I took them off:
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First thing was to soak them in a bucket of hot water and dish soap for 30 minutes. Then I scrubed them with a wheel brush, let them soak 10 more minutes, scrubbed them again, and then rinsed them off. Here's what they looked like after their bath:
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Then I polished them with Poorboy's Pro Polish and my PC with a white LC spot buffs pad. Finally, I sealed the tips with Wolgang Sealant. Here's the final result along with the formerly white pad:
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Wow, talk about thorough! They look very nice.

Have you ever tried using Flitz?

I like to use #000 wool in the inner part of the pipes.
 
mgm2003 said:
I like to use #000 wool in the inner part of the pipes.
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Yeah. I can be a little nuts.:lmfao I can't use steel wool on the inside of my exhaust tips because they're painted black. I've never used Fitz, but the Pro Polish seemed to work pretty well. There was some light scratching left afterward, but this part of the car takes a beating so I didn't bother trying to get it perfect.
 
wow. Any ideas on how to polish them when they are still ON the car? my tips are welded on and i can't take them off
Looks great!

see?
SideExhaustLow.jpg
 
Looks like you would need to do it by hand. Get yourself some quality metal polish and go for it! I try to wash my tips with the rest of my car so they don't get too bad.
 
Mikeyc said:
Looks like you would need to do it by hand. Get yourself some quality metal polish and go for it! I try to wash my tips with the rest of my car so they don't get too bad.
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try the flitz it is awsome stuff.
 
Use some 000 steel wool to clean and then polish out....putting anything else on them for protection is a waste of time the heat will melt it off...that's what I do for mine and they look great
 
Mother's makes a Chrome and Aluminum Polish product. It's in a white and red container. apply it with an SOS pad. It takes a little elbow grease but, it's completely worth it in the end. Wipe it off with a really soft towel, then wax the area.
 
I have the same problem. The Iowa winter salt and sand has taken its toll to pit mine on my 05 Nissan Maxima. I wash them and dry them off well but havent tried to polish them as of yet. I have some eagle one never dull I am going to try in a few days to see if that helps. I cant take mine off that I am aware of.
thanks all.
 
Hughey79 said:
I have the same problem. The Iowa winter salt and sand has taken its toll to pit mine on my 05 Nissan Maxima. I wash them and dry them off well but havent tried to polish them as of yet. I have some eagle one never dull I am going to try in a few days to see if that helps. I cant take mine off that I am aware of.
thanks all.
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Take a peek. Most OEM chrome tips I've seen are removable. There's usually just a single screw on the bottom.
 
heffergm said:
Is it my imagination or are those S2000 exhaust tips? They look very familiar (wife drives an S2000).
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Good eye! They are in fact tips from an S2000.
 
Honestly to get them to shine I wash them along with the rest of the car. Depending on how bad they are hit with all purpose cleaner AM and once that's done I spray Window Cleaner (in spray can) on them, hit with 000 steel wool. Then depending on what the customer wanted out of them hand polished them. Very nice look aftwards
 
shortd81 said:
Honestly to get them to shine I wash them along with the rest of the car. Depending on how bad they are hit with all purpose cleaner AM and once that's done I spray Window Cleaner (in spray can) on them, hit with 000 steel wool. Then depending on what the customer wanted out of them hand polished them. Very nice look aftwards
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I too always wash mine when I wash the rest of the car. However, the bumper is molded right along the top edge of the exhaust. So, I could never get them as clean or polished as I wanted as I could not fit my hand around the exhaust. So, I finally decided that I would remove them.
 
Beemerboy said:
Use some 000 steel wool to clean and then polish out....putting anything else on them for protection is a waste of time the heat will melt it off...that's what I do for mine and they look great
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A decent product for chrome that gets hot is English Custom Polish's "Chrome Polish and hot environment polish". I've used this on motorcycle chrome exhausts and headers on a show car. Seems to work well for me. The web site has some other good info on polishing and other products. I've ordered online and the products arrive pretty fast, although they are shipped from ME and I'm just in MA.

This product is now my only chrome polish, whether it gets hot or not. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
If you haven't, try Flitz. It's great stuff. Revived my old dual tips after a long winter got some minature rust spots all over them.
 
Aren't those Polished aluminum not chrome, I never heard of being able to remove swirls from chrome. your saying that the English Customs stuff removes swirls from plated chrome?, I might have to try that
 
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