I've noticed my exhaust tips have a black build up of carbon or whatever and been watching photos of other cars. Seems mine are by far the worst.
What do you think??? Is this an indication the car is running too rich, too lean or maybe the blend of fuel we are forced to use out here???

 

Looks completely normal and expected.

The real problem is that the tips tilt up and the normal water in the exhaust can pool at the bottom and deposit the soot on the chrome.

There are seveal threads dealing with cleaning and making tip cleaning easier. I use a tire or wire wheel brush to clean out the tips and it works great and it stays clean until... I drive the car.

If you see pictures without the black deposit, it's just been cleaned.

 

My thoughts are along the same theme except I didn't like the "Round hole in the Rectangle box" look"................SOOOOooooooooooooooo......... .
I cleaned the INSIDE and outside real good and then painted the inside area with Hi-Temp Black so from a distance the exhaust is TWO RECTANGLES!
Also, the soot that builds up inside can be cleaned or left alone, I only worry about the shiney outside and the lip now. :wink:

 

I just used a dry brillo pad lightly - it cleaned up immediately!

8)

 

I use armor all wheel cleaner when I wash my car and it whipes right off...

-marc

 

Thanks for the inputs. I keep my car clean but never did the exhausts... thought mine might have been running rich. Think I'll go with painting the inside black.

 

AZ... your pipes look normal to me as well. I also give mine a shot of wheel cleaner when I wash the car and they look great. If you didn't see anything then that would indicate a lean condition. Too much black would indicate a rich condition. If it was running too rich you could smell it too.

 

i'm actually purposely leaving the insides of mine to carbon up. almost completely black now. i didn't like the "hole in a square look" either. :-)

 

ditto...and I don't think painting is the answer...unless properly prepped, I'd think about any paint is gonna be difficult to 'stick' to that metal and stay looking decent for very long.

 

I changed my mind and painted mine this weekend. Will see how it stands up to time...

 

I think it has something to do with the restricted stock muffler airflow ' cause ever since I replaced mine with the Magnaflow muffler, my exhaust tips don't get that much soot. I've had 7000 miles on mine since I got it last January.

Love that Magnaflow muscle sound too

 

I noticed a decrease in "soot" after getting Upsolute'd. I'm at ~7200 today.

 

A few may disagree, how ever in the "old days" of leaded gas black was BAD... grey was better, now that we are forced to burn unleaded fuel with all the polution additives.

I do agree that they tend to make the cars run "fat" to besure they pass emissions, I also agree that chipped cars where the fuel has been trimmed back a bit would show less "soot"...

I thought about painting my tips as well but the wife wil not let me use paint or knives.... only Pencils...

Mo

 

Hey Az get the chip we got 3 in az. now!great price.on group.

 

8) LOL!!! It could be done with a Pencil - though it would take quite a long time, and may not last too long :!: :wink:

 

I could sell em as carbon fiber

46 bux!

:shock:

 

But since we are friends .... 92 bux right?? :wink:

 

YUP you catch on VERY quickly