Lots Of Soot On Exhaust Tips

[cmoore74]

I threw on a Corsa cat back a few months ago and I notice they get sooted up pretty quick on the inside of the tips from the exhaust. I'd say after cleaning them they are sooted up within a week or two.

 

I was just wondering if this is normal. Does everyone else with stainless tips see this that quickly?

 

Also what is the best way to get the soot off? Regular car soap doesn't seem to do that great of a job. I gotta put a tremendous amount of elbow grease into it to get them clean.

 

I was thinking maybe dish soap and follow up with some stainless polish and wax?

[Norman]

Tagged because I too would like to know about this issue.

[omegafiler]

Unfortunately it is normal, especially with those shiny Corsa tips. Mothers or Meguiars all metal polish works great. Just make sure you do NOT use chrome polish (it'll scratch the stainless steel). But it works very well, just takes a minute, and will look better than new. It also helps keep them shiny longer. It's what Corsa recommends and even works the best of the various cleaners I've tried.

[cmoore74]

Unfortunately it is normal, especially with those shiny Corsa tips. Mothers or Meguiars all metal polish works great. Just make sure you do NOT use chrome polish (it'll scratch the stainless steel). But it works very well, just takes a minute, and will look better than new. It also helps keep them shiny longer. It's what Corsa recommends and even works the best of the various cleaners I've tried.

 

 

Thanks and glad to hear it's common (i.e. nothing wrong with my truck causing abnormal amounts of soot).

 

I've got the Mother's stainless polish, but any recommendation on cleaning them before polish? Would something like dish soap be more effective than standard car soap?

[omegafiler]

Unfortunately it is normal, especially with those shiny Corsa tips. Mothers or Meguiars all metal polish works great. Just make sure you do NOT use chrome polish (it'll scratch the stainless steel). But it works very well, just takes a minute, and will look better than new. It also helps keep them shiny longer. It's what Corsa recommends and even works the best of the various cleaners I've tried.

 

 

Thanks and glad to hear it's common (i.e. nothing wrong with my truck causing abnormal amounts of soot).

 

I've got the Mother's stainless polish, but any recommendation on cleaning them before polish? Would something like dish soap be more effective than standard car soap?

 

 

Anything will do, considering you probably won't see much difference. I normally just use car wash soap or glass cleaner just to get the excess dirt off. Then go for the polish.

[Nytemare]

Brake cleaner will blow the soot away in seconds. It wont harm the finish either, as long as the exhaust is cold). Just spray it in there and wipe it out with a paper towel followed by a rag and soapy watter. Than polish as needed.

 

 

On the soot issue, I switched over to premium fuel (92 octane from ESSO) and haven't had soot buildup since. Apparently, form some internet reading, soot is unburned fuel residue, where combustion has occurred in an environment with insufficient O2.

 

It seems like you guys may be running a little rich, and is possibly the reason switching to 92 octane stopped the soot on my pipes, the timing advanced a bit and now I get a little longer to burn the mixture.

 

I always thought soot was caused by the sulfur content in the fuels. Guess I was wrong.

[omegafiler]

Yeah, but the exhaust residue will build up eventually no matter what, even after I got it tuned and switched to premium (93) awhile ago. I've had other tips on other vehicles and it's not always that bad. It's just that these shiny Corsa tips are much more noticable as they have that polished lip on the inside.

 

So the metal polish is a good thing - makes them super shiny, and protects at the same time. Personally, I wouldn't trust anything else.

[dietz4ibanez]

I know that my tips arent like the corsa tips but I used a SOS pad and water on my tips and it gets them shining as good as new! Everyone thinks that everytime that I get them cleaned up that I had the old tips cut off and new ones put on!

[cmoore74]

Brake cleaner will blow the soot away in seconds. It wont harm the finish either, as long as the exhaust is cold). Just spray it in there and wipe it out with a paper towel followed by a rag and soapy watter. Than polish as needed.

 

 

On the soot issue, I switched over to premium fuel (92 octane from ESSO) and haven't had soot buildup since. Apparently, form some internet reading, soot is unburned fuel residue, where combustion has occurred in an environment with insufficient O2.

 

It seems like you guys may be running a little rich, and is possibly the reason switching to 92 octane stopped the soot on my pipes, the timing advanced a bit and now I get a little longer to burn the mixture.

 

I always thought soot was caused by the sulfur content in the fuels. Guess I was wrong.

 

Brake cleaner? That scares me a bit, but maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I'm already running 93 octane (Shell gas - local top tier fuel). Sounds like it would be worse on 87.

[Rocco715]

Any quick detailer, glass cleaners are probably the quickest and work great just no real protection and... NevrDull

[Nytemare]

If the brake cleaner scares you, just try it in an inconspicuous area first. As long as your exhaust isn't hot it will be fine, if its hot it will turn the tips yellow.

 

Other than that, some engine shampoo will work too.

 

Its a little safer to use some of the more harsh chemicals on these tips as they are SS and not Chrome.

 

You should watch out cleaning the soot up with bare hands and soapy water as sometimes there is a large sulfur content in fuel...since soot is unburnt fuel....there may be some sulfur left there too...water+sulfur trioxide (made by the oxidizing agent in the Cat) makes sulfuric acid.

 

Its not fun to have on your hands...even in mild concentrations...I know from experience, I have cleaned up the missile launcher on the ship after a firing, it contains a lot of sulfur and other nasty chemicals.

[BigJayDogg3]

I know that my tips arent like the corsa tips but I used a SOS pad and water on my tips and it gets them shining as good as new! Everyone thinks that everytime that I get them cleaned up that I had the old tips cut off and new ones put on!

 

 

That is what I do to my aunt's truck whenever I have to wash it.

 

Its not fun to have on your hands...even in mild concentrations...I know from experience, I have cleaned up the missile launcher on the ship after a firing, it contains a lot of sulfur and other nasty chemicals.

 

OUCH! I would not want to be you.

[[email protected]]

I've noticed the same thing. Put Corsa's on my truck about a year ago and every few weeks have to clean the inside of the tips. Just do it when I'm washing and drying the vehicle though. Don't do anything special, it seems to come off fairly easy for me.

 

Must be the vehicle though, because I've also got a Corsa exhaust on my Corvette (same tips even) and the 'vette doesn't ever soot up. And I drive them both about the same... Really!

[wlvrn1215]

got the corsa dual system and mine does the same thing, even with 93....its normal...

[Nytemare]

I know that my tips arent like the corsa tips but I used a SOS pad and water on my tips and it gets them shining as good as new! Everyone thinks that everytime that I get them cleaned up that I had the old tips cut off and new ones put on!

 

 

That is what I do to my aunt's truck whenever I have to wash it.

 

Its not fun to have on your hands...even in mild concentrations...I know from experience, I have cleaned up the missile launcher on the ship after a firing, it contains a lot of sulfur and other nasty chemicals.

 

OUCH! I would not want to be you.

 

 

 

Its not so bad....newbie treatment. I don't do that stuff anymore...I have subordinates to do that s**t now...LOL