white exhaust tips

[Car Mad Dave]

As you can see from the photos, on my 997 4 GTS the inside tip on both sides seems to coat in a white residue. Is this normal / any explanations on what causes it? Thanks, CMD

[kingstondc5]

Does it clean off?

[Car Mad Dave]

Yes, it does clean off. I'd also add that I don't think its road salt as its been happening since I got the car at the beginning of October (when I don't think there was salt on the road). R, CMD

[Rockster]

Car Mad Dave said:

Yes, it does clean off. I'd also add that I don't think its road salt as its been happening since I got the car at the beginning of October (when I don't think there was salt on the road). R, CMD

Salt is retained for some time and may not ever be completely removed from roads that have been exposed to salt for deicing purposes. The salt is retained in the pores of the pavement.

Water (rain or runoff from sprinkers) will dissolve any salt it comes into contact with along with most anything that is on the road.

If the stuff can't be dissolved it will still break down some. The 'soap suds' that often appear on the wet roads during a rain the first rain fall after dry spell comes from this oil.

Besides salt there's considerable dust mainly silica.

The water of course contains all of the above.

The water gets splashed up on the exhaust hardware (which is located at a particularly good place to get this splash) and when the water dries whatever it contained stays.

A long shot is there's a coolant leak and that white residue is dried coolant but it is rare for coolant to leak and end up getting on the exhaust hardware that far back. Still you need to be sure all vital fluid levels are ok.

But to me and based on my experience it looks normal.

Just give the area a good rinse when you wash the car. Do not put any water in the exhaust openings of course.

Sincerely,

Rockster.

[Car Mad Dave]

Rockstar, thanks for your wise counsel. R, CMD