Exhaust tips...best cleaning product??

[m33ufo]

I started to polish the exhaust tips on my BMW M3 CSL. They didn't look that dirty but had a coating of (I assume) a couple of years of road grime.

I started off using an Autosol type product on one of the tips (there are 4). Initially this made very little impact but after quite a while did start to get to the polished stainless finish I was trying to get back to.

What seemed to be giving me the most problems was the rock hard coating of grime. I tried things like Auto Glym motorcyle degreaser but it made no difference at all. Any suggestions welcome.

[belleair302]

Use some clay with a lube, then something like Meguiars Metal Polish along with some very fine wire wool. Finish off with a coat or two of Chemical Guys Jetseal 109 or Carlack.

[minimanAC]

^^^

Yeah agree with this. Fine wire wool and some soapy water, then finish off with you autosol or equivalent and seal with wax/glaze.

[m33ufo]

Thanks both, where would I get fine wire wool??

[belleair302]

Go to a decent DIY shop....not one of the chains who probably don't stock it. Or look online!!

[grahambell]

Try some petrol. Was originally sold as a cleaning fluid and will shift a lot of road grime including tar.

[AndyMI16]

Clean & Shiny sell 00 grade steel wool. This, some good metal polishes and a fair bit of elbow grease should help.

[m33ufo]

Cheers, actually picked some up from a local decorating supplies store yestersday. I'll have a go on the weekend.

[999]

The twin tips on my 2bular system get mad hot (quite literaly too hot to touch). They tend to get really tarnished, I'm assuming with the heat. I clean them with Autosol and elbow grease, but they tarnish up again really quickly. Would the glaze/sealant mentioned in previous posts work for me, or would the heat render it useless ?

TIA for any comments, Chris

[m33ufo]

Wire wool....thank you god!

Had a half an hour on the tips earlier, the wire wool made short work of the coating on the tips followed by a rub over with some Mothers metal polish and hey presto! Not perfect but pretty damn good.

[belleair302]

Any decent metal polish (Autoglym / Meguiars / Einszett) will bring them up a treat and finally buy some Chemical Guys Jetseal 109....which will stop any further tar / debris attaching itself to it!!!

http://www.einszett.co.uk/products_einszett_paintw...

http://www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/index.php?act=viewP...

[cableguy]

Just a little tip I picked up a few years ago was using Nitromors Paint Stripper, obviously taking care near any painted surfaces.

Paint on with a small brush and wipe off with paper towel/rag etc. works wonders and does not tarnish/scratch the surface like wire wool etc. By far the best product i've used for heavy carbon depositted exhaust tips.

C.