Mufflers Flaking
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: West Paterson NJ
Mufflers Flaking
I am the owner of a 2004 coupe with just under 4,000 miles. Recently, I noticed that the black paint on the rear mufflers was flaking. One is worse than the other but both are showing the silver beneath the paint. Is this normal for such low mileage? Can anything be done to prevent and/or fix this?
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From: Phoenix
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'09
It is normal unfortunately. I would re-do them yourself. If you let the dealer do it, which I'm sure they would, they will overspray everything back there. You could lightly sand the areas, mask off everything around the mufflers/ pipes and do it yourself.
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I've heard of it happening. About all you can do is prep the area good and then repaint.
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The only really way to prep the exhaust is to remove them from the car and have them sand blast because if you don't the paint would probably still peel. If you do remove them you might as well get an new cat-back exhaust.
just my .02
just my .02
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: South Alabama
Originally Posted by JEMIZ
I am the owner of a 2004 coupe with just under 4,000 miles. Recently, I noticed that the black paint on the rear mufflers was flaking. One is worse than the other but both are showing the silver beneath the paint. Is this normal for such low mileage? Can anything be done to prevent and/or fix this?
You could be looking at something like this instead of flaking paint. This is a Borla Stinger exhaust...polished and no paint to flake off. There's many offerings for aftermarket exhaust systems.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Noblesville Indiana
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When I bought mine two years ago with 10K miles the paint was peeling off too. And more would come off every time I washed the car. Luckily, Corsa took care of that problem for me when I put on one of their exhaust systems.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Houston (Spring) Texas
my 04 has 2300 miles on it with the paint flaking on the mufflers as well---I have no intention of replacing the OEM exhaust...I just wonder why GM painted them to start with!!???
my dealer said "its normal" and didn't offer to do anything.
I may try to remove the paint and leave it like that
my dealer said "its normal" and didn't offer to do anything.
I may try to remove the paint and leave it like that
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Chicago burb
This is not a new problem.
I have since installed Z06 Tis, but before that, this is what I did.
With the mufflers installed, I wet sanded the flaky parts by hand and washed thoroughly. I bought a can of Rustoleum barbeque grill flat black paint and carefully (using thin rubber gloves) painted all the parts that showed with a foam brush and a real thin roller. I even painted as much of the pipes I could reach before the mufflers and then the pipes after the mufflers up to the polished tips. It actually looked real good when I finished. When I took the mufflers off about a year later, the paint on them was still looking better than new.
GM could solve this problem by just using Rustoleum instead of that cheap azz paint.
I have since installed Z06 Tis, but before that, this is what I did.
With the mufflers installed, I wet sanded the flaky parts by hand and washed thoroughly. I bought a can of Rustoleum barbeque grill flat black paint and carefully (using thin rubber gloves) painted all the parts that showed with a foam brush and a real thin roller. I even painted as much of the pipes I could reach before the mufflers and then the pipes after the mufflers up to the polished tips. It actually looked real good when I finished. When I took the mufflers off about a year later, the paint on them was still looking better than new.
GM could solve this problem by just using Rustoleum instead of that cheap azz paint.
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From: Saraland Alabama
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Flaking paint on my mufflers
Yesterday I solved the problem of flaking paint on my stock mufflers by removing them and installing a set of ZO6 titaniums which I purchased for $375.00. They sound a little better and they are never going to rust or flake. When I decide to sell my 2002 Vert. six speed in a few years I plan to put the stock mufflers back on it and sell the ZO6 mufflers to someone else. It only took about 45 minutes to make the muffler swap on a friend's lift. In case anyone is interested: each ZO6 catback weighs approx 13 pounds and each stock catback weighs approx 23 pounds. So I reduced my car's weight by 20 pounds.
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From: St. Peters MO
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Originally Posted by JEMIZ
I am the owner of a 2004 coupe with just under 4,000 miles. Recently, I noticed that the black paint on the rear mufflers was flaking. One is worse than the other but both are showing the silver beneath the paint. Is this normal for such low mileage? Can anything be done to prevent and/or fix this?
Oh, and they sound awesome. 
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by DRKNGHT
It's normal, and ugly.
It's happening to my 2003. I'm not sure I want the dealer painting them and although Cajun's Borlas sound great, I'm not sure I want to spend the cash to replace them. Even more, I'm not sure I want the dealer painting them.....scary! 
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From: West Paterson NJ
Thanks for the information. Someone mentioned a service bulletin on the flaking muffler condition. Is this available on the internet? Location? If not, where else can I get a copy?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Houston (Spring) Texas
Originally Posted by JEMIZ
Thanks for the information. Someone mentioned a service bulletin on the flaking muffler condition. Is this available on the internet? Location? If not, where else can I get a copy?
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From: West Paterson NJ
Finally found the Service Bulletin regarding "Paint Peeling From Muffler" (Bulletin Number 33-17-01A); however, it relates to "1993 -98 Passenger Cars With Painted Mufflers". The Bulletin describes the condition and the correction. Although it doesn't specifically apply to 2004 models, the condition described is exactly what is happening to my car. It seems to me to be an item that should be covered under warranty. I will pursue this with my local dealer.