Hi forum folks! I'm not obsessed, at least I don't think I am. I was finally able, over the weekend, to detail my '15 Stingray. Here's the Q. Do any of you think trying to clean the outside of the exhaust pipes is going too far! If not, could you give me your suggestions. That is a really tight area to clean, especially in between each of the exhaust tips. Any advice would be appreciated. I know if there's any way to clean them and do it the quickest and easiest way someone here will have the solution! TIA and thanks for the forum!!!!!

 

I just apply Mothers Chrome Polish, to both the inside and outside of the exhaust tips. Let it dry and buff off with a microfiber towel.

 

Cleaning the outside of the exhaust pipes is very logical. Easy to do. I Use Flitz (look it up on Amazon) which I think is better than Simichrome but to each his own. I apply it sparingly around the outside and use a microfiber cloth and polish like buffing the tips of shoes! Works fine even with the larger Z51 stainless tips. The inside is a bit more difficult. I clean the outer ones with a rag to remove most of the black residue. Then I use a Flitz and a semi hemisphere buffer on a portable drill about ever other time. Often a simple microfiber cloth will work fine by hand for the inside. Easy and quick.
PS: Assume you meant the stainless tips NOT the pipes as you posted. If you really mean the pipes you first need to deal with the rust on the welds, weld spatter and the backs of the mufflers. Below is a pic of what I used 2 years ago and it has held up fine. It's called Rust Reformer and under $10 at Walmart. It's NOT a paint. Looks like milk when going on and turns iron oxide (rust) a blue black. It only changes the color of iron oxide so you can just put in on the whole area with a long handled cheap brush (which I used) or even a rag. Unlike high temp paint it does not peel and there is no masking etc. If you want to know why the aluminized stainless used has rusted here is a PDF of what I did and an explanation of the issue: http://netwelding.com/Muffler_Rust.pdf




Bottom: Before Rust Reformer; Top After Applied

 

Nothing polishes as fast as a mothers power cone on a cordless drill, pipes clean and polished, all the way inside in 10 secs. Avail at auto parts store. The hand cannot move at 1000 rpm. That is where the true polishing to a mirror surface occurs.

Any metal polish works well, don't get hung up on a specific brand.I use Borla off amazon.

 

Good call Glen, that is what I am going to do...

 

I probably didn't make myself clear.I get the part about the inside of the tips. I was also asking about cleaning between the tips. And thank you for giving me the info on polishing the inside of them. I'll try to be clearer before posting. I've been out of the "net" for a bit. But it sure is good to be back! Thanks again!

 

As my post # 3 noted, I polish the outside of the close fitting NPP's (should have said NPP not Z51, although unlike my 2014 they now come together) using a large microfiber towel, pushing it between the tips and buffing the Flitz like the toe of a shoe to spread it around then polish.
Note, if your muffler ends and welds haven't rusted yet, they will! This has been an issue before the first production! I recall seeing it on the first C7's I saw, which was after I placed my order! That was on the 10 to 12 what GM called IVAR's, that were at Laguna Seca Vintage Races in August of 2013. Those were some of the ~100 preproduction models that operated for over 6 months before production started.

 

Great advice Glen, I like to use Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. Works great!!

 

If you don't to see past the flanged exhaust tips, consider installing an exhaust cover plate.

That is what I did, and you cannot see in back of the flanged tips, back into the undercarriage.

I purchased the steel plate then painted it black. Nice mod for under $90.00 Once attached, you can not see into the void between and behind the exhaust pipes.