I just spent the last 4 hours or so polishing the soot off of my stacks and let me tell you it wasn't fun. The dyno I usually go to puts a cone over the stacks to vent the smoke out. Well needless to say it covers the top half of the stacks in smoke. Well then I leave the dyno and get the stacks hot playing around and the soot impregnates itself in the chrome. Well not only does it do that but it also starts rusting the stacks. It's been a month or so since I last washed them due to rain and weather and what not and when I finally got them clean there were spot rusted everywhere. I had to use a buffing wheel and buffing compound on a drill to get the rust off and then had to go back and polish them and wax them back up. Definately not a fun ordeal. So a word of advice boys and girls, keep those stacks clean.

 

Yup there is a lot of acid in the soot it will destroy them if not maintained properly. I only wash my truck about 5 times a year. My stacks are all sooty but thers no rust or pitting yet.

 

ya u really got 2 keep the stacks clean

 

I hate cleaning my stacks for two reasons. One, they suck to get clean and the other, I feel that all my hard work (or a heavy right foot) for getting the soot on the stacks was for nothing. It takes the personality away from the stacks. This is off topic, but does anyone else have problems with the stacks coming up from the band clamp? I have to get a strong to keep them from coming up.

 

use comet kitchen cleaner with a nylon brush and the soot and road film will come right off

 

is this common with stacks or are there different grades of pipe with different grades of finish...are there ones more superior than others.

thanks