Removing / polishing tail pipes

[Nosillad]

Wanting to see if I can restore some shine back to my oval tail pipes before forking out for some new ones, does anyone have any recommendations on something chemical that will remove what looks like a few years of blackening. Also can they be simply removed to make the whole job a little easier.

Basically I'm just twiddling my thumbs before it goes off to unit20 for all the mechanicals and I need a project.

Thanks Craig

[Jim Haseltine]

If you're not scared of using a bit of the old elbow grease, Autosol*.



*Other metal polishes are available

[Woly64]

I used a whole series of Bilt Hamer wheel cleaner/gunk/petrol all with different grades of wire wool finishing off with a fine grade and some Autosol. Plished everything up with a combination of a shaped dome polisher on my drill together with mt I ended up using a very fine grade wire wool to get everything off the outside and inside. Polished them up using a cone shaped polishing head on my drill and the Dremmel for the awkward places. Came up a treat

[A20LEE]

Try oven cleaner to break down the carbon. I wouldn't recommend autosol or wire wool unless they are in pretty bad shape as they do scratch.

[Nosillad]

Thanks guys, have you done then whilst on the car or can you remove the tail pipes on their own?

[IanH755]

OEM is part of the back box and can't be removed- aftermarket is usually bolt on and can be removed.

[Nosillad]

It's OEM so that's just saved me 1/2 an hour of swearing whilst trying to work it out thanks

[Jim Haseltine]

Its an Audi - 1/2 an hour swearing is for easy jobs like topping up the washer fluid or changing wiper blades.

[IanH755]

Proper swearing is for apparently "non-essential" roadside stuff like head light bulbs etc

[MNK]

Fine wire wool, Meguiar's NXT Metal Polish and they'll be looking brand new.

[gorwanvfr]

Believe it or not but tin foil and water. I use it all the time for the chrome on my classic cars.

[Jim Haseltine]

We use the same method to remove light cigarette burns from the finish on wooden furniture.

[longman h]

Believe it or not but tin foil and water. I use it all the time for the chrome on my classic cars.

Never knew that but will definitely be giving it a go.

Thanks for the tip.

[Nosillad]

Well after trying most of the above I think the tinfoil and water got the best results, well worth a try if anyone else wants to take on the same task.

Thanks Gorwanvfr

[Farravi]

Woly, that's quite a finish you have achieved, nice