Chrome falling off the muffler

[pozi240]

The factory muffler (and tips) on our cars is T409 grade stainless (very hard and decent). It is NOT chrome. Rather, the tips have a high polish to them. What you see happening is dirt and carbon deposits that have been allowed to sit too long on a very hot exhaust. A lot of the suggestions in here will work, but, at this point, you need to get aggressive with it. I have used actual wet/dry sandpaper in various grits (start with medium grit - 400 or 600) and work up or down depending if it is coming off. Once it comes off (and it will), then get out the "NeverDull" or Flitz, etc and start polishing it up.
When driving aggressively (HPDE or track days), I will clean and wipe off the tips right afterwards to prevent this type of thing. I've detailed many nice cars for friends and colleagues (997/ 991 , M4's, C63's etc etc), and I've seen this type of build up and worse. Sometimes you swear its coming from underneath, but, with 409 stainless, that is impossible. Frustrating, but, you can't hurt the stainless tip getting aggressive with it. Just have to polish out the scratches afterwards.
You should be at least wiping out the exhaust tips after almost every long drive (I know, a minor pain but........), and this will never happen.

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[adeuel]

Here’s a close I’m up in mine

This looks exactly like mine after a day on the track.
Congrats on using your vehicle as designed! lol
The first post on the third page is your answer.

 

[DFB5.0]

You should be at least wiping out the exhaust tips after almost every long drive (I know, a minor pain but........), and this will never happen.

Not pointing fingers at anyone here, it's something that I have noticed over the 20+ years I've been detailing cars, but so many "car guys" forget that exhaust tips need cleaning too.

And I mean that from the perspective that he/she has gone to the trouble of washing their car, making the paint shiny, the wheels clean and tires dressed, but then don't bother to clean the tips. As such, on an otherwise clean and shiny car, the carboned-up exhaust tips end up standing out like dog's balls. And it's not like it takes much effort to give them a quick once over after washing your wheels.

For exhaust tips, I wash them during the wheel cleaning step. I'll rinse them down, spray a little wheel cleaner on them (usually Brake Buster), then agitate with a brush or microfiber wheel mitt. Do that on a regular basis and you really won't need to use heavy metal polishes or steel wool.

Periodically, say every 6 months, I'll swap to P21S Polishing Soap. This is a nice middle ground between a soap and a heavy metal polish, lightly polishing and deep cleaning in one step.

P21S Polishing Soap | Metal Polishing Soap | Obsessed Garage

After that, I will recoat the tips with Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat, which is a high temperature metal sealant which helps prevent carbon staining.

Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse

Another option for carbon staining is to use Stoner's Tarminator. This is solvent used to remove bug and tar deposits, but it also works extremely well for carboned exhaust tips. Be sure to spray the product into the towel and not onto the tip itself.

Stoner Tarminator - 10oz (Aerosol) | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse

 

[WD Pro]

I agree entirely on exhaust tips

No point having the best looking girl in town, if she can’t wipe her arse properly …

WD

 

[pozi240]

Not pointing fingers at anyone here, it's something that I have noticed over the 20+ years I've been detailing cars, but so many "car guys" forget that exhaust tips need cleaning too.

And I mean that from the perspective that he/she has gone to the trouble of washing their car, making the paint shiny, the wheels clean and tires dressed, but then don't bother to clean the tips. As such, on an otherwise clean and shiny car, the carboned-up exhaust tips end up standing out like dog's balls. And it's not like it takes much effort to give them a quick once over after washing your wheels.

For exhaust tips, I wash them during the wheel cleaning step. I'll rinse them down, spray a little wheel cleaner on them (usually Brake Buster), then agitate with a brush or microfiber wheel mitt. Do that on a regular basis and you really won't need to use heavy metal polishes or steel wool.

Periodically, say every 6 months, I'll swap to P21S Polishing Soap. This is a nice middle ground between a soap and a heavy metal polish, lightly polishing and deep cleaning in one step.

P21S Polishing Soap | Metal Polishing Soap | Obsessed Garage

After that, I will recoat the tips with Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat, which is a high temperature metal sealant which helps prevent carbon staining.

Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse

Another option for carbon staining is to use Stoner's Tarminator. This is solvent used to remove bug and tar deposits, but it also works extremely well for carboned exhaust tips. Be sure to spray the product into the towel and not onto the tip itself.

Stoner Tarminator - 10oz (Aerosol) | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse

This right here!
Excellent points and I use most of those products as well. You nailed it on the comparison, never ceases to amaze me how many “nice” cars come into my garage for paint correction and the exhaust tips are black with carbon build up.

 

[MAGS1]

A timely video from Adams Polishes…

 

[Joe B.]

It's nice to know what the tips are actually made of before attacking them with some kind of abrasive. If they are chrome (and many are/were) as the o/p thought, abrasive is not a good thing. Paint them black.

 

[Rael]

I use Windex. (But I'm not driving on salted or snowy roads.)

 

[WildHorse]

Acetone works great.

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