Dirty exhaust tips

AlS3BE

AlS3BE

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Started with this.
This is just after a quick wipe. The shine is the black carbon that’s wet not chrome.
Upload 2019 10 30 14 28 29


After 2 hours of scrubbing. Looks good at 3 feet away.
Upload 2019 10 30 14 30 4

Upload 2019 10 30 14 30 15

Upload 2019 10 30 14 30 25


Up close it looks pitted and some carbon deposits not coming off without completely ruining the tips.

Upload 2019 10 30 14 31 31


another thing can someone tell me which tip goes on which side.
Upload 2019 10 30 14 32 18

Upload 2019 10 30 14 32 28
 
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I'm guessing those circles on opposite sides above the Audi logo might be the side they should be on perhaps?

My tips looks a bit like that too no matter what I do, even bought a feather drill bit and tried that but there's some carbon bits I can't get rid of
 
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HertS3 said:
I'm guessing those circles on opposite sides above the Audi logo might be the side they should be on perhaps?

My tips looks a bit like that too no matter what I do, even bought a feather drill bit and tried that but there's some carbon bits I can't get rid of
Click to expand...
Didn’t even notice those circles.
Still trying to decide should I get them painted or powder coated as the chrome is in pretty bad shape.
 
They may be nothing but it seems strange that they're on opposite sides, must be for a reason.
I was contemplating powder coating too.
 
Mine were powder coated gloss black and held up really well. Also made cleaning them easier (not sure how).

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk
 
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AlS3BE said:
Started with this.
This is just after a quick wipe. The shine is the black carbon that’s wet not chrome.
View attachment 192887

After 2 hours of scrubbing. Looks good at 3 feet away.
View attachment 192888
View attachment 192889
View attachment 192890

Up close it looks pitted and some carbon deposits not coming off without completely ruining the tips.

View attachment 192891

another thing can someone tell me which tip goes on which side.
View attachment 192892
View attachment 192893
Click to expand...
Sadly the piting is beyond what any metal polishing would be able to achieve get them refurbished or buy another new set
 
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jassyo06 said:
Sadly the piting is beyond what any metal polishing would be able to achieve get them refurbished or buy another new set
Click to expand...

Will be looking for a refurbish. Quoted £55 each and I’m not even sure if that included vat.
If it was like £60-70 a set I would have got them and get them ceramic coated before putting them on but not at over £200.
 
AlS3BE said:
Will be looking for a refurbish. Quoted £55 each and I’m not even sure if that included vat.
If it was like £60-70 a set I would have got them and get them ceramic coated before putting them on but not at over £200.
Click to expand...
£200 having a laugh! Didn't someone on here plastidip theirs black? I recall they looked good.
 
S32B said:
£200 having a laugh! Didn't someone on here plastidip theirs black? I recall they looked good.
Click to expand...
£220 possibly + vat. Told the parts guy to keep it :wink:
Gonna look into getting it done since it’s off the car. Fancy giving hydrodipping a go.
Was wanting the mirror caps done carbon fibre so see how much it will cost doing the tailpipes as well
 
craigpanthercrystal said:
What about high temp enamel spray? I’m anal with my car but I’m sure I can achieve a good enough finish with exhaust tips.
Click to expand...

As jassy said if it’s pitted and the finish is damaged then they are beyond fixing. No point polishing a ****, it will still look like a ****.
I think that’s the best result I can achieve with mine without it getting painted, powder coated or refinished somehow. Still looks good at 3 feet away. You really need to be a few inches away to see the imperfections.
 
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craigpanthercrystal said:
How much did it cost to get them coated? I like the idea of gloss but was worried. Any pics?
Click to expand...
Sorry for poor quality, had to dig through my archives as no longer have the car. But I was very pleased with the result, was pretty cheap too.
e11738d2d69ff0821a3d16e246b206a8.jpg


Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk
 
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Does anyone else see the irony in painting something black that was black in the first place. . . . albeit soot.
:whistle2:
 
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Neil C said:
Does anyone else see the irony in painting something black that was black in the first place. . . . albeit soot.
:whistle2:
Click to expand...

the soot wasn’t evenly spread across the chrome. This annoyed my ocd:wink:
 
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AlS3BE said:
£220 possibly + vat. Told the parts guy to keep it :wink:
Gonna look into getting it done since it’s off the car. Fancy giving hydrodipping a go.
Was wanting the mirror caps done carbon fibre so see how much it will cost doing the tailpipes as well
Click to expand...
I got quoted £50-60 plus VAT, I assume they meant for all 4 exhausts!
 
HertS3 said:
I got quoted £50-60 plus VAT, I assume they meant for all 4 exhausts!
Click to expand...

It’s each and there’s 4. £50-60 gets you a couple of nuts and bolts from Audi :wink:
At £50-60 a set I would have ordered a set and another spare set for next year :wink:
 
Not to sound like a teacher, but there is a lesson here. If you want to keep your chrome tips to keep their original finish, you have to use a chrome polish like Autosol at least once a month. Mine are almost 3 years old and look like new.
 
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Flying Scotsman said:
Not to sound like a teacher, but there is a lesson here. If you want to keep your chrome tips to keep their original finish, you have to use a chrome polish like Autosol at least once a month. Mine are almost 3 years old and look like new.
Click to expand...
.........correct BUT if you buy the car used it's more than likeley the damage will all ready be done.
 
Flying Scotsman said:
Not to sound like a teacher, but there is a lesson here. If you want to keep your chrome tips to keep their original finish, you have to use a chrome polish like Autosol at least once a month. Mine are almost 3 years old and look like new.
Click to expand...
Last 4 Audi’s I’ve had never had this problem. All it took was a quick wipe every time I cleaned the car. Last one was 3 years old with 50+k and tailpipe looked new.
 
craigpanthercrystal said:
What about high temp enamel spray? I’m anal with my car but I’m sure I can achieve a good enough finish with exhaust tips.
Click to expand...

AlS3BE said:
Last 4 Audi’s I’ve had never had this problem. All it took was a quick wipe every time I cleaned the car. Last one was 3 years old with 50+k and tailpipe looked new.
Click to expand...

I have used the "high temp enamel spray" with an etch-primer first (8P RS3) and quite successfully, I think:

Black exhaust treatment 1


Black exhaust treatment


I purchased both the "Aerosol Black Etch Primer Galvanised Steel" @£10.50 and "K2 Pro BLACK GLOSS Car Caliper Brake Protective Heat Resistant 260°C Spray Paint" @ £7.98 from Amazon: hope this helps...
 
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45bvtc said:
I have used the "high temp enamel spray" with an etch-primer first (8P RS3) and quite successfully, I think:

View attachment 192921

View attachment 192922

I purchased both the "Aerosol Black Etch Primer Galvanised Steel" @£10.50 and "K2 Pro BLACK GLOSS Car Caliper Brake Protective Heat Resistant 260°C Spray Paint" @ £7.98 from Amazon: hope this helps...
Click to expand...
That's really helpful, can you please enlighten the noobs among us (myself included) exactly how you did it? May follow your footsteps if I can get that result. Also can you let us know how long you've had the coating on so far? I'm wondering how resilient it is.
 
I have a similar problem on my GTI, not sure how i'd go about getting them refurbed, would it be worth buying a new pair?
 
AlS3BE said:
It’s each and there’s 4. £50-60 gets you a couple of nuts and bolts from Audi :wink:
At £50-60 a set I would have ordered a set and another spare set for next year :wink:
Click to expand...

Cheaper to buy new. There was a group but discount in the trade section a while ago.
 
Mine are just filthy sooty black and will probably stay like that. shame on me.
 
Damo S said:
Mine are just filthy sooty black and will probably stay like that. shame on me.
Click to expand...

part of me wished I didn’t start cleaning them as they were completely black not the pitted chrome they are now.
 
HertS3 said:
That's really helpful, can you please enlighten the noobs among us (myself included) exactly how you did it? May follow your footsteps if I can get that result. Also can you let us know how long you've had the coating on so far? I'm wondering how resilient it is.
Click to expand...

Apologies for the delay:

OK, starting in a similar state to those shown by AIS3BE: flat all over with 600wet and dry taking extra care on the to-be-visible surfaces.

1) Ensure the surface is clean and dry

2) Shake Aerosol Black Etch Primer can for 2 minutes prior to use

3) Hold aerosol 10 to 12 inches from the surface and apply with an even motion

4) Invert can and spray clean the nozzle - as per with any aerosol spray can

5) Touch dry in 40 to 50 minutes

6) De-nib/flat with 600wet and dry and recoat if necessary

7) Ensure the surface is clean and dry

8) Shake K2 Pro BLACK GLOSS Car Caliper Brake Paint for 2 minutes prior to use

9) Hold aerosol 10 to 12 inches from the surface and apply with an even motion

10) Apply 2-3 layers at intervals of 10 min

11) Invert can and spray clean the nozzle - as per with any aerosol spray can

12) Touch dry in 40 to 50 minutes

13) Give 'em another hour and re-fit.

As for "I'm wondering how resilient it is" my coating has been on 3-years now and over-sprayed once with K2 Pro Black Gloss when minor surface issues around the rolled exit-lips were noticed.

For sure if you don't get it right first time it is oh so easy to retry.
 
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AlS3BE said:
s3 exhausts isn’t round. They are slightly oval.
Looked at aftermarket options and none would fit or looked good.
Click to expand...
just find for your model easy ,..
 
Well decided to refit them and get them powder coated for the summer. It’s gonna get banged up a bit over winter salt and grit anyway.
Upload 2019 11 1 11 2 25

looks good from a few feet away.

for those who are interested the part ending 825 is left side if you looking from the back and 826 is right side.
 
Last edited:
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AlS3BE said:
part of me wished I didn’t start cleaning them as they were completely black not the pitted chrome they are now.
Click to expand...

I looked at mine the other day and they werent actually that dirty (nut not very shiney). The guy at the car wash must have blasted them with the jet wash as I'm sure they were much worse.
 
AlS3BE said:
Last 4 Audi’s I’ve had never had this problem. All it took was a quick wipe every time I cleaned the car. Last one was 3 years old with 50+k and tailpipe looked new.
Click to expand...

Same here, No that I clean them very often, but PFL 1.8 tips still rubbed up like new after three years. FL S3 tips pitted to burgery after 12 months.
Audi refused to replace them under warranty.
 
Matt Titanium said:
Same here, No that I clean them very often, but PFL 1.8 tips still rubbed up like new after three years. FL S3 tips pitted to burgery after 12 months.
Audi refused to replace them under warranty.
Click to expand...
I did ask the dealer they said it’s cosmetic so not covered. My argument was if it was the alloys corroding and lacquer peeling you would replace them or refurb them. The guy couldn’t argue that.
 
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