Exhaust cleaning with woolie

[ChasKSC]

Hello again! Your friendly neighborhood semi-newbie to detailing.

 

Today in celebration of the first day of spring, I did a full detail on my car. I cleaned the exhaust with APC and the wheel woolie as described in the YouTube video. I bought it from the dealership back in the fall and it's a new to me sedan. My issue is, I only saw some slight change and not at all like the drastic change in the video. Any tips on what might work? 

 

More importantly, as in the video, I did rinse off the exhaust tip. I didn't shove the hose into the pipe, but did run water two or three inches inside the pipe, and it was directly from the hose, not the pressure nozzle. The car was on a flat surface. The water barely ran out. It's not sitting in the pipe from what I can tell. After reading online I'm concerned it ran deeper into the exhaust and might damage the engine. I didn't drive the car after, and it'll sit overnight. Is that a real concern or am I just being paranoid lol. 

 

Thanks everyone

[Norton]

1 hour ago, ChasKSC said:

Today in celebration of the first day of spring, I did a full detail on my car. I cleaned the exhaust with APC and the wheel woolie as described in the YouTube video. I bought it from the dealership back in the fall and it's a new to me sedan. My issue is, I only saw some slight change and not at all like the drastic change in the video. Any tips on what might work? 

 

More importantly, as in the video, I did rinse off the exhaust tip. I didn't shove the hose into the pipe, but did run water two or three inches inside the pipe, and it was directly from the hose, not the pressure nozzle. The car was on a flat surface. The water barely ran out. It's not sitting in the pipe from what I can tell. After reading online I'm concerned it ran deeper into the exhaust and might damage the engine. I didn't drive the car after, and it'll sit overnight. Is that a real concern or am I just being paranoid lol. 

In my experience, exhaust tips need a bit more "elbow grease" than you get with a woolie and APC.  I've gotten better results hand polishing with Metal Polish and Edgeless Utility Towels.  For heavily-soiled/stained tips, quicker and easier results are possible with mechanical solutions that, unfortunately, Adam's doesn't offer.  

 

I wouldn't worry too much about water in the exhaust, as long as we're not talking about a lot of it.  One of the ingredients of exhaust itself is water, albeit vaporized water.  Moreover, the exhaust sits lower than the engine, so engine damage is unlikely.  All of that said, I recommend either inclining the car with the tailend down when rinsing the exhaust, or taking it for a drive when you're done.

Edited March 21, 2021 by Norton

[BRZN]

 Newer vehicle? You've most likely got a stainless steel exhaust; it's not going to rust. The engine sits higher than the exhaust tips; you're not going to get water into the engine, the water will run out. Start the vehicle up to blow any remaining water from the exhaust.

 

If you wash the tips weekly, every time you wash, you may get away with just the Woolie and APC. If they have a build up of soot use 0000 Steel Wool with a lubricant. Anything from WD-40, to Metal Polish, to APC, to Glass Cleaner.

[Rich]

I use one of those "balls" that goes on the end of the drill and Metal Polish to do my tips on both cars.  Works for me.

[ChasKSC]

 

6 hours ago, BRZN said:

 Newer vehicle? You've most likely got a stainless steel exhaust; it's not going to rust. The engine sits higher than the exhaust tips; you're not going to get water into the engine, the water will run out. Start the vehicle up to blow any remaining water from the exhaust.

 

If you wash the tips weekly, every time you wash, you may get away with just the Woolie and APC. If they have a build up of soot use 0000 Steel Wool with a lubricant. Anything from WD-40, to Metal Polish, to APC, to Glass Cleaner.

 

Thanks everyone! Yeah it's a 2017 year, so I'm assuming it's stainless steel. I know it's not chrome, and there's no fancy tip on it that I added, or I'm assuming the dealership added.  I started it when I was done, and seemed fine but didn't drive it far, just back into the garage. 

[Norton]

3 hours ago, Rich said:

I use one of those "balls" that goes on the end of the drill and Metal Polish to do my tips on both cars.  Works for me.

I, similarly, use one of those "cones" that goes on the end of a drill, along with metal polish. 

 

Be nice if Adam's offered some of those "balls" and/or "cones" for this...

[RayS]

I also use the APC and Wooley for the well maintained exhaust tips and like the metal polish.  For the vehicles that need more attention, I use one of the cones that is starting to get worn out.  Maybe Adam's will have one before I need to replace the one I am currently using.