Side Pipe Rusted

[Gumball]

Well, this was quite a surprise. I always tried to be careful when running the car to ensure that the exhaust gets really hot and burns off any moisture, but apparently that didn't do the trick...... Pipes have been on the engine for about four years and there was lots of starting/stopping back in the go-kart stage for a couple years and now they have 7,600 miles on them in two summers. I have noticed, particularly after winter storage (in my dry and heated shop) that lots of rusty debris - maybe steel wool packing or just flakes from the inside of the pipes - blows out on first-start.

My pipes date back to 2009 when I picked up my kit. Within a few weeks of getting them home, I took them and the four-into-four headers to a local shop and had them ceramic coated. Although they coated the inside of the pipes as best as they could, that certainly doesn't include the muffler section. Sure enough, about 1/3 of the way from the front of the wider muffler section, I noticed some pin-holes with rust bubbling out and an actual hole in the bottom of the pipe that is about the size of a pea.

Oh well, now is the time to make the sound a bit more mellow, I guess. So, it looks like I have to make a choice from the following alternative - your thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

1) Repair the existing pipes by cutting out the muffler section and weld in a new pair of mufflers, followed by re-coating.
2) New (or used) set of FFR standard pipes and coat them black.
3) Stainless pipes from FFR.
4) Gas-N pipes.

I've always liked the old-school look of the black side pipes, but I'm considering the polished stainless ones for something different. Even if I go with those, I can always coat them later if I decide I prefer the black.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20170606_173646402_zpsi7crrywp.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20170606_173646402_zpsi7crrywp.jpg.html)

[NukeMMC]

My steel sidepipes were ceramic coated during my build. Here I am with about 5500 miles on the car in under 2 seasons with pretty much the same thing happening. The elbow right behind the front tires is getting sandblasted by road debris and is now showing a brownish patina (rust). I have a set of the Flowmasters I have started assembling to a set of used FFR stainless sidepipes. I am trying to figure out if I will just have them blasted when I am done (rather have the matte finish than the shiny) or get them ceramic coated. Once I put them on, I might rip apart my steel ones and make mew pipes with them, kind of a rotating pool of sidepipes.

[GoDadGo]

Gentlemen,

What about cutting the mufflers off and replacing them with stainless glass packs, then recoating them?

http://www.jegs.com/i/Dynomax/289/24241/10002/-1

Of course, you'd need a good shop to do the work, but it might be a viable solution.

Steve

[Olli]

Gas-N pipes. Love 'em.

Olli

[Derald Rice]

My original set of coated pipes lasted 8 years before the packing blew out

My second set, homemade with lobak mufflers and coated, lasted 8 years before rust through.

My third recently installed set, Gas n pipes , have the best appearance, but are too quiet. Wife thinks they are just right.

Be prepared to buy the wedges if you go with gas n pipes.

[Erik W. Treves]

http://classicchambered.com/

flow and sound great and are cheap!

there is even a step by step retrofit slide show that came from this forum

[Gumball]

So.... I took the easy way out and called George at Gas-N Pipes and ordered a new set of his polished stainless steel side pipes today. I'm going to see how they look and, if I don't like the bling, have them ceramic coated satin black.

Pics to follow of this upgrade.

[avgjoe]

I saw the purdy new pipes. Nice!

Plans for the old pipes?