Free Exhaust Find - Rust Advice?

Post by **Eddystone** » 31 Jul 2020, 17:40

I just picked up a full cat-back exhaust system for my 1998 V70 for free. It's a Bosal system made out of aluminized steel. Looks to be not much used and has been stored in someone's attic for about five years. So, it is pretty clean, but there is rust in the usual areas where the welds are and som on the tank itself. I think it is entirely exterior surface rust. I don't need it presently and am thinking about brushing off the rust and painting it with some silver Rustoleum High Heat paint which is inexpensive and supposedly good for intermittent temps up to 2000 degrees.

Has anyone tried this before? I'm not sure I want to go through neutralizing the rust with muriatic acid or any of that stuff...

Post by **Sveedy** » 31 Jul 2020, 18:35

I would check out Eastwood. com. I've used quite a few of their products and have not been disappointed.

Post by **scot850** » 31 Jul 2020, 23:03

I have to say, so far most of the products I find here in NA for rust protection are crap (sorry for being so blunt). All I can suggest is to clean it as best you can, try some rust converter and then paint with high temp muffler paint.

I find that most mufflers rust from the inside out. They store condensation internally and unless thoroughly warmed up they stay damp inside. What you are seeing on the outside may be what is coming through from the inside.

Neil.

Post by **Eddystone** » 01 Aug 2020, 10:52

scot850 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2020, 23:03 What you are seeing on the outside may be what is coming through from the inside.
Neil.

I don't think so, Neil. I blew really hard into one end, and it had really good tone.

Actually, I think it is okay. One of the advantages of buying used parts somewhere other than Calgary. Things actually do warm up.

If not, I'll be tripping over it for the next three years only to find it's bad...

Post by **scot850** » 01 Aug 2020, 11:14

I truly hope so. If you have room they are not too terrible to install on a FWD car. At to the storage stash in the hope that some day you will use it. I have a huge pile of stuff just like that!!

Treating it makes sense before storing it as it will hopefully slow down any storage rust creep.

Neil.

Post by **Eddystone** » 01 Aug 2020, 14:07

Sveedy wrote: ↑31 Jul 2020, 18:35 I would check out Eastwood. com. I've used quite a few of their products and have not been disappointed.

They make a lot of good products. I used to go to their primary store for materials and specialized tools when I was dealing with rotting MGs.

Post by **Eddystone** » 01 Aug 2020, 14:10

scot850 wrote: ↑01 Aug 2020, 11:14 I truly hope so. If you have room they are not too terrible to install on a FWD car. At to the storage stash in the hope that some day you will use it. I have a huge pile of stuff just like that!!

Treating it makes sense before storing it as it will hopefully slow down any storage rust creep.

Neil.

All the high temperature paints want you to cure them by heating the exhaust up on the car, so that will have to wait. In the meantime, I think I will just wire brush off anything that is lose and give it a blast with whatever I have around and then store it.

850oldschool · Post by **850oldschool** » 01 Aug 2020, 15:30

Every Bosal muffler I've ever bought has had rust on the welds right out of the box.

Post by **Eddystone** » 02 Aug 2020, 14:37

850oldschool wrote: ↑01 Aug 2020, 15:30 Every Bosal muffler I've ever bought has had rust on the welds right out of the box.

I took a wire brush to it this morning, and it was all just surface rust. The welds always burn through the galvanization or aluminization. I think Bosal makes two grades of mild steel and one SS system. A light brushing took off all the rust, and I just hit it with some 500 degree gray engine paint I had in the basement. Didn't acid etch the rust or prime. Just want it to stay as it is in my attic until I need it someday. Hey, it was free...