Replace my chrome exhaust or paint it satin black?

[twade76]

My current exhaust muffler is a bit rusty and has a couple of minor dents, I'm looking at options and I reckon there's two:

1. buy a new one (relatively cheap so not too worried about cost)
2. give the existing one a new coat of paint, I think satin black may hide the imperfections a bit.

what does the forum think?

 

[cklamer]

Pictures?
How bad is it?

 

[twade76]

Too dark outside for pic's at the mo, I'll get a couple uploaded tomorrow.

The dents aren't too bad, and to be honest I'm not that bothered by them.

It's more the generally tarnished look of the muffler, I do like chrome but I figure that the black will be easier to keep looking decent.

 

[cklamer]

Okay here is a little trick of the trade to try before you do anything else.
Take a piece of regular tin foil (like you cook with) and fold it (do not wad) in to a small square about the size of a piece of sandpaper you might use.
Then get a small plastic bowl poor a little regular Coke in it and then dip the tin foil in the coke.
Then take the flat square of tin foil and go straight back and forth firm pressure on the exhaust and see what happens.
Then wash the coke off and polish.
It may help it may not but doesn't hurt to try.
May clean that chrome right up.

 

[pjams]

If you may be considering painting them I'd suggest a black ceramic coating instead. Tough and it isn't going to rust. But chrome can be kept up with 0000 steel wool and some care. That's how I keep rust off my chrome exhausts.

 

[twade76]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try giving the can a clean-up and see how it looks before resorting to paint or a new one.

 

[2_DONE_THE_TON]

Painting over chrome doesnt work.youll need to sandblast it off them paint it.

 

[jvandyke]

I'm a noob at this stuff but I have dechromed stuff with muriatic acid, eats it right off, then it's easy to scuff/prep/prime/paint but of course exhaust gets roaring hot so not just any old stuff will work.