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      03-22-2013, 03:13 PM   #1
ajw45
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KKS Titanium Exhaust and rust???

I've had the KKS titanium exhaust on for about 2 weeks and just today I noticed what looks like rust on the tips! As I understand it, titanium doesn't rust (well, it does but oxidizes to a white color) so this seems like something else but whatever it is it doesn't just wipe off and looks to be actually pitting the metal. KKS recommends just polishing the tips but this seems like something that shouldn't be needed or even happening for a titanium exhaust. First pic was from about a week ago (no rust, like new) and the other pics are from this morning. If it was rust I would expect to see it all over, not just on the very end of the tips.....
Any thoughts?

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      03-22-2013, 03:21 PM   #2
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are these new or did you buy them used?
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      03-22-2013, 03:25 PM   #3
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I'd be pissed, and your left tips stick out more than the right
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      03-22-2013, 03:37 PM   #4
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Brand new direct from Germany! I was super pissed this morning when I noticed it but I'm trying to be rational.... and yes, one side sticks out about 2cm more than the other which is weird because the RPIs I took off were aligned perfectly.....
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      03-22-2013, 03:41 PM   #5
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it might be internal coatings that are burning off.
new mufflers usually have a sealant sprayed onto the insulation. (keeps in place during mfg & shipping)
thats why systems usually mellow out aftre a break in stage.

..it looks nasty but it may just buff out and not come back after break in.

IIRC someone else has these cans, you could PM him to see if he had the same thing.
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      03-22-2013, 03:43 PM   #6
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Wow!

Nothing like this with the exhaust that was on before right?

Does a magnet stick to the tips? It shouldn't if these are ti.

Didn't see anything like that on Dorifto's car. I'll contact him and see if he can provide input.

Last edited by Finnegan; 03-22-2013 at 04:41 PM..
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      03-22-2013, 03:59 PM   #7
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KKS did say they had seen this once before and that after a polish it should never happen again so the coating thing makes sense. It looks pretty bad but I'll hit it with a magnet tonight and maybe see if I can find someone to mirror polish the tips....

Thanks!!!!
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      03-22-2013, 04:13 PM   #8
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My company manufacturers stainless tank trailers. If when bending cutting or grinding the material any carbon steel tooling is used the carbon from the tool will get into the stainless and then rust. I have had customers call me to say their stainless tank is rusting. While a theory, I would expect the same could happen to titanium and I wonder if when finishing the end of the exhaust a carbon steel tool was used.

As I have told my customers, go to Lowes and get some Naval Jelly, it comes in a small container, maybe 8 oz. It has nitric acid in it. Go home, wait for exhaust to cool, wipe a small amount on small area on the bottom side, let it sit on there for 15 minutes and wipe it off. I would try this in an area not normally seen as I have no idea if this will discolor titanium. It will take the rust off. If it works continue to other areas.

Once you get rid of the carbon particles it won't come back. If you don't mind waiting (maybe many months) there is a good chance the rust will get rid of itself and be gone.

Edit - on a side note, I have a stainless steel mailbox made out of pretty low grade stainless. Every winter it gets small rust spots on it, every spring I use Naval Jelly. We sometimes forget and put a pan that is steel and some rust on the bottom of it in our stainless sink that causes rust stains. I also use the Naval Jelly and it takes the stains right off.

Last edited by David70; 03-22-2013 at 04:19 PM..
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      03-22-2013, 04:23 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David70 View Post
My company manufacturers stainless tank trailers. If when bending cutting or grinding the material any carbon steel tooling is used the carbon will get into the metal and then rust. I have had customers call me to say their stainless tank is rusting. While a theory I would expect the same could happen to titanium and I wonder if when finishing the end of the exhaust a carbon steel tool was used.

As I have told my customers, go to Lowes and get some Naval Jelly, it comes in a small container, maybe 8 oz. It has nitric acid in it. Go home, wait for exhaust to cool, wipe a small amount on small area on the bottom side, let it sit on there for 15 minutes and wipe it off. I would try this in an area not normally seen as I have no idea if this will discolor titanium. It will take the rust off. If it works continue to other areas.

Once you get rid of the carbon particles it won't come back.
This. That stuff is magic. It is good for any rusting components.
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      03-22-2013, 04:39 PM   #10
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David70's reply makes a lot of sense. Especially given the corrosion is on the smoothed rounded edges of the tips where there would be a lot of machining.

Good tips as well for stainless. Thanks!
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      03-22-2013, 05:01 PM   #11
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I'd still be super pissed off after paying a premium for titanium! Shouldn't happen at all and if does from time to time, the manufacturer should have better answers for customers with this problem.
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      03-22-2013, 05:04 PM   #12
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Spoke with Dorifto. No corrosion or rust on his KKS ever. If David is correct (think he is) it points to a quality control/clean-up step that was missed in production IMO. Agree with Jrainlay 100% as well.
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      03-22-2013, 06:35 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johanness View Post
I'd be pissed, and your left tips stick out more than the right
My doctor said that everybody's does...
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      03-22-2013, 08:45 PM   #14
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Have KKS for under 2 mos.

Noted a little bit of what OP has experienced but at a very minimal level.

Wiped it off with a moist rag and haven't seen it since.
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      03-22-2013, 10:20 PM   #15
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I have freckle rust on my Diablos; awesome tip about the Naval Jelly. FWIW, looks like OP lives in cold climate (I'm on phone and can't see location). Of course Cali folk won't get the rust that folks get from driving on salt all winter. I lived in Cali last year and no rust like I'm getting this year in Idaho.
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      03-23-2013, 12:50 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GammaZeta View Post
My doctor said that everybody's does...
LOL. But seriously... the uneven exhaust tips look kinda funky. That would piss me off too!
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      03-25-2013, 03:06 PM   #17
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Thanks guys, I think David70 was right on! It took a little work but a few minutes with a scrubbing pad managed to get off most of the gunk and some polishing should have them looking brand new. The rest of the exhaust is in great shape so the theory that it's just a break in thing sounds good. That said, I've never had an exhaust that needed polishing right after it's first use so I'm not super happy with that experience from KKS.....
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      03-25-2013, 03:12 PM   #18
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hmmmm ajw from some of the pics i can see the metal has actually pitted where you've removed the rust, now on a 500 bucks set of cans id be ok... maybe... on a 3k set??? HELL no... imo this still isnt acceptable.... just my 2 pennies worth!! you can see the leading edge has actually damaged to the finish./metal, the last 2 pics clearly show this, send these mofos BACK imo.
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      03-25-2013, 03:24 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beedub View Post
hmmmm ajw from some of the pics i can see the metal has actually pitted where you've removed the rust, now on a 500 bucks set of cans id be ok... maybe... on a 3k set??? HELL no... imo this still isnt acceptable.... just my 2 pennies worth!! you can see the leading edge has actually damaged to the finish./metal, the last 2 pics clearly show this, send these mofos BACK imo.
I'm not so sure Beedub. I think it might be the stones in the reflection of the sheen of metal. I work with Ti metals and they are not prone to ever getting pitted via carbon dust rusting.

Maybe pix with a smooth surface will provide a better example ? I personally feel folks are over reacting a bit. You'll be cleaning or polishing off carbon soon enough anyway if you drive her hard and right !!
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      03-25-2013, 08:11 PM   #20
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That just looks like the metal cracking due to the forming process. Sheet Ti is difficult to form tight bends. But there is no excuse for the shorter tip. I would have red tagged that bad boy.
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      03-25-2013, 10:23 PM   #21
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I don't think it is pitted as it wouldn't make sense for the titanium to pit under normal conditions, even in a salty, wet winter. I do agree with the above and the difficulty in forming titanium, especially the edges.

I would try the Naval Jelly on the underside of the tips (where you can't see it) before I started polishing. Once you polish (or keep scrubbing it) a section it will be shiny while the rest will be brushed. Once one section is polished the only way to make all of it match would be to polish all of it.

Naval Jelly is very cheap and easy (far easier than polishing) why not try it first?

If I was right about them using steel tools (or tools that had been used on steel, I don't think it is the end of the world, mistakes happen and wrong tools are occasionally used but I am surprised they didn't understand what may have caused it. You may want to do them a favor and question them about it. The company I work for (not my company) understands these problems pretty well.
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      03-25-2013, 11:39 PM   #22
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I would have these already packaged and on the way back. And Id be super unglued.
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