What is better for weathering purposes on exhaust stacks...Stainless Steel or Chrome?
Thanks
Scott

 

Inconel....

 

I would go with the polished stainless steel.

 

I'd vote for Stainless. Chrome is usually just a plating...

 

Go stainless. Chrome will rust.

Trevor

 

The only reason I could think for going chrome is that if you look at a stainless exhaust pipe, it looks rusty, even though it isn't. Stainless has a tendency to turn reddish brown when heated. My 04 exhaust is stainless, and it looks very rusty, but isn't. If we were talking some kind of trim, I would say definitely polished stainless, but and exhaust cover might be better in chrome.

 

I suppose you have a better coating by the preceding name....where can I get more info?
Scott

 

That's no joke; I got "stainless steel exhaust" and it turned brownish where hotter. Maybe polish wil get rid of it for a while, but eventually it will come back, the installers said.

 

It might change color, but you never have to replace it, it won't rust like chrome. A chrome pipe will have to be replaced in 5 years or so. Stainless won't.

Trevor

 

Chrome will rust sooner.....or later.

 

Inconel is an alloy usually used in marine diesel exhaust systems. Most marine diesels use a wet exhaust system in which the cooling water from the raw water side of the system dumps into the exhaust and flows out. When this process happens, the sulphur dioxide (SO2) in the exhaust combines with the water (H2O) to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4). Inconel is impervious to it and most other corrosives.

I realize this was a rather long-winded way to say "the stuff don't corrode", but at least now you know why I say it.

 

On stacks, chrome. You could replace them 3 times for the price of stainless. If it is in the box type of stacks. With the right care the chrome will last for upwards of 25 years, as long as you will need it. Stainless unpolish looks bad, chrome will always look good if you take care of it.

 

Why would you want to replace it 3 times?

One thing to keep in mind, there are different qualities or grades of chrome and stainless steel.

A really good chrome (like on the bumper of my F-150) will not rust for years upon years (goin on 10 now and it's still shiny like new). A bad chrome can rust in a few weeks.

A good stainless steel will never rust or corrode. The stainless steel latter in my pool will never rust ever, it's been sitting in a pool for 25 years and still has the same look it did when it was new. There is no difference where the water line is either (not all of the latter has been in water for 25 years). Now a bad stainless steel (like you might find on a cheap knife at walmart) will rust, usually its a stainless steel coating over plain steel, but there are other grades/qualities. The stainless steel on a typical exhaust system will never rust like the walmart knives will, but it's not a very high grade so it will discolor. It could be partly from the heat, but it is also from the environment it is in (water, salt..etc etc). A high grade stainless steel (like on a $600 set of headers) will not rust, corrode, change color from heat, or discolor.

One thing not to do is have chrome touching stainless steel....it'll corrode both. My siderails are from putco, it's a stainless steel pipe but the ends on them are chrome. I didn't know this when buying or I never would have bought them, but the chrome part is almost all corroded now and the stainless steel next to the chrome is corroded.

 

Like Pikachu said Inconel or Monel, Won't rust and will take HIGH heat!

Special Metals, Huntington, WV
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