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Hi,
Thanks to the WI State troopers, my exhaust is sitting in my parents garage. I am planning on putting it back on next weekend but... Will salt hurt my polished mufflers? If it will, I'll just leave the system off until spring.
BTW, everything on my exhaust is stainless except for the flanges(which I have painted).
Thanks,
Ben
Ben ---'96 Contour GL * Zetec ATX * Tan on Black steelies---
+++JRSC M62 Under Construction+++
My big-a$$ mod list. 
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CEG road warrior
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CEG road warrior
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Polished will rust if not taken care of. 
Hector
2003 Rally Red Mitsubishi Evolution VIII
257HP/259TQ
2005 Lapis Blue Mazda 6s
RET: 00 Cabernet Red Ford Contour Zetec ATX SUPERCHARGED
160HP/141TQ
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It will actually rust?!? Stupid salt. I thought that stainless was impervious to rust. Oh well, I guess that it will be staying off until spring.
Thanks
Ben ---'96 Contour GL * Zetec ATX * Tan on Black steelies---
+++JRSC M62 Under Construction+++
My big-a$$ mod list.
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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they claim it won't rust but I know on my dad's buick he had a full stainless exaust system on it and he replaced it last year casue it rusted out... which is why I won't waste my money on stainless steel.
2003 Subaru WRX some mods
Even if you don't have the answer, you certainly have to admire the problem.
aka ZetecRacing
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Stainless will still rust unfortunately, but should hold up longer than regular steel exhaust systems.
The main thing to consider is the grade of stainless used to manufacture your exhaust will make a difference. Some have higher nickel content which should make it more resistant.
But remember that heat will increase the chemical reactions that occur.
What i would suggest is to clean the underside of your vehicle periodically during the winters when raod salt is applied in your area.
1998 2.0 GL w/auto trans
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Originally posted by FordMonkey:
Some have higher nickel content which should make it more resistant.
It is not Nickel but Chromium that makes stainless steel corrosion resistant. The Chromium Oxide layer that forms on the surfaces is continuous, adherent and insoluble. Aluminized steel also resists corrosion becaise an aluminum oxide layer forms that stabilizes the surface.
Iron or mild steel forms various iron oxides on the surface. None are adherent so they fall off exposing new surface which rapidly corrodes. The addition of Vanadium, Tungsten or Molybdenum to various steels also results in the formation of a corrosion resistant surface layer. These are not as resistant to corrosion as chromium oxide, however. Nickel improves the mechanical properties of steel, but the adherence and continuity of Nickel Oxide is marginal and the resultant corrosion resistance is limited.
There are three things to watch out for with chrome based 3xx and 4xx series stainless steels:
1. Depletion of the chromium can occur in welds reducing corrosion resistance. How many Ford (and other manufacturers) stainless steel exhausts have we seen fail in the welds? Poor welds can be brittle and crack.
2. Stainless steel is not completely resistant to chloride (salt) induced corrosion. Stainless will pit over time. However, good stainless will not rust through in 10-20 years (or longer) unless exposed to severe conditions.
3. Polishing a tarnished stainless surface will remove chrome oxide and increase the rate of material loss. You should wash stainless steel surfaces when chloride, sulfate, etc. are present, but polishing (other than for cosmetic reasons) does not help.
Hope this helps...
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Originally posted by JonsZX2SR:
Originally posted by FordMonkey:
Some have higher nickel content which should make it more resistant.
It is not Nickel but Chromium that makes stainless steel corrosion resistant. The Chromium Oxide layer that forms on the surfaces is continuous, adherent and insoluble. Aluminized steel also resists corrosion becaise an aluminum oxide layer forms that stabilizes the surface.
Iron or mild steel forms various iron oxides on the surface. None are adherent so they fall off exposing new surface which rapidly corrodes. The addition of Vanadium, Tungsten or Molybdenum to various steels also results in the formation of a corrosion resistant surface layer. These are not as resistant to corrosion as chromium oxide, however. Nickel improves the mechanical properties of steel, but the adherence and continuity of Nickel Oxide is marginal and the resultant corrosion resistance is limited.
There are three things to watch out for with chrome based 3xx and 4xx series stainless steels:
1. Depletion of the chromium can occur in welds reducing corrosion resistance. How many Ford (and other manufacturers) stainless steel exhausts have we seen fail in the welds? Poor welds can be brittle and crack.
2. Stainless steel is not completely resistant to chloride (salt) induced corrosion. Stainless will pit over time. However, good stainless will not rust through in 10-20 years (or longer) unless exposed to severe conditions.
3. Polishing a tarnished stainless surface will remove chrome oxide and increase the rate of material loss. You should wash stainless steel surfaces when chloride, sulfate, etc. are present, but polishing (other than for cosmetic reasons) does not help.
Hope this helps...
come to the midwest and test your statements... while most of which is correct... they don't just use chloride on the roads when it gets colder out the salt doesn't work so they have to go with a different chemical which no matter how good of a stainless steal you got it will rust much quicker than you would expect. on my last car my dad put stainless steal exaust on it cause he said it would last until I get a new car, and for the life time warrenty, it was installed on the car is 1993 and was then replaced in 1996 under their rust warrenty... I can't remember off the top of my head the exact number for the stainless they used but it was one of the best for resisting rust..... hard to believe I use to have the differnt numbers for all kinds of steel memorized when I was in college 
2003 Subaru WRX some mods
Even if you don't have the answer, you certainly have to admire the problem.
aka ZetecRacing
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Actually I have done research and can back up my statements... some of the materials I have worked with needed to survive hot gas flow in a jet turbine in environments where sea spray was present. I also lived in upstate NY (Albany area) and the stuff used on the roads is the same or worse than the stuff you get in the midwest. The salts usually contain a mixture of chloride and sulfates plus some organic counterions...
The problem with most stainless steel exhausts is that they are not made from stainless steel (chrome based 3xx series) but are corrosion resistant steels. The oxide layer has greater solubility than chrome oxide, especialy when chloride or sulfate are present, and dissolves at a slow but finite rate.
The second problem (which I noted) is that the welds frequently have less corrosion resistance than the steel tubing. Once you crack a joint or two the exhaust either needs an expensive repair or replacing.
Most of the problems with 'stainless steel' exhausts failing have to do with the manufacturer using a corrosion resistant alloy or aluminized steel. The terms stainless and corrosion resistant steels are frequently confused by manufacturers. The customer buys the 'stainless' exhaust figuring it will last the life of the car but it fails in 3-6 years in a harsh environment.
A true 304 or 316 stainless exhaust system with stainless welds will survive 10 or more years in the harsh environment you describe. It is unlikely the system you described was manufacturered using a chrome based stainless. It may have been manufactured from a nickel based (4xx series) low chrome alloy described in a previous post, and the results were predictable.
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Brullen says that they use 304 stainless. I'm not sure if their warannty covers rust tho. Probably not. This is from their website...
Originally posted by Brullen website:
All BRULLEN EXHAUST products are warrantied against manufacturer's defects for lifetime to the original purchaser (warrenty is non-transferable). This warranty does not apply to any exhaust product which has been damaged as a result of accidents, improper installation, or any alteration of the exhaust product during or any time after installation. This warrenty only covers the replacement of the defective product. It does not cover any costs associated with the installation of a replacement product or the shipping of the replacement product.
I'm still going to leave it off for the winter. It is most likely causing a preformance loss due to my current near-stock setupanyway.
Now that I think of it, I sent in my warranty card but never got anything back. Crap.
Thanks again for all of the info.
Later,
Ben
Ben ---'96 Contour GL * Zetec ATX * Tan on Black steelies---
+++JRSC M62 Under Construction+++
My big-a$$ mod list.
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One additional thing to check is how much of the exhaust system is 304 stainless. I have seen a few poor examples where the pipes, muffler shell and tips were stainless, and the welds were 304 compatible allol but not stainless and the flanges, hangers and internal parts were mild steel or alloy steel but not stainless. The results were predictable. The system fell apart in 4-5 years, although most of the 304 parts were tarnished but good.
If you look at the catalytic converter assembly from a '91-'96 Ford Escort you will have a good example of how a stainless exhaust should survive harsh winters. My g/f has a '93 ELX wagon (in MA) with 186K miles and I have a '95 ELX wagon (in CT) with 123K miles. I also had a '91 ELX and she has a '97 ELX wagon.
If you examine any of these, there is plenty of surface tarnish but no rust through. The flanges and welds are corroding faster than the pipes and cat shell indicating these are less corrosion resistant.
Ford has had problems with some of the catalytic converter assemblies made during the '90's. Some welds were not stainless and corroded, pitted and cracked. Usually one of the flanges or mounts broke. I think Ford has this under control, but with Ford you never know...
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