White tip of exhaust pipe

[mick taylor]

Just looking at the wife's car exhaust tips today and around the outside edge is a white crud build up, just touch it and off it comes easy as like but very powdery like on my fingers.

The inside of the pipes has never been anything ever than totally clean, never black or any soot by wiping your finger.
Not to mention never uses a drop of oil ever but 1mm on the stick in 10,000KM if that.

She uses Woolworths E10 fuel in it.

[sgj66]

Jees mick I think her car has a drug problem

[Bossxr8]

Coolant getting into the combustion chamber?

[simon varley]

what car? what engine?

[jpd80]

Probably from condensation deposits as exhaust cools to ambient

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by simon varley

what car? what engine?

2011 Toyota Aurion 3.5L V6 160,000km.

The Radiator coolant is fine and all.

First time I have seen this white stuff around both of the exhaust tips.

It still has the original spark plugs in it and runs fine as ever.

Why would condensation be any different now to make a difference at the pipe like that.

I will wipe it off and see what happens then.

[b0son]

White residue is ash so you're burning something with mineral contamination in it. Run your tank to empty and fill up somewhere else and compare.

[Late braker]

Perhaps a tank of 98?

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by b0son

White residue is ash so you're burning something with mineral contamination in it. Run your tank to empty and fill up somewhere else and compare.

I will keep an eye on it.

For my dirt bike I fill on Gerry tanks with 98 octane for it and once had got a fuel that smelt different and got splash on my fact and arm a bit and it felt like burning my skin, so I washed it off directly with soap.
I remember something was happening at the Refinery at about that time with some Ship coming in mix up. so who knows what fuel we can get at times differing somewhat ?

Many times I can tell what fuel a car is running on by the smell of the engine running easy, but I think they have changed over the last year.
Caltex type 91 unleaded you could pick easy as for years as it stunk of rotten eggs. 91 BP and Shell was a clean burning smell and 95, 98 stronger sweeter smell and E10 different again more of a more burnt hotter smell riding behind other bike using such.

But as to the white powder tips I have looked up the Web and found others the same but no one has pointed out the facts as to why.

I know that some Stations have used much more ethanol etc as it's cheaper to save money, some have been caught using like E30 or more ?

Maybe it's the Russians ? Putin putting something in the fuel ? or Joh Biden with his bag of tricks, or his good mate G Soros scams. or that moron Dictator in Ukraine who can get away with anything without questioning at all.

Australia does not make it's own petrol anymore so who knows what is put in it ?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

2011 Toyota Aurion 3.5L V6 160,000km.

The Radiator coolant is fine and all.

First time I have seen this white stuff around both of the exhaust tips.

It still has the original spark plugs in it and runs fine as ever.

Why would condensation be any different now to make a difference at the pipe like that.

I will wipe it off and see what happens then.

When the protective coating (zinc?) corrodes, the sulphides mixed with condensate water
can go to work on the exposed steel at the tip…just a thought mate as I don’t think it’s
much more than that…

[mick taylor]

The White tip has completely gone now.

[aussiblue]

This just bought back memories. In the leaded fuel days white or very light gray inside the exhaust pipe was a sign of an well tuned efficiently running vehicle to the extent that in the 70's I once caught a local unscrupulous (as most were then) used car dealer going around his lot spraying the inside of the tailpipe of all his cars using a spray can of white paint.

[In Focus]

Yep, my old XB 302 would only get the grey-white ash after a longish trip.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by In Focus

Yep, my old XB 302 would only get the grey-white ash after a longish trip.

It was the old way of knowing how well your engine was tuned with lead petrol, dark soot running rich, light grey perfect and where if it was whitish colour running too lean.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

This just bought back memories. In the leaded fuel days white or very light gray inside the exhaust pipe was a sign of an well tuned efficiently running vehicle to the extent that in the 70's I once caught a local unscrupulous (as most were then) used car dealer going around his lot spraying the inside of the tailpipe of all his cars using a spray can of white paint.

Yes leaded fuel was but you put your finger in the pipe and could tell the story but someone painted inside the pipe no way !

[marty351]

Spark plugs were the best indicator, until lead was phased out. Horrible reddish-brown deposits when using valve saver additives.

[aussiblue]

..but someone painted inside the pipe no way !

Probably also hid the accumulated black soot from those cars with blown rings or valve stem seals. And if you did the finger in the pipe test the dried white pain on accumulated greasy soot probably seemed like grey on your finger. In any event, it was an innovative con however unscrupulous and I wonder how widespread it was in the used car trade at the time and how someone came up with this idea. The used car dealer involved had a pretty bad rep anyway so I wasn't shocked. He also told me to f off when he realised I was watching. I lived in East Victoria Park at the time and that part of Albany Highway at the time had lots of small shifty used car yards. I imagine the pitch to the customer was along the lines of "you can see how well this one is running by the colour of that tailpipe" .