Exhaust Tip fix
 

I'm still undecided about putting 4.8 oval tips on my 4.4 mainly because I can't find a suitable part (eBay items claim they are for 3.0 X5s)... Anyway I thought I'd do a temporary 'CHEAP' fix by polishing the tips.

Here's the BEFORE pic:
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/gbyln/Tips-1.jpg


Here's the AFTER pic:
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/gbyln/Tips-2.jpg


Not bad for 1.5 hours of elbow grease, $5 in sandpaper and metal polish which I had in the garage.

Hey Last5, that's v impressive for a temp fix :thumbup:
I found a big jar of elbow grease in the garage and may just do that to mine in the interem, however I have '02 3.0 and am hoping that my stock tail pipes would be of the same original metal finish as V8's & thus would end up nice n shiny as yours.

What grade paper did you use, was it 'wet n dry' ??

You have to check out what Michelle did here - CHECK OUT MY TIpS! just make sure the welder guy is not crosseyed :bustingup

Yes I know Michelle's Ti*s are lopsided, one reason I want to get an OEM part.

If your existing tips are stainless steel they will take to polishing well.
I used 5 grades of sandpaper ( $1@x5 = $5 total) and wet-sanded the tips.
Started with 80 grit then 400, 800, 1200 and 2000. Finished with metal polish.

HEY NOW! It was the original tips (stock 4.4i) that were lopsided...not the ones I bought and had welded.

Yeah I know that! :D but let me ask you this about the oval tips you got:

1. Are they OEM tips?
2. The side that we see is oval... what about the side that attaches to the existing tips? are there 2 round holes? one large oval hole?

Did you get them from eBay?

THX.

hey kabayan, maybe you want to check this one out, an OEM chrome tips for your X5 on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-B...mZ220286619374

Hey Last5 (forgive my ignorance) do you know if the 3.0i has st/steel oem tips, same as yours ??
If you don't know then hopefully our learned friends like weasel, Ucrew, X5dawg may put in 2 cents as I am keen to do this tip polish myself, but only if confirmed st/steel.
Also it appears that their are fine raised lines/ribs on the outer surface, did you have the same ??

I like it!! :thumbup:
I think i´m about to do it!:thumbup:

1 - Nope.
2 - One large oval hole. That was the problem all of the other would-be welders had. Here's my original thread: http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...-4-6-tips.html
3 - Yes. About 10 or so members bought and installed the same tips from the same ebay seller.

Yup, looks the same as mine. You'll need to really take time witn the 80 grit. I would have used 50 grit but it was out of stock. This should take away the ribs/ridges. I spent about 15 mins per tip on the 80 grit. THe next steps were easier. Lay a plastic sheet over the black bumper parts. The fine metal particles would be a PITA to get off. By the time you get to 2000 grit (keep it WELL lubricated with water) you could see reflections in the metal. The metal polish will bring out the shine.

The good news it that you'll have to deal with 2 tips instead of four. GOOD LUCK