How long does an aluminized exhaust last?

[Smokin72on20s]

now i know there are many factors to this, but in general, if a truck is driven daily, say in colorado, how long should an aluminized dual exhaust last? (without major problems with it. ie- rust holes, etc)

[Mudder]

I would say after a year you will start seeing minor surface rust.

[tom hand]

Do they use salt in Colorado? This exhaust is 15 years old and was a daily driver for 10 years

[1978steven]

You might be able to fight the rust off for a little longer if you paint the exhaust setup with some high heat paint. I just had my exhaust done at a local exhaust shop here in DFW and they paint all the aluminized setups they do after the install. They used a good high heat aluminum but they also do them in black. Just a thought......

[Paul72]

Here in the salt belt, mine lasted 9 years. One tail pipe fell off - weld rusted thru. Of course this wasn't a daily driver either. Only about 15k in those 9 years, with less than half in the winter.

I agree with 1978steven - paint/coat the welds and it should last quite a while.

Paul

[StingRay]

I get about 10 years in daily use and failure is usually at a weld.

[Mudder]

I was thinking headers........ Daughters Blazer has aluminumised exhaust and they have been on there for a good 10 years and still look good and solid. The welds will rust if not covered with something.

[junkyardjohn]

OUT HERE IN THE DESERT THEY SEEM TO LAST FOREVER. I'VE HAD THE ONE ON MY DAILY DRIVEN BLAZER FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS, & IT STILL LOOKS LIKE NEW, BUT BACK IN MICHIGAN YOU WERE LUCKY TO GET 2 WINTERS OUT OF EM. JOHN

[4x4Poet]

The metal's guage is a factor, as well. Here in Montana snow country, some exhaust shops use 18 guage aluminized pipe. Doesn't last as long as it should. One of the better shops in my town uses 16 guage pipe. They found the cost difference negligible to the longevity enabled. I wonder if the comments about welds failing first might have something to do with thinner guage pipe not enabling a thick enough weld to resist rust thru. Just conjecture. Using SS clamps also helps some.

[Tx Firefighter]

If he knows what he's doing, the weldor should produce a 100 percent penetration weld. It sounds like they may be using poor grade filler material.

There's a shop here in town that uses coat hangers. I'd imagine his welds will fail much sooner than the pipe he's welding.

In this climate, the aluminized system will last longer than you want to keep the vehicle. My high school driver, a Camaro that I built up in 1988, still has the same exhaust system on it without repairs.