Rust-Free Manifold Restoration

You spend all night preparing for a car show, your engine and engine bay are perfectly detailed but you still have one problem: What are you going to do with that unsightly rusted exhaust manifold that sticks out like a sore thumb? We found a solution that’s easy to apply, affordable, and most importantly, works with amazing results.

Calyx Manifold Dressing is a cleaner/polish that’s ideal for a quick dress-up of the underhood area, requiring very little prep. Calyx maintains any cast-iron part of exhaust systems and keeps it rust-free, and isn’t a high-temperature paint that can burn off or discolor over time, or something that simply covers up dirt and rust. Calyx’s special chemicals help remove unsightly rust deposits and doesn’t require heat to cure, making usage ideal on just about any bare metal, including suspension and driveline components.

We spot-checked an area of the exhaust manifold using Calyx exactly five months prior to taking this photo. The dressing continued to maintain the manifold’s cast-iron luster while remaining rust-free.

To use Calyx, simply clean the manifold using a wire brush to remove as much rust and/or dirt as possible. For optimum results, the manifold should be wiped down with acetone or brake cleaner before applying. Apply Calyx using a toothbrush, rag, or glove-covered fingers and rub into the surface, making sure to work it into the pores of the metal. For hard to reach areas, we recommend using a Q-tip or small brush to apply the dressing. The paste-like consistency allows you to polish the finish like you would wax a car for a gloss finish. Check out our amazing before and after photos—the results speak for themselves.