In a message dated 10/2/03 7:51:09 AM, fish@salzburg.co.at writes:

<< They rust from the inside out too.  Granted, that in super salty upstate NY

and surrounding areas they will probably rust faster from salt on the

exterior... you will not be able to really stop the intense oxidation that

occurs when you expose the interior of the steel muffler and pipes to such

hot temps, with water coming out as by-products of combustion.

 >>

Fish, my man, I thought you were going to provide something useful here like
lathering cod liver oil on the pipes instead of the peanut oil.  "Intense
oxidation", "hot temps"; the next time one of your pipes queefs out, take the time
to look at it.  It will have broken at a flange where the tubing has
stretched and thinned from being welded.  Inside there will be a thin coating of red
iron oxide (ferric or ferrous, who knows?) and on the outside will be rust in
all its exfoliated glory.  Rusting from the inside out to the point of rupture?
 Regardless of how much water vapor you see on a nippy morning, not before
the converse occurs.

George