racerx520

iTrader: (1)

i just bought a set of headers off someone and they are scratched up, i need to put on o2 sensor in but then repaint them...i know that ceramic is the best coating, but is there a close second in the paint world or should i just get hi-temp paint and cross my fingers it'll hold up?

-brian

jay_d

dont buy the spray bomb paint from advance.....i tryed it, first thing when they got hot was the paint kinda bubbled up and flaked off.......you might get by sandblasting and spraying about 4 coats of spray bomb on....maybe..

Apeiron

I've used VHT and it works sort of ok. Doesn't flake or bubble off, but eventually it will rust.

strokermotor91

Definately, VHT is the best i think. I had mine wrapped at first, then took that off and sprayed them with VHT. You have to cure the paint in an oven for it to turn out the best though.

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

my father said that he found some spray on ceramic paint in a magazine....i think we may try that on it...not too sure though

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Exact same results with me. Slightly rusted matte black paint looks pretty crappy to me. When I do them again this winter i'll be using a higher gloss silver VHT, I think it contains some ceramic. (Probably just barely enough to put "ceramic" on the can label)

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Anything in a spray can will eventually burn off. The Duplicolor 1500 deg paint is the worst. Not only did it bubble and start falling off almost immediately, but it smelled like burning paint for a long time afterwords.

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

well this was in the eastwood catalog, it doesnt say anything about any color really... just 'Ceramic Header paint'

TransAM Joe

iTrader: (6)

Duplicolor High Heat with ceramic has to be baked on in an oven over a few cycles, and THEN it will hold up as mine has for the last two years and looks branks new. Must follow instructions or IT will bubble and peel off.

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

if i did do that, then where would i bring it to get it baked in an oven? like can i do it in my own oven haha

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Duplicolor said bake in in oven, or run it in for a few cycles on the motor, which is what I did. I let it cool each time for the first few times, before the exhaust got really hot. And yeah, the full length headers were not fitting in my oven.

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

hmmm...thats pretty interesting...i wonder if my mom will let me do that in her new oven? lol i guess i'll have to go to my girlfriends college and do that one

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Ceramic paint is silver.

I used my oven. Just open the windows, it'll get a little stinky afterwards. But hey, my roommates have cooked indian food, i'm sure mine wasn't nearly as bad

Apeiron

Ceramic paint is any color you want.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Ok, it's USUALLY silver. I've only ever seen it silver. So it it doesn't say; then it's probably a safe bet it's silver.

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

yeah i just bought some VTH...hopefully it'll work out alright lol...strangely though this one says that it doesnt need to be heated to cure though...its 1200 degree paint and i thought it woudl be good enough...says rated for 2000 degrees when wrapped which im thinking about doing aswell
-brian

onfire

Well I used that vht on my headers. I used 5 coats on each one. Each time leaving it out in the sun to let it completely dry for a day or two. Then before I paint again I would rough it up and paint again. I even painted my name on the header with a fine tip brush just for a nice personal touch in the end! I was happy with the way they looked when they where hanging there drying in the sun. I wish I still had pics of it when I painted them.

Now for what happened. I bolted them on when I put the engine in. Got it all setup then cranked up the motor. It was running ok for the first 1 min then once the headers started to heat up they started to smoke and smoke they did. Billowing smoke and more smoke till I turned off the engine and looked in there just to make sure it wasn't my engine burning oil or something horribly evil. Then to my dismay, I discovered the paint began to bubble up. There is nothing I could do so I just ran it some more. By a week of break in on the freeway, I popped the hood just to discover that it all turned black, bubbled up, and flaked began to flake off.

So now at the 800 mile mark on the new engine, the paint has completely fallen off to the metal. Its as if I never even painted them to start with.

Best thing you can do with headers is either jet hot or porcelain coating.

Rabi C.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I used DEI high-temp aluminum header wrap paint. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Key is the surface prep - clean down to the metal, no rust, no paint. Wipe with solvent such as lacquer thinner just before painting to remove any oils. Heat cure as described above.

TransAM Joe

iTrader: (6)

Also all coats must be put on within one hour with a 10 minute flash off or wait seven days to recoat. This is true with all enamel rattle can paints or they will bubble and peel off right away from heating up. Laquer paints can be recoated whenever needed no recoat window. READ THE CAN BEFORE PAINTING.

Jay

iTrader: (2)

I used the Duplicolor 1500, did a few coats, let it sit over a week and did 2 more top coats. Sat for awhile longer after that before I got them on the car an it started. I ran it through a few heat cycles by running the engine.. and then took it on a 40 min drive. Looks basically the same as when I put the headers in, no flaking or bubbling. This was on my SLP stainless headers that had a fair amount of surface rust, along with the Y pipe.

86TA355SR

iTrader: (1)

Go to the local John Deere tractor dealer and get John Deere Muffler Black or Silver Spray Paint. Sand blast headers and apply paint. Mine has lasted and looked good until I redid the motor again 8 years later.

VHT rusted within 2 years of use.

Good luck.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

John Deer muffler paint, good idea, BBQ grill paint, good idea. Strip your headers off completey, they can't have the factory protective paint on them. They have to be bare clean metal. I used airplane stripper for this part and sprayed them off with a pressure washer. Next rough the headers up with some steel wool or sand paper, sand blasting will also work. Wipe them down with Prep All and let that dry off. Apply the paint and let it dry for a few minutes then hit the headers with a propane torch or bake them in an oven at HIGH heat (500 plus degrees). Do a few coats, and get the insides as well. This isn't jet hot coating by any means, you'll have to redo it every couple of years but it will hold up well and it will keep a TON of heat out of your engine bay.

Screamin86

iTrader: (1)

i did mine twice the first time i just scuffed the headers up and used the 1500deg autozone stuff and it came off the first time i ran the car then when i redid the motor i sanded the headers to bare metal and then wiped them with acetone then did lots of light coats of flat black 1500deg autozxone paint this time but used a propane torch on the headers between coats and so far after runing the car since may they have turned chalky thats it but i dont run her much so a lot of it is from sitting