What to do about my headers?
 

So a year or so ago when I had my engine apart I cleaned up my headers and shot them with silver header paint. But they didn't look good for very long. I guess the paint didn't stick very well and eventually started to flake off. So now the engine is out again, and the headers look like doo doo. Is there anything I can do with these things to keep them looking decent for a while? I am reluctant to change them for new ones because I'll cause myself more exhaust work. And new (good) headers are not cheap.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Get the right ceramic paint and cook them in an oven for an hour or two at 400* after painting them to properly cure them.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

BBQ grill paint

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Who has the right ceramic paint?

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

The best solution is to have the coated with a high temp ceramic coating. If thats not in your budget, bead blasting and spray bomb them with a premium high temp ceramic paint will work.

Oven baking is a great idea.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

I used to paint every header I installed white . loved the way they stood out under the vehicle when viewed from the side . I sanded them down , painted them with VHT High Temp paint and heat cycled the headers several times to basically bake the paint . I would run the engine until the headers heated up and kill it . Let it cool and run it again a little longer and kill it again until they cooled down . Headers will cool fast . I did this several times then finally drove it normally . They would stay white for a long time and I only had to crawl under the truck and touch up the bottom of the headers on occasion . The top of the headers kept the paint for a long time .
Frank

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

That VHT header paint actually works well if you follow the instrustions, it can be baked in an oven or you can heat cycle the headers like frank said.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

The powder coater I have used here locally in the past does ceramic coating. Maybe I'll ask him what he charges to sandblast and ceramic coat my headers.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

TECH LINE COATINGS, INC, black satin header coating work very well, you need an airgun to apply it. I used it on my wifes motorcycle header pipe, which is a single layer pipe like a truck header over 3 years ago and has not flaked, baked, or fallen off. You just need to blast the pipe with glass bead first i believe, then spray on a thin coat, and install. I will scratch off if hit hard enough like your cars paint.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

http://www.jet-hot.com/



http://www.performancecoatings.com/index2.html

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

here is mine jethot coated about 2 years ago.
http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...9/c0976c98.jpg

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

That's the same color I'm trying to keep my headers. Those look good.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

I bought some silver brush-on stuff from Eastwood years ago. Never got to use it, sold the 66 Caprice I bought it for. Think I've still got it somewhere but I dont know. Anyway I bought it because it sounded like it would work well. I never had much luck with anything out of an aerosol can.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Having them ceramic coated at a powder coater is not really that expensive a process & will last the life of the headers most likely. It'll be well worth too in order to reduce the under hood temps!!! None of the spray can coatings will be able to do this as efficiently...

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

I haven't done it. Just throwing it out there...

"Anti Seize as a header coating. PICS"

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187500

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Holly Geesh! How the F have we not yet been introduced to that!

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

I use it on the exhaust nuts for my motorcycle. It stays in place until the next time I remove the nuts. It doesnt look that good, but I guess it is better than rust. It is dull. Looks like dried mud that is aluminum colored.

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

These guys did a friend of mine's headers and they turned out great. They can coat the inside and outside of the headers to improve flow and heat dissipation. Their prices arent bad either, but I know shipping could kill you unless you find someone local.

here is their site if you want to check them out.
www.prokoteindy.com

Re: What to do about my headers?
 

Well, I dropped the headers off for ceramic coating today at lunch. We shall see what we shall see.