Rustoleum high heat ultra

[70STOVEBOLT]

I have searched and could not find any threads about using this for painting headers. Anybody used it with any success?

[un4gvn!]

I've used Dupl-Color or Krylon high temp 1200 degree paint with extreme success. The trick is in the prep. For best results is to sand blast the headers. You can hand sand them, but that is more work. Plus the sand blaster gets into the places the sandpaper will not. If you can, hang the headers from something (ceiling, scaffold, tree limb, etc.). Here is the trick. Take a propane torch and heat the tubes by blowing the flame into each tube. DO NOT touch the flame on the header. If you hold the flame inside the opening of the tube, you will see the heat wave travel the length of the tube. Do this on both ends of the header. DO NOT get the header glowing hot. You just want it hot enough to see the heat wave. Make sure you shake the spray can really good. It comes in several colors and sheens. I sprayed mine silver like the ceramic coated headers. I painted mine 6 years ago and they still look good. The paint will not burn off. I've seen people who used this same product and they painted their headers right out of the box and watched it burn off in 10 minutes because they didn't prep it properly. Sorry for making this a novel. Just one idea I've used for many years. Cheaper than ceramic coating or chrome.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by un4gvn!

I've used Dupl-Color or Krylon high temp 1200 degree paint with extreme success. The trick is in the prep. For best results is to sand blast the headers. You can hand sand them, but that is more work. Plus the sand blaster gets into the places the sandpaper will not. If you can, hang the headers from something (ceiling, scaffold, tree limb, etc.). Here is the trick. Take a propane torch and heat the tubes by blowing the flame into each tube. DO NOT touch the flame on the header. If you hold the flame inside the opening of the tube, you will see the heat wave travel the length of the tube. Do this on both ends of the header. DO NOT get the header glowing hot. You just want it hot enough to see the heat wave. Make sure you shake the spray can really good. It comes in several colors and sheens. I sprayed mine silver like the ceramic coated headers. I painted mine 6 years ago and they still look good. The paint will not burn off. I've seen people who used this same product and they painted their headers right out of the box and watched it burn off in 10 minutes because they didn't prep it properly. Sorry for making this a novel. Just one idea I've used for many years. Cheaper than ceramic coating or chrome.

Are you saying to heat the headers before applying the paint? What did you do to "cure" the paint afterwards, if anything?

[ck5566]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Are you saying to heat the headers before applying the paint? What did you do to "cure" the paint afterwards, if anything?

The way that I read his post is to "slightly" heat them from within NOT THE OUTSIDES and then SHAKE THE CAN of PAINT real good then spray them. The heat cures them just as if you were to drive your vehicle right after installing your freshly painted exhaust.

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by un4gvn!

I've used Dupl-Color or Krylon high temp 1200 degree paint with extreme success. The trick is in the prep. For best results is to sand blast the headers. You can hand sand them, but that is more work. Plus the sand blaster gets into the places the sandpaper will not. If you can, hang the headers from something (ceiling, scaffold, tree limb, etc.). Here is the trick. Take a propane torch and heat the tubes by blowing the flame into each tube. DO NOT touch the flame on the header. If you hold the flame inside the opening of the tube, you will see the heat wave travel the length of the tube. Do this on both ends of the header. DO NOT get the header glowing hot. You just want it hot enough to see the heat wave. Make sure you shake the spray can really good. It comes in several colors and sheens. I sprayed mine silver like the ceramic coated headers. I painted mine 6 years ago and they still look good. The paint will not burn off. I've seen people who used this same product and they painted their headers right out of the box and watched it burn off in 10 minutes because they didn't prep it properly. Sorry for making this a novel. Just one idea I've used for many years. Cheaper than ceramic coating or chrome.

How about heating them up in the oven? Before, and after, to bake the paint on. IIRC, the can actually says to do this. It even goes so far as to tell you what oven temp to heat the header to before paint, and after paint. Then it says that once they are on the engine, the final heating/baking of the paint will be done by the heat of the exhaust flowing through them. I can't remember exactly, but it was something like 200 degrees before paint, 400 degrees after paint, and then the exhaust flowing through them finishes it off at an even higher temp.

And then they're done, and the paint stays good forever.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I've used VHT to good effect. I didn't pre-bake, but after hanging pre-sandblasted headers in the Arizona summer sun for a few hours, they're too hot to handle with bare hands. A couple of coats of VHT Cast Iron Gray has lasted about 11 years. Only lately is a little rust coming up, and that's because I've been having to leave the hood up to discourage packrats from nesting in the engine bay. [If the hood is up, they're not safe from cats.]

Another method I used was a DIY ceramic coating from Eastwood [about $50 a can in 2007]. Headers were sandblasted and the ceramic coating was airbrushed on. After they were not runny -- about a day later-- I put both headers in my Mom's old electric oven for 2 hour at 500*F. Came out good.
I used Black, but after my project was done the next Eastwood catalog showed a Titanium shade. Oh well.

V8 headers will fit in the conventional oven, but long tube L6 headers are probably too long. Don't use the oven indoors, lots of fumes, and don't use an oven you still need for cooking food for humans. Once it's a header oven it can't go back.

[PeterHall]

I used some POR 15 high temperature paint on our exhuast. It was a really nice silver when sprayed. It really like being baked on when the engine got the exhaust nice and hot. Otherwise even stuff like simple green seemed to wipe it off.

[Benny-]

Just read the directions on the can. I think I used VHT too. You have to heat the headers with a few heat cycles after painting. Pre heating shouldn't be necessary for a good finish, but I can see how it may help. I painted mine and put them on the truck then followed the instructions. Something like drive for 15 mins then cool for 30 then drive for 20 then cool, etc... after one year of daily driving mine still look perfect.

[un4gvn!]

You can heat the whole header in one shot. It only takes a few minutes to get it hot. The header will hold the heat for a while. What the heat mostly does is removes the moisture which hurts the adhesion of the paint. When you buy new headers, they have a thin layer of black paint or some kind of oil coating to protect them from what we call shelf rust. Who knows how long the headers will sit before they are sold and installed. First time users of headers will complain to where ever they bought them because they weren't informed. That is why you see more rusty looking headers because people don't want to remove them and finish them the right way. I for one don't like to remove them if I don't have to. Finish them right before you install them and be done with them.

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by un4gvn!

You can heat the whole header in one shot. It only takes a few minutes to get it hot. The header will hold the heat for a while. What the heat mostly does is removes the moisture which hurts the adhesion of the paint. When you buy new headers, they have a thin layer of black paint or some kind of oil coating to protect them from what we call shelf rust. Who knows how long the headers will sit before they are sold and installed. First time users of headers will complain to where ever they bought them because they weren't informed. That is why you see more rusty looking headers because people don't want to remove them and finish them the right way. I for one don't like to remove them if I don't have to. Finish them right before you install them and be done with them.

Have you ever pointed a little IR temperature gun at the header, once it was ready for paint? I'd like to know the actual temp so I know when to stop heating them.

[70STOVEBOLT]

I will pre-heat them somehow, either with a propane torch or in the oven, before I spray them. I just got the headers yesterday, going to bead blast them and then I will heat them and spray them. I appreciate the advice guys. FWIW, Hedman calls their black coated Hedders "uncoated" and it states in the instructions that the black coating is only to prevent shelf rust, and they should be properly painted/coated prior to installation.

[ghalperin]

I've had good results by using a heat gun after painting with VHT Flame Proof.



I carefully lay the header on the ground and insert the heat gun tip into the collector and run the heat gun on high for 20-30 minutes. I then let it cool completely and repeat for a total of 3 cycles. Make sure the heat gun is blowing down the tube and is not blowing on the side of the tube, it'll make the paint bubble.

[A1971Blazer]

I'm using manifolds on my LS1 swap....new take offs....gonna glass bead and paint
Here's what VHT recommended....process as specified on directions...


I'm gonna use my gas grill to do the baking process....

[un4gvn!]

I use white play sand for blasting because it leaves a slightly rough texture where as the glass bead leaves it sort of smooth and polished. I never used the primer or the clear. I always got good results. I'm not saying you don't have to use them. My methods are old school and we are always learning new ways everyday. Let us know how they turn out.

[A1971Blazer]

Originally Posted by un4gvn!

I use white play sand for blasting because it leaves a slightly rough texture where as the glass bead leaves it sort of smooth and polished. I never used the primer or the clear. I always got good results. I'm not saying you don't have to use them. My methods are old school and we are always learning new ways everyday. Let us know how they turn out.

Will do...
I usually use aluminum oxide media in my cabinet or glass beads....I use blasting sand in my big outdoor blaster...
I'm trying to decide if I want to use the heat shields that came on them or grind off all the bosses for the threaded holes and the casting flash and just leave the shield off....the shields are kinda ugly but they might serve some purpose....?
.....opinions......?

2010 Camaro manifolds...will be using the "cast iron" color paint