High Temperature Paint for Headers

[MCH86GN]

In rebuilding my engine and I wanted to see if anyone has recommendation for high temperature paint for my headers. I checked a couple of sites online, including eastwood and saw paint good up to 1200F. I know if you are running the car hard temperatures can exceed this. Just curious if there are any suggestions.
Thanx.

 

[supercrackerbox]

I can tell you that I painted my exhaust manifold and turbine housing with the POR-15 manifold paint this summer. It was gone after about 500 miles.

 

[buttonfly]

ceramic coating. I did my down pipe 4 years ago and it is starting to turn at the turbine now. Still looks good, but I think I could have gotten a flat black that would withstand higher temps. I am thinkiing about doing my headers too, especially now that you got me thinking about it again. J

 

[Phoneguy]

Contact Ronnie (Rmar) on this site. Great guy to deal with, he owns a powdercoating shop. He did my headers, DP, exhaust side of turbo and alot of other parts for me. He can do ant part you need, including frames. He has an 85' oven!

You can see some pics of his work by checking my profile.
Bryan

 

[chrisgarrett]

I've tried many different brands of high-temp paints on my headers over the years and none of them worked. Most will blister off in a short time. Ceramic coating is costly, but it's pretty and it works.

 

[rmar]

eastwood and saw paint good up to 1200F

For a N/A motor that would work. with proper prep.

Your turbo motors will see much higher temps 1600 + egt.
Most coating manufactors don't cosider color loss a failure.

And if your breaking in a non roller cam ...............

 

[novaderrik]

pick up some bbq paint from Wal Mart.. if it falls off, you are only out $5.

 

[supercrackerbox]

Actually, Krylon BBQ Black is the factory coating for the exhaust tips on the Dodge Viper. I kid you not; I work in the factory that makes the exhaust systems for Vipers. But the tips at the end of the system won't ever see near the heat of the parts we're talking about here.

But like you said, $5, worth a shot.

 

[blackgn1]

I used VHT high temp paint three years ago. Still looks like I did it. I have drove the car to bowling green twice. 2 hours away. Reynolds this year. 5 hours away. I don't know why mine has stayed on while others haven't. I did clean them with a air tool with wire brush. Mine look like new!:biggrin: $10 a can. Guess I was lucky.

 

[turbonut85]

Ceramic would be the best way to go, IMO. I, however, used Eastwood's high-temp header paint, and it has held up very well. It's been almost a year now. Just my .02

 

[chrisgarrett]

Did the Eastwood stuff stay shiny or did it fade?

 

[Just a Six??]

With spray bombs the less shiny it is the more heat it can withstand. Get the Flat or Satin to 1500* & when prepped properly (mine are sandblasted) they will last a good while. It's the racing & real high temp runs that gets them.

 

[aminga]

If you have a blast cabinet (Aluminum Oxide only) and a detail gun (or airbrush) you can apply your own ceramic.

Get the right stuff and you can partially cure at temps that an ordinary oven can hit and finish curing it on the car.

You Just have to be extremely clean during the application and keep it Thin.

 

[yullose]

I used VHT high temp paint three years ago. Still looks like I did it. I have drove the car to bowling green twice. 2 hours away. Reynolds this year. 5 hours away. I don't know why mine has stayed on while others haven't. I did clean them with a air tool with wire brush. Mine look like new!:biggrin: $10 a can. Guess I was lucky.

I used the same stuff on mine... only I didn't bother prepping them at all... Just took the nasty looking headers outside and spraybombed them with two cans of VHT. That was a few months ago and they still look good.

 

[charlief1]

For a N/A motor that would work. with proper prep.

Your turbo motors will see much higher temps 1600 + egt.
Most coating manufactors don't cosider color loss a failure.

And if your breaking in a non roller cam ...............

^^^ I'd listen to what is said here. Yes, Ronnie's my friend but he won't BS you about what does or doesn't work. He does it for a living so he probibly knows what will work best. Al (aminga) also has a point and is learning how to do his own powder coating with Ronnie helping with info. Powder it and don't look back. Is it expensive? Yes! but it will hold up the best after all.

 

[aminga]

^^^ I'd listen to what is said here. Yes, Ronnie's my friend but he won't BS you about what does or doesn't work. He does it for a living so he probibly knows what will work best. Al (aminga) also has a point and is learning how to do his own powder coating with Ronnie helping with info. Powder it and don't look back. Is it expensive? Yes! but it will hold up the best after all.

It's not that expensive 4 Oz of ceramic coating is about $40 (should do a set of headers with some to spare) , Yea it's more than some VHT paint. You need to have the part blasted with aluminum oxide (not glass bead) and it has to stay stoopid clean after it's blasted. And you need a detail gun or airbrush to apply it and an oven to cure in. If you have to buy this stuff it won't be cheap. But if you have some of the stuff why not go for it.

If you only do the outsides the worst that can happen is it looks like crap in a few months and you do it again. But if you stay away from the chromes the rest of the color are pretty stable.

I feel another how to coming on.

 

[rmar]

4oz=$40 at 128 oz. in a gal.= $1,280 per gal........

We are in the wrong business Al.

 

[aminga]

4oz=$40 at 128 oz. in a gal.= $1,280 per gal........

Ooops. It was $22 for 4 oz. My Alzheimer is setting in.

A quick check of pricing High heat POR-15 is 24/quart. A rattle can of duplicolor is $8

 

[rmar]

Ooops. It was $22 for 4 oz. My Alzheimer is setting in.

A quick check of pricing High heat POR-15 is 24/quart. A rattle can of duplicolor is $8

I was about to stop selling weed.........:biggrin:

 

[charlief1]

Ooops. It was $22 for 4 oz. My Alzheimer is setting in.

A quick check of pricing High heat POR-15 is 24/quart. A rattle can of duplicolor is $8

Well I promised to send some alzheimer brew to Ty, Ronnie, and Shane so I should include you as well Al.:biggrin: As soon as we get the chance to make it I'll PM you for an address so I can send it.:biggrin: