Headers & paint

Doober

Moderator
Jun 2, 2003
14,704
1
38
Catalina, AZ
www.cardomain.com
Can the two be used in the same sentence? My headers are fine, but they were ceramic coated and must not have cured correctly. Anyway, I had one guy come into WalMart when I worked there and said he uses cooking grill paint regularly. I may go this route given the paint will hold up ok. I don't think I'll get them sandblasted, just wire wheel much as I can, degrease and paint. Anyone see any issue with that? I guess worse case it'll burn off.
 

t5montecarlo

MalibuRacing Junkie
Oct 21, 2007
4,632
31
48
Lederach, PA
garage-scene.com
I used Rustoleum BBQ Black on my Kawasaki H1 expansion chambers, years and years ago, and it remained like new forever...but the exhaust may not run as hot as a 4-stroke engine.

I used VHT primer and paint according to the directions on my headers and they are rusting, but there is still some paint remaining.

I had Edelbrock TES coated by Jet-Hot and the coating peeled off in sheets as soon as the weather got cold.
 

Doober

Moderator
Thread starter
Jun 2, 2003
14,704
1
38
Catalina, AZ
www.cardomain.com
No. I got into somewhat of a rush and didn't get my headers painted, just wire-wheeled. They still look a lot better than they did with the scaly rust though. I'm on the fence about going with ceramic coating again... if I do I may find a place in Tucson and see about getting my current headers done, don't see much sense in buying a whole new set if it's just going to burn off again (curing process may have been my fault though).
 

Bratly51

Dragway Regular
Dec 3, 2003
1,163
1
0
Joliet, IL
I just use the BBQ grill paint. I just touch up any time the engine is out. Either I don't care enough and do it cheap, but it seems to hold up really well. I just give 2 or 4 coats in the beginning. I just bought some Headmans big tubes that are used, and these will get sand blasted to see the shape of them. Got those for $300 shipped instead of the $700 shipped from Jegs .Then I'll see how well that it holds up.
 

NOT A TA

Frequent Racer
Nov 30, 2009
346
1
16
Delray Beach FL
I've been building an 83 Monte the past couple weeks and saw this thread before work today. Today happened to be header day among other things. Wire wheeled all the rust and shot them with Rustoleum BBQ flavor. After a couple hours of drying time installed them. Will go over them with wax & grease remover Mon. to clean up the oil I got on them installing. Takes 2 cans and I let the first coat dry about 1/2 hour before applying the 2nd.

First coat

001-7.jpg


While 2nd coat was drying

003-2.jpg


Installed

005-3.jpg


008-5.jpg
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
1
38
North Jersey
Bratly51 said:
I just bought some Headmans big tubes that are used, and these will get sand blasted to see the shape of them. Got those for $300 shipped instead of the $700 shipped from Jegs.

I would never spend the money to get coated headers direct from the header manufacturer. It's almost always junk. They don't prep right, nor do they properly heat cure the coating. They rely on engine heat to finish the cure. That's why they tell you not to break in your engine with the headsers on it. Save the money & send them to a quality coater like Nitro Plate. You end up spending almost the same, but the coating stays on & it actually works...

Tommy
 

7d8ss

Amateur Racer
Jan 29, 2005
144
0
16
Lexington, Ohio
I also use grill paint, it holds up pretty good & for touchups I spray through a paper towel tube so it doesn't overspray the whole engine bay.
 

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