VHT Ceramic painted Headers

[82sbshortbed]

Bought some headman mid length headers.

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Uncoated and painted black. So I had them sand blasted and he said I'll also clean the headers with my chemical wash that phosphatizes the metal, which prevents flash rusting and allows the paint to adhere better for $50 total.

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I wore latex gloves so not to get oil from my hands on them. Brushed them down and started painting them. Put 2 light coats waiting 10 minutes between. Finally a medium coat.

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I'm gonna let it dry till tomorrow afternoon when I get home from work. Then I'm gonna cure the paint by baking it. 250 for 30 minutes then cool 30. 400 for 30 cool 30. Then they say 600 for 30. My oven only goes to the 550 so that's all I can do.

I'll update after baking.

 

[bucket]

I've used that paint before, but I only wire brushed the crusty headers and I let the engine do the baking. Just with that minimal prep, it held up reasonably well.

Several years ago I put a new set of Hedman Elites on my '88 Burb. They are ceramic coated, but even they have a decent amount of rust on them now.

 

[shiftpro]

Before you do anything else, try them on! You might want to go bang bang with ball peen hammer in some spots. Make sure there is adequate clearance for getting a box end on the bolts. Also check inside the ports... sometimes they like a cleaning up. Sometimes the port openings on the flange don't line up
perfect with the gaskets. You'll want to grind away if this is the case.

 

[shiftpro]

Yes even industrial coated ceramic headers will eventually rust.

 

[84 Shorty]

I just did the same thing this week. No fitment issues.

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[82sbshortbed]

I just did the same thing this week. No fitment issues.

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Looks good! did you bake them on the truck or in the oven?

 

[smoothandlow84]

Unless you have them ceramic coated both inside and out...that vht paint will burn off. I used the same product....and it didnt last a year. Next time I will be letting the professionals at jet hot coat the headers.

 

[shiftpro]

Unless you have them ceramic coated both inside and out...that vht paint will burn off. I used the same product....and it didn't last a year. Next time I will be letting the professionals at jet hot coat the headers.

Inside and out.. hmm. Resisting to go perv on that one. But in all seriousness is that the hot setup? Which opens the next question, heat reflecting or absorbing coatings for inside headers and engine blocks,parts..
Anyone?
If heat reflecting paint at exhaust temps actually works, would it help the tubes last longer?

 

[84 Shorty]

Looks good! did you bake them on the truck or in the oven?

Baked on the truck. Let it run for a few minutes then **** it off. Did it a few times, each time a little longer.

 

[shiftpro]

Baked on the truck. Let it run for a few minutes then **** it off. Did it a few times, each time a little longer.

leave a mess?

 

[84 Shorty]

leave a mess?

What do you mean by mess?

 

[shiftpro]

What do you mean by mess?

Check your typo...

 

[bucket]

Check your typo...

Lol, I get it now

 

[smoothandlow84]

Inside and out.. hmm. Resisting to go perv on that. But in all seriousness is that the hot setup? Which opens the next question, heat reflecting or absorbing coatings for inside headers and engine blocks,parts..
Anyone?
If heat reflecting paint at exhaust temps actually works, would it help the tubes last longer?

Yes...when jet hot ceramic coated both inside and outside of the headers it prolongs the life of the headers. Painting hewders with heat resistant paint, regardless will burn off. The coating usually burns off closest to the flanges and bends of the pipes.