What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

failed header paint ?

Kain

Kain

3/4 ton status
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Posts
5,725
Reaction score
2,141
Location
Lubbock Texas
Did you remove the paint that came on the headers first? I've used that same paint several times on headers with no issues.
 
I find that most of the headers paint burn off or flake off. Prep work is the key.

I read about a DIY ceramic coating on headers using Anti Seize, its messy but suppose to work well.
 
well i used a paint stripper and then sanded and cleaned them let them dry for an hour
put three coats of paint on them.24 hours dry them first time 6 hours dry the second and third
and it took about 15 seconds to burn completely off. cant afford to ceramic coat them,and my mom would kill me if i did it myself and use the oven in the kitchen to bake them.;->
 
Why do headers need to be painted?
Will it extend their useful life?
They are under the hood, so if appearances are a concern it shouldn't matter.
I would not worry about it.
Am I missing something?
 
I have used VHT header paint a few times. The last set of headers I did still looked good three years later, with only some slight discoloration at the bottom of the tubes where some mud baked on.

It's a bit more money than the rustoleum.

I sandblasted mine, then three thin coats.
 
Why do headers need to be painted?
Will it extend their useful life?
They are under the hood, so if appearances are a concern it shouldn't matter.
I would not worry about it.
Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
you must live in a pretty nice climate.. I've seen cheap Summit headers get rot holes in em in a few yr's..



OP.... the best your gonna get is Jethot....

I know some will say bbq paint, VHT, yada, etc, I've never seen ANY paint hold up on headers more than 6 months or so before it starts failing... manifolds yeah, headers no...

if you want them to look good for a long time, nut up and spend the couple hundy and send em to Jethot, as opposed to trying to find a miracle in a can for $12...
 
Nothing can stand the heat for very long. I've got a set of Ceramic coated Headmans on my K5 that started pitting after only 1 year. Only had 540 miles on them too.
 
not all ceramic coat is created equal, not even close... I've seen Jethot, their sterling sh*t is badarse.. and I've also seen some pretty cheesy stuff that comes from some of the header manny's...
 
ryoken said:
not all ceramic coat is created equal, not even close... I've seen Jethot, their sterling sh*t is badarse.. and I've also seen some pretty cheesy stuff that comes from some of the header manny's...
Click to expand...

I've got a set on a BB Chevy I'd like to have coated. I've heard Jet Hot was good. Just gotta see it to believe it I guess.
 
ryoken said:
you must live in a pretty nice climate.. I've seen cheap Summit headers get rot holes in em in a few yr's...
Click to expand...

I have no personal experience with headers, but they must be much different than regular exhaust parts when it comes to useful life.
Why are they so short lived if not painted or coated, compared to the part they replace?
I am on the western edge of the rust belt, but definitely still in it. You need to go 150-200 miles west of me before you start to get out of it.
 
cuz it's 20 to 16 gauge steel right off the head... not a 1/2" thick cast manifold..
 
missed that second part.. I should postface that whole bit with, sometimes it's not a huge loss in servable life.. ya run a set of regular painted hooker headers in my state, they may last 10 yrs, wheras the coated's may last 15 or longer..

it's really the cheapy headers you see a difference, the thinner tubes can't take the rust abuse as well as say a thicker quality header has...

also long tubes are a bit more notorious for issues as they tend to have moisture collect in the collectors when not in use, not to mention the road salt/water they see..... it's usually the first place you'll see rot holes..
 
well the local sandblaster is going to charge me 50 bucks to blast them and ill try again.
I will post results if my camera will work, the only part that sucks is its but cold outside.
 
I have a set of Hooker super comps on my BBC in the buggy...

never painted them.... one of the first times out, we went mudding in some badazz red mud in east Texas.... the stuff hardened like a coating on the headers...... the **** is so hard, it won't even chip off with a screwdriver....:eek1:

No point to this....just that my mud coated headers seem to be the best header coating I have ever had in my life!!! :haha::haha::haha:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom