(Yellow) exhaust headers

[Rob Sherwood]

Hi

With a lot of help from Chedz and Nobby I got my engine running for the first time yesterday . Certainly feels like a milestone. Only problem is my exhaust headers have turned browny / yellow color. They look a mess. The "VHT lacquer" that is "specially designed for exhaust applications" definately does NOT do what it says on the tin.

So I'm taking the headers off tomorrow morning ready for some "proper" treatment but am not sure what to go for. WWW suggests powdercoat to be a possible but there seems to be many types of powdercoat, with some kind of ceramic coating promising to reduce the radiated heat???

Any tips / experiences / recommendations gratefully recieved.

Cheers
Rob.

[craggle]

Good to hear it's running.

Most powder coats are sprayed on plastics that are then baked on in a big oven. The oven will be cooler than the header temperature so I would imagine any powder coating is simply going to melt and probably burn?

If the pipes are stainless leave them unpainted, If mild steel then not a lot you can do except watch them rust.

Ceramic coating is a possibility but I think this has to be done on fresh steel or you will need to get them blasted to clean them.

Craig.

[V8burble]

Ceramic coating also does a good job of keeping the heat in the pipe too, rather than in the engine bay. Worth looking into if the discolouring of the headers bothers you.
As said, powder coating is simply epoxy powder attracted to the surface by a static charge, then oven backed to melt into a smooth coating. Great for the chassis, but would happily melt in the first few seconds on a header.

Here is a link to a supplier's FAQ Zircotec high temperature coatings, ceramic coatings, engine, exhaust and mainfold coatings.

[Rob Sherwood]

Originally Posted by V8burble

Ceramic coating also does a good job of keeping the heat in the pipe too, rather than in the engine bay. Worth looking into if the discolouring of the headers bothers you.
As said, powder coating is simply epoxy powder attracted to the surface by a static charge, then oven backed to melt into a smooth coating. Great for the chassis, but would happily melt in the first few seconds on a header.

Here is a link to a supplier's FAQ Zircotec high temperature coatings, ceramic coatings, engine, exhaust and mainfold coatings.

Thanks, reducing the temperature sounds good. I bought a couple of "shelves" which are bolted onto the side of the engine using the same boltholes as the rocker cover, the HT leads are then clipped to this "shelf" and it gives you a really neat installation. Problem is, the plastic clips that actually hold the HT leads in have all melted and deformed!! (even though they are designed for the application ). And that's before I have fitted a body / bonnet, so it's only going to get hotter..... I have contacted Zircotec.

[v8steve007]

Hi Rob good to see you have the posse helping you out !!!!
why not use heat wrap does a good job and looks good to hids alsorts lol pete has it on his cob and i have just fitted some to mine and it works a treat . steve

[TINKA]

Originally Posted by v8steve007

Hi Rob good to see you have the posse helping you out !!!!
why not use heat wrap does a good job and looks good to hids alsorts lol pete has it on his cob and i have just fitted some to mine and it works a treat . steve

Only if you have stainless headers, otherwise it will rot your pipes of course there are always a few exceptions

[dave.n]

Have to say my mild steel pipes are twelve years old.

So that shelves the watch'em rot theory.

Obviously they ain't bling-bling, but they are still there and until they fall off they won't be renewed.
Don't think I'll be shelling out for stainless when the time comes either. Not unless I go the very gay side pipe route.












LOL only winding people who have sidepipes up a bit. I would love 'em, but they would spoil the look of my car.

[V8burble]

LOL - trouble maker.

I'm sure I remember seeing an 'American Chopper' series a while ago when they had the pipes ceramic coated. They said that just minutes after switching the engine off you could hold the pipe not sure I'd want to try that, but it did look nice... a pearl silver white colour.

Side-pipes / under body system? Now that is a hot potato

[Sparticus]

The yellow colour you refer to is called "straw" its the first stage in heat treatment apparently. Will then start to go purple.

Si