Headers - Paint or Ceramic coat?

[victoredaye]

I have a set of original Fenton Headers to go on my P15 and want to get a good long lasting finish on them, has anyone got any thoughts or tips as to what to do?

I know Rustolem do a High heat paint and have read some good reviews but then I have heard good things about ceramic coating too.

Any thoughts? 

[Don Coatney]

This is what I used and it still looks good about 10 years later

 

 

[victoredaye]

Still looking good Don and cheaper than ceramic coating.

[hkestes41]

I used this from KBS Coatings in a brush on http://www.kbs-coatings.com/Xtreme-Temperature-Coating.html also used their Motor Coater kit http://www.kbs-coatings.com/motor-coater-kit.html on the engine itself. Looks as good now as when I put it on 2 years ago.

Don't know why I can 't post a photo but if you will look at post #12 in this thread you can see what I used and how it turned out. http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/index.php?/topic/31047-my-offy-intake-reds-headers-transplant/?hl=+motor++coater#entry309831

Edited February 13, 2013 by hkestes41

[victoredaye]

Now that does look good and I like teh cast Iron finish, I'll have to see if I can get the stuff shipped to the UK.

[Mark D]

Used the same thing Don did and it worked well, however I have not run my engine much since I installed the headers.

[chopt50wgn]

You probably already know that if you decide to paint that the parts should be bead blasted to have the paint adhere properly.

Personally I have never had luck with paint. As soon as the header got hot the paint started to flake or peel. I like ceramic coating as it's similiar to jet hot.

[Don Coatney]

You probably already know that if you decide to paint that the parts should be bead blasted to have the paint adhere properly.

Personally I have never had luck with paint. As soon as the header got hot the paint started to flake or peel. I like ceramic coating as it's similiar to jet hot.

 

Glad you mentioned that bit about blasting. I did sand blast my exhaust manifold and painted it as soon as it was blasted. It was probably a couple of months before I installed it and first started the engine so I believe my paint was fully cured. I used the same paint on my lawn mower muffler after I welded it. The paint was not cured and it bubbled up as soon as I started the engine. So cure time is important from my experiance.

[Bob Riding]

I used POR 15 manifold gray paint and after getting the motor up to operating temp, it seems to cure and stays a medium gray color. I can post pics if you like.

[fstfish66]

paint on a header is just a band aid sooner or later its going to rust,,,the advantage of  cermic or high heat coatings from places like jet hot,hpc, or air born is they can be dipped into the tank and coated inside and out,,,sooner or later on a car that is not driven every day, they are going to rust and peel and flake,,,my opinion if your going to keep tjhe car a long time and do not drive it at least 10 miles a day evry day to burn off the moisture,,, have it dipped,,, i had custom made big tube headers on my 66 barracuda,,,the headers in  1998 cost 850 bucks,,now  a days that would be 1500,,,the coating i had done at air born in the north eastern part of the us,,,they still look good today and no rust,,,

 

if  u do choose to paint use a product for high heat exhaust,,,,east wood and other sell it,,, just my  2 cents