Painted headers in TX?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 100
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From: Lake Dallas, TX
Painted headers in TX? I was just wondering if painted headers would be fine here in Tejas since we do not have to worry about salt and dirt during the winter times.
Or if I got them, Acetoned them, and then painted them with high temp heat, if that would be ok. Its hard to pass up painted Pacesetters for 279.99. How much power would I lose with painted versus coated?
Bill
Or if I got them, Acetoned them, and then painted them with high temp heat, if that would be ok. Its hard to pass up painted Pacesetters for 279.99. How much power would I lose with painted versus coated?
Bill
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 618
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From: Pensacola, FL
For painted headers to last, you have to strip them of the factory paint and repaint them correctly before you install them.
(This tip came straight from a header manufacturer)
They use crappy paint, no matter who, and do it on the assembly line without prepping the headers properly.
Here is the proper procedure:
Strip header of all paint.
Clean thoroughly with acetone or similar prep. (must remove oils well)
From this point on, you cannot use any areosol lubricants around the pipes, or even touch them with bare hands. The oils, no matter how little, will settle on the metal and cause a spot that will fry even hi-temp paint.
With the header oil free, dry, and hanging, paint with hi-temp paint... BBQ paint or better.
Use light coats, drying between, until the header is well covered.
Allow to dry.
NOTE: You still must not touch the header with bare hands or allow any oils, silicates, or dirt on the tubes.
The headers must be free of contaminants until the paint has been cured by heat cycling.
This can be done 2 ways.
1) Heating of the header off the car, then letting it sit to cool naturally.
2) Install the header, run the car to operating temp, then allow to cool naturally.
Once the tubes have been heat cycled, they can be handled and dirtied without affecting the heat tolerance of the paint.
Good luck
Dave
BTW: We did this with a set of thin wall headers in 1978, and 2 or 3 times since over the years, the headers are still on the car and fine.
(This tip came straight from a header manufacturer)
They use crappy paint, no matter who, and do it on the assembly line without prepping the headers properly.
Here is the proper procedure:
Strip header of all paint.
Clean thoroughly with acetone or similar prep. (must remove oils well)
From this point on, you cannot use any areosol lubricants around the pipes, or even touch them with bare hands. The oils, no matter how little, will settle on the metal and cause a spot that will fry even hi-temp paint.
With the header oil free, dry, and hanging, paint with hi-temp paint... BBQ paint or better.
Use light coats, drying between, until the header is well covered.
Allow to dry.
NOTE: You still must not touch the header with bare hands or allow any oils, silicates, or dirt on the tubes.
The headers must be free of contaminants until the paint has been cured by heat cycling.
This can be done 2 ways.
1) Heating of the header off the car, then letting it sit to cool naturally.
2) Install the header, run the car to operating temp, then allow to cool naturally.
Once the tubes have been heat cycled, they can be handled and dirtied without affecting the heat tolerance of the paint.
Good luck
Dave
BTW: We did this with a set of thin wall headers in 1978, and 2 or 3 times since over the years, the headers are still on the car and fine.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 653
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From: Mannheim, Germany
Originally Posted by Billfold
thanks for the tip!
you follow those instructions EXACTLY! I painted mine with POR-15 and I didn't think of not touching them until fully cured so I have some spots that are flaking off withing 24 hours of install. Oh well..
