So call me crazy but I picked up some pacesetters for $25 that are pretty rusty. So i grabed some emery cloth and my sander and started sanding the rust off, Its got some decent pitting and I wanted to know if you guys think its all that bad. The header piping is pretty large and I don't think i have to worrie about it rusting threw anywhere, but I thought i'd get a 2nd opinion.

if all goes well ill have all the rust off then get them ceramic coated.

Pics

 

Are those LT1 Pacesetters? Or generic SBC headers?

 

LT1s why do you ask

 

Just wondering. They looked on the "long" side. For $25 that's a hell of a deal. If I were you I'd have them media-blasted. That will make quick work of the rust and make it ideal to coat and/or paint.

 

whats media-blasted? like sand-blasted? I wish my dad didnt sell his sand-blaster or i'd already have these done! Im considering looking around for a sandblaster to use on them. But its not been to much of a pain to get the rust off so far.

 

Also the collector seems a little small to me, they didnt make anything smaller then 3" did they? when i cut that turn down off ill measure it.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrasive_blasting

Just saying there's an alternative to all of the manual labor. Blasting will get into all the nooks and crannies you can't get into. No doubt there is a place near you that will blast them entirely for a couple bucks.

 

Most coaters will will dip them in acid to etch the metal before the coating is applied. I don't think they need to be sanded.

 

Ive gotten rust off with muriatic acid before. It will kill the rust and everything else around including you w/o a mask.

 

Spray on oven cleaner and hit it with a scotchbrite pad works wonders! You think those where bad...

Pic 1...Looks like they were sitting on the bottom of the ocean! But for free, cant complain! Thanks Carri!

Pic 2. What you will need, oven cleaner...soak it good, the rust will come off, let it sit for a couple hours ...scotchbrite pad, hit it with some soapy water, may need to respray after this step if the rust is really pitted like mine was...VHT header paint...spray as soon as you are done drying the headers off to prevent flash rust.

Pic 3. Finished product, looks better than new! And for $6 and a couple hours of work, no media blasting, acid dipped, and 2 years later still looking good!

 

yup get them blasted whether with sand or media....and just spry paint them....I've gotta paint mine (I've been too lazy lately) and then I can put them on.....or I may sell them and just wait and do an LSx swap.....decisions, decisions.....

 

you could clean them up and paint them, and then use the header wrap on them.


media blasting uses a plastic media instead of sand, it doesnt eat away the metal, only the rust..
there is also a walnut shell blasting that uses crushed walnut shells that does the same.

check your local phonebook for a place called redi-strip or redistrip, its a chemical dip that cleans inside and out.

if you send them to have them coated, the coater will clean them up before they coat them anyways..
i would check and see how much it will cost to have them coated inside and out..
they look to be good headers, think i would get them coated..

i know of a place in Tennessee that does some great coating work, i can pm you their number if you would like..

 

I would avoid header wrap at all costs. It can be a serious fire hazard and can INCREASE corrosion.

 

I will not use header wrap, But I used my autozone card and got the VHT paint for free, so im going to give that a try.