Best way to paint headers

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DartVadar

DartVadar

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I just got my headers today, and they are uncoated, I guess I was too cheap to get the coated ones! How should I go about painting them? I know the VHT high temp paint works well for some people, but they require baking for durability. The motor they are going on hasn't been started yet, so the first thing I will be doing with the headers is the cam break in. Will that be the same as the heat treating? Or should I paint them, and find somewhere with a big oven to out them in?

They are longtubes for my oven at home isn't bit enough LOL

I have also read that BBQ paint is good. Is there any paint that I can spray on and then run the cam break in without causing issues with the finish?
 
I just saw a product on PowerNation the other day that is a ceramic in spray cans for this very purpose. I don't remember who made it though.
 
I used ultra high heat white "with ceramic" and it worked pretty darn good. It dried nice and the heat cycles of the motor baked the ceramic (I guess?) the silver high heat paint comes off on your hands if its not heat cycled in 48 hours or so, read can. What if you hit them with a propane torch after painting them? You know, hang them up and just exhaust a bottle on them to get them nice and hot. I bet that'll set the paint right up.
 
another choice is Eastwood stainless header paint. I used it on a dirt car with great luck.
 
dcdriver said:
another choice is Eastwood stainless header paint. I used it on a dirt car with great luck.
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on this subject -kinda! does anyone have a way to keep the down bars painted, or looking good on a roll cage, where you slide over them getting in and out?---thanks for suggestions --bob
 
Try clear helicopter tape. Once it's on, it's on!
 
famous bob said:
on this subject -kinda! does anyone have a way to keep the down bars painted, or looking good on a roll cage, where you slide over them getting in and out?---thanks for suggestions --bob
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Try roll bar padding, or make it a swing out bar.
 
The biggest issue is not beating the crap out of the car and headers when you install them, unless you drop the K-member.

I've always sand blasted, degrease, then 4-5 coats of VHT Silver. If your breaking the engine in with the headers then I don't recommend painting them because it usually will burn off. Prep and Heat cycle is the key to a good adhesion.

What headers did you get?
 
pishta said:
I used ultra high heat white "with ceramic" and it worked pretty darn good. It dried nice and the heat cycles of the motor baked the ceramic (I guess?) the silver high heat paint comes off on your hands if its not heat cycled in 48 hours or so, read can. What if you hit them with a propane torch after painting them? You know, hang them up and just exhaust a bottle on them to get them nice and hot. I bet that'll set the paint right up.
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Is that VHT paint? And if I used paint and put the headers in to bake on the car aren't you not supposed to bake the paint during engine break in? The propane torch wouldn't be a bad idea, I don't see why it wouldn't work either.

Or I could just paint them and find somewhere to have them baked.
 
dano said:
The biggest issue is not beating the crap out of the car and headers when you install them, unless you drop the K-member.

I've always sand blasted, degrease, then 4-5 coats of VHT Silver. If your breaking the engine in with the headers then I don't recommend painting them because it usually will burn off. Prep and Heat cycle is the key to a good adhesion.

What headers did you get?
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So its probably best to break them in with just bare metal, and then take them out to paint them after? How long does the VHT last you typically?

And they are dougs headers for my 360, I didn't really think I needed to get the ceramic coating and I got a good deal on the uncoated.
 
I use the Silver header paint, I've even used BBQ Black on exhaust parts other than headers. On my 460, during break in, most of the paint hung in there, but some spots in the bends got hot and the metal flaked. The second time around, I replaced the headers with different ones, and started the truck until I smelled paint and turned it off. I did this 5 times over a week and now its on good, no flaking. I have read where people use a map gas or propane torch to heat the inside of the header after paint to cure it.

Doug's are nice, that is what I have. You may just want to get them professionally coated.
 
dano said:
I use the Silver header paint, I've even used BBQ Black on exhaust parts other than headers. On my 460, during break in, most of the paint hung in there, but some spots in the bends got hot and the metal flaked. The second time around, I replaced the headers with different ones, and started the truck until I smelled paint and turned it off. I did this 5 times over a week and now its on good, no flaking. I have read where people use a map gas or propane torch to heat the inside of the header after paint to cure it.

Doug's are nice, that is what I have. You may just want to get them professionally coated.
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My only concern now is the fact that I have to run the cam break in, and I reaaaly don't want to have to remove them to paint them. Because as everybody knows headers are not that fun to install... But if I have to I guess I will.

I can get the headers professionally coated but that would involve taking them out after running the break in with them bare. I emailed a local company that does it, they said to bring it to them after the cam is broken in for best lasting results.

What I was thinking is if I could apply the paint or coating, and cure it before I even put them in the car, so I only have to install them once. Would using a torch as you said be sufficient so the paint doesn't burn off during cam break in?

And my only issue is finding Eastwood paint if I would end up using it instead of VHT paint. Not sure who would sell It up in Canada.
 
I've used Eastwood silver header paint too. Works great. The nice part about it is you can spray on several coats and in a year or two if you see thin spots you can touch it up with a brush. I don't know how much it is now but it lays down smooth with a brush or can be thinned and spray. Comes in a quart can.
 
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