VHT Paint

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Joel Chapman

Joel Chapman

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So I've been trying to figure out the best path forward for headers. I am probably going to go with raw metal doug's headers in my 71 dart swinger with a 318. With raw metal will I still need to sand on the headers or just lay down the primer? Also right now the engine is out of the car, but when I put it back in the car I will need to break in the new cam. Will I need to break in the cam with the stock exhaust manifolds first? I doubt I would be able to cure the headers in the oven in the house lol. Also this car will be a daily driver but not that much driving each day, I live real close to work and I live in southern Idaho which is pretty dry but does get snow in the winter. Am I making the right choice here? Or should I just suck it up and by the coated headers from factory? Thanks for all the help! Im ready to get the car back on the road and back to driving.
 
Raw headers will still need some prep before paint. I would recommend the coated headers. More $ , but worth every penny
My 02
 
You do not need to specifically break your cam in with stock manifolds.
 
Joel Chapman said:
So I've been trying to figure out the best path forward for headers. I am probably going to go with raw metal doug's headers in my 71 dart swinger with a 318. With raw metal will I still need to sand on the headers or just lay down the primer? Also right now the engine is out of the car, but when I put it back in the car I will need to break in the new cam. Will I need to break in the cam with the stock exhaust manifolds first? I doubt I would be able to cure the headers in the oven in the house lol. Also this car will be a daily driver but not that much driving each day, I live real close to work and I live in southern Idaho which is pretty dry but does get snow in the winter. Am I making the right choice here? Or should I just suck it up and by the coated headers from factory? Thanks for all the help! Im ready to get the car back on the road and back to driving.
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I bought TTI headers with the silver outside coating and the ceramic green internal coating. At some point in the first few hundred miles, the first foot or so of the tubes coming from the heads appeared a lot more porous and flat. They had been over heated.

A few months later, I had to pull the motor again to fix something, so I sprayed the headers down with brake clean and painted them flat black with VHT High Temp paint. That was over 10 years ago. They are still flat black and I did respray them one more time while I had the engine out during that period, but it was more of a touch-up spray job.

I did the same thing to another set of TTI's I used on my '68. This time I sprayed them flat black before installing them new. THose have held up for close to 4 years now.

VHT makes a very good, heat resistant spray bomb product, and I am not sure how much having that coating on them as a base coat helped the paint hold up so well. I have since sprayed my entire exhaust after cleaning it with brake cleaner, and it has held up very well over time. None of those parts had a baked on finish on them. It was common plated steel.

I do know that TTI wants you to spray down the headers with WD-40 when the car is not in use to stop them from rusting with the baked on coating they use.
 
Many years ago I bought a set of NOS CPPA headers that were plain steel. I took them to a place locally and had them Jet coated. That was 13-14 years ago. Holding up good.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Many years ago I bought a set of NOS CPPA headers that were plain steel. I took them to a place locally and had them Jet coated. That was 13-14 years ago. Holding up good.
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I forgot to add that bit of info. I did not use manifolds first either when I fired it up. Put the headers on and rolled with it.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I keep reading the above quote and reply. And I’m still scratching my head?
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They think a "new" engine will run too hot for the header coating. An "ill tuned" engine would be a better description.
 
Oh I understand TTI position. But A56 says you don’t need to use manifolds to break your cam in. Which I agree.
Then JC says true, TTI says to not break in cam with new headers? Am I the only one that sees a contradiction here?
 
Also, if you don't coat them, headers rust from the inside out. Can you say moisture, daly driver. It's the moisture from inside, just like the exh pipes and mufflers that will kill them. Paint just keeps them looking nice on the outside.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
Also, if you don't coat them, headers rust from the inside out. Can you say moisture, daly driver. It's the moisture from inside, just like the exh pipes and mufflers that will kill them. Paint just keeps them looking nice on the outside.
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It's actually the moisture mixing with the soot that creates an acid that destroys most any exhaust sytem. That's why it's never good to periodically run a motor to just charge the battery or circulate the oil unless it's to bring the motor completely up to operating temperature for a sustained time where it will remove moisture from the motor oil as well. Hot and cold cycling creates moisture.
 
Joel Chapman said:
True, I’ve just been reading the websites and tti said to not break in a cam with new headers
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if your mixture is off, it will get the headers hotter than designed and will void the warranty. You dont have a lot of opportunity to reset timing or major fuel ratios while its hot running at 2200 rpm. Beat on some manifolds for the break in. A lot quieter too to listen for knocks and ticks too. VHT black or Walmart BBQ paint! I had great results with VHT Ceramic in white. Pulled some pro-parts headers after a year and had to physically chip some of the fused paint off and it was as shiny as a new dime underneath. Spraying them down with WD40 for winter hibernation? That would make an interesting spring start up IN the garage....
 
So do you think TTI puts this disclaimer on their headers knowing that most people won’t or can’t run manifolds to break in a new engine. Cause after all it’s not just the manifolds you’ll need what about exhaust pipes. They know most people are not going to do this.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Oh I understand TTI position. But A56 says you don’t need to use manifolds to break your cam in. Which I agree.
Then JC says true, TTI says to not break in cam with new headers? Am I the only one that sees a contradiction here?
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I guess what I thought I was saying is i get it I don’t need to use manifolds for the break in, but if I don’t use the manifolds all I would have is the headers for the cam break in, which would go against what tti said to do on their website with their headers brand new.
 
Well I know when I had a local company jet coat mine I didn’t use manifolds to break it in. I used the headers. And they didn’t discolor.
 
I know coated is better, but l have never had a set in sixty years. Vet is good stuff . If you go black, the bbq paint works well.
 
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