Painting exhaust manifolds?

[DennisG01]

I'm going to have my current manifolds machined - trueing up the ports so it mates well to the engine. What I don't like about my current ones, though, are some of the walls (where it would actually mate to the engine are very thin - not enough mating surface area - in fact, a gasket would surely just blow out). I don't see the advantage of buying a new set, since they're likely made from the same casting.

Anyways, is there any paint out there that would stand up to the heat? I was just looking at the picture of the "Optimizer" in the June articles - sure did look pretty!

[Hubert]

Waiting to see what some more experienced people say but I've seen header paint that has to be cured in an oven that suppose to stand up to high temp.
I have also seen bar-b-que grill paint that said it was good to 1600F in flat black. I'd think either of those might work ok. I figure prep and proper cure is the key to sucess. Another option is ceramic coat which would also give a bit of performance boost too. I suspect after a while all tend to burn off to rust.

[bl78ljb]

Check out these two links, this is more along the line of what you are looking for.

www.jet-hot.com - needs to be sent to them and you will have to discuss pricing with them (it has been many years since I was up on their fees).

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=394&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=390&iSubCat=394 - they have some of the coolest things used mostly in the hot rod community, but also make exhaust coatings.

[GMC Hauler]

I put the POR 15 factory manifold gray on (brushed on). Most is still on after 2 years.

[DennisG01]

Is that POR 15 available from a GM dealer? I'm not familiar with that.

I checked into Jet-Hot - they quoted me $245 for their Extreme Sterling covering which they said would give me a 30-40% drop in skin temperature! Also, they said it should easily last in the 5 - 10 year range, if not longer.

There's no down side to the Jet-Hot, is there? Other than the money, of course!:rolleyes:

[Cowracer]

I used the VHT spray paints. It looks nice and is still on after a year.

Tim

[Shikaroka]

Is that POR 15 available from a GM dealer? I'm not familiar with that.


POR-15 is awesome stuff!
POR-15 Home (http://www.por15.com/)
Manifold Grey (http://www.por15.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1457/.f)
I have used several of the product and plan on trying more of them.

[bl78ljb]

POR 15 is good stuff, but not really much of a thermal barrier. Jet Hot is the pioneer in the coated header industry, and in the early days of coated headers when you purchased a set from a header manufacturer they used to send them to you by way of Jet Hot to have them coated. I don't know of a downside to them except of course for the price! On gas header applications the coating helps to significantly decrease the underhood temperatues and greatly increases the life of the headers, and less underhood temp means more heat available to the turbo.

[billschall]

My vote goes to VHT. Used it to paint both manifolds & the exhaust side of the turbo. 5000 miles later, still looks good.

Word of advice tho - wait until the wife's away before you cure the painted pcs in the oven.:eek:

[Shikaroka]

POR 15 is good stuff, but not really much of a thermal barrier.

Yes, but he did ask about painting them. If you are looking to just cover them and keep them from rusting, then POR 15 is the way to go. Now, if you are looking for that thermal barrier, then there isn't much better then JetHot.

[DennisG01]

Thanks for all the comments. Originally I was just interested in simply painting them... until talking with Jet-Hot. Now I'm up in the air!