Olds64

Hello everyone. I was wondering what everyone uses to paint/coat their manifolds and headers?

I have a set of W/Z manifolds I got from Jamesbo recently and I am almost ready to paint them. I just got them back from the machine shop and he fixed them for me. The work the machinist did isn't too bad if I say so myself.

Anyways, I was thinking about spraying them with silver VHT Super Hot. Does this work pretty well? The last engine work I did I painted my manifolds with O'Reilly brand 500* paint. It burned right off!

Does VHT Super Hot work ok, or should I just go all the way and have them coated? Any input or experience is welcome. I will be posting pics soon. After doing the manifolds all I need is an intake, distributor, engine adapter, radiator, alternator, starter... the list goes on and on. I am getting there though.

dynamic88

i painted mine with high heat silver paint that you would paint gas grills with. has to be 1200 degree paint. mine still looks as good as the day i painted them. chris

dynamic88

bought it from my local hardware. as long as it is 1200 degree paint i think you will be okay

gearheads78

If you want the original look use the high heat manifold paint that you brush on. It fully cure with the heat of the exhaust.

Redog

I used a high heat paint, but it's burning off

Gary's 2 442-S

I used a product called "Factory Manifold Gray". I bought it from POR 15. They have a lot of very high quality specialty type paints, In fact I used their chassis paint in which you can paint over rust.

Bunser

Eastwood makes a cast grey look manifold paint that seems to work well.

scott_442

Anybody ever try the manifold "dressing" that EAstwood sells? I guess it's meant for applying while the manifold is still installed. Seems like it would be temporary though.

Olds64

I have used POR 15 products before. They have top notch customer service and products. Perhaps I should check out their website for this product.

Bluevista

The Eastwood manifold paint works great, been on mine over a year and it looks like I did them yesterday. The foam brushes seem to work well and don't leave brush marks. I like to go over any raw cast iron or bare heavy steel with a torch to evaporate any moisture out before finishing too.

Allan

Oldsguy

Regardless of the brand you choose, I vote for the manifold grey color. I think it looks much better than a shiny silver.

Olds64

I call POR 15 and they mentioned that the baking process after painting is critical. They said it needs to be done in an industrial oven. I guess I won't be using the POR 15 product afterall. I will probably have to get them powder coated or just spray them and live with it burning off.

I don't have an industrial oven to bake the parts in.

Has anyone ever used a product without a baking stage that has worked well?

justinj

Wouldn't the heat from the exhaust bake it on pretty quick, or did they say that wasn't possible?

How hot does it have to get, I wonder?

-Justin

Oldsguy

I think an "industrial oven" is just one that is not going to have bread baked in it the next day. I might be wrong, but I think a normal oven on "self clean" setting might work. Just send Amy away for a Saturday to shop with her friends. Stick those bad boys in the oven and set it on "self clean". What have you got to loose?

Redog

I know powercoating has to get to 400* in that oven, high heat might be hotter to cure it

Oldsguy

I checked POR15 website and read the directions on that manifold grey paint. You don't even need the "self clean" mode. 300 degrees does it.

"These products will dry to the touch and
can be easily handled afterward, but will remain relatively
soft until exposed to heat over 300 degrees Fahrenheit
(150oC)."

Like I said. Do it on a Saturday and be done with it.

Olds64

Yeah, I noticed that they only had to reach 300 degrees. However, the guy did say "industrial" oven. I guess that does mean one not intended for cooking food. I asked about putting them on the BBQ grill but the guy said "no way Jose'." I guess the carbon nastiness could damage the paint.

Redog

Anything that needs to be cured in an oven, it has to be a NON food prep oven.

The stuff in the paint or powercoating will adhear to the sides and top of the oven, making the oven toxic for food prep.

If you are buying a new oven, you could use the old one, one last time other than that, it's a bad idea to use the oven for this

PetChemMan

Actually, it's a good idea to have an oven in your shop. Besides baking paint , you can dry out old coated welding rods that have absorbed moisture. You can also use it to heat up parts that need to be expanded before installation . I've also used my shop oven to heat up plexiglass before shaping it over forms, and to dehydrate moisture absorbing packets containing silica gel. There must be a lot of other uses as well. Old kitchen ovens are cheap or free , although you will need a stout 240 volt circuit to plug into. I also picked up a ceramics kiln at an auction, which goes to higher temperatures than an oven. So far, I've only used the kiln to melt glass beer bottles into Salvatore Dali style shapes. I did also enjoy drinking the beer.

LBF

I used the Eastwood product to paint the manifolds on a '73 Cadillac Hearse after they were machined.

Olds64

I bought the VHT super hot. I am going to spray the manifolds tomorrow and bake them on the BBQ grill. If it burns off then I will only be out $15 for the paint. I might have to get different manifolds anways.