High temp paint for headers

mickri

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I will be done welding the headers for my MG Midget in the next couple of days. Next up for the headers is what type of coating to put on the headers. There is a company in Fresno, 100 mile drive, that does ceramic coatings baked in a 1400 degree oven. I would like to try a less expensive option. Been reading about high temp paints that I could apply. My only experience with painting headers was decades ago. The paint would burn off within a month or so.

VHT makes a ceramic paint for headers that seems to have good reviews. It is available in my local, 25 mile drive, auto parts stores.

Anybody have any experience with VHT header paint or any other type of high temp paint usable on headers?
 
I will be done welding the headers for my MG Midget in the next couple of days. Next up for the headers is what type of coating to put on the headers. There is a company in Fresno, 100 mile drive, that does ceramic coatings baked in a 1400 degree oven. I would like to try a less expensive option. Been reading about high temp paints that I could apply. My only experience with painting headers was decades ago. The paint would burn off within a month or so.

VHT makes a ceramic paint for headers that seems to have good reviews. It is available in my local, 25 mile drive, auto parts stores.

Anybody have any experience with VHT header paint or any other type of high temp paint usable on headers?

This does not answer your question, but when I was in your situation I opted for the ceramic coating.
 
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The VHT lasted 6 weeks in my case.. On the coupe in my avatar, I spent the cash and used Jet Hot. During installation one of the headers got scratched pretty bad, I called them to see if it could be touched up / repaired they said send it back and they would re-do it and protect the warranty at no charge! I paid the shipping obviously.. But it's been 8 years and they still look great.
 
Anybody have any experience with VHT header paint or any other type of high temp paint usable on headers?
Not VHT, but you might take a look at tech line coatings. They have a range of product, black, chrome-like, and color and they are reasonably priced for what they are.

Exhaust System Coatings | Tech Line Coatings

I used their Black Satin product and was very impressed with it for ease of use and result, but, it was on tail pipe and muffler cans that were originally black, and that is not near as demanding as header primaries. Still, I merely sand blasted and painted the assemblies, air dried and then cured in place on the vehicle. After 10 years they look like the day I painted them.

It really depends on the level of finish and durability you seek but for custom headers. Honestly, I'd recommend you pay the man, especially if cosmetics matter to you. Seems like you have considerable effort into building the headers, and to achieve full chemical and temp resistance requires 600-700F post cure and burnishing for sealing of the chrome like coatings. Curing is hard to do unless you have access to a large kiln. Also, most of the professional services will coat inside and out. I have a set of headers I built that were Jet Hot coated and they are lustrous and beautiful to this day after years of service.

IMO, the claims of heat reduction although true to a degree, they are greatly exaggerated. But as far as longevity and preserving the appearance of mild steel headers, you cant beat it.

Best,
Kelly
 
I have done the VHT route, not super long lasting, also to get any kind of results, the headers have to be super clean, any grease, oil, grit or fingerprints, will be very obvious, very quickly.
 
Thou shalt construct headers only out of stainless, and where that's not possible ceramic coating shall be used. Actually, ceramic looks better over the long haul.
 
Stainless would have been nice. But since I don't have the equipment to weld stainless the headers are mild steel.

All I am looking for is protection from rusting. Aesthetics is secondary. I am thinking about white for the color because the car will be white with black trim. The engine bay is black.

The engine is a basically stock Toyota 3 TC putting out around 70 to 75 hp. The only modifications from stock will be the headers and a weber 32/36 carburetor. Max rpm will be around 5500. I doubt that I will rarely if ever hit that rpm. This car won't get driven very much. A couple of thousand miles per year max.

In one video that I watched they ran a SBC on a dyno and took temperature readings of the headers painted with VHT at various rpm's. At sustained high rpms (I forget the actual rpm) the headers got to just under 1000 degrees. At normal driving rpms of 2000 to 4000 rpms the header temps ranged from 500 to 600 degrees. These temps were taken close to the exhaust flange.

I looked at the Tech Line coatings. The website says they are only sold to professional applicators. Kind of leaves me out of using their coatings.

The curing is another issue. I watched videos of people using a BBQ to cure the paint. If the headers won't fit in my BBQ I will have to look at other options.
 
If you don't do something on the inside, you will need to build another set in a few short years. Ceramic in and out is the way to go. Don't use the header wrap either! Mild steel and SS tubes will basically evaporate away! Been there before. Thus I stand by the ceramic even though the cost is high, life is longer.
Pierre
 
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