Header Paint Flaking Off ??

Has anyone ever had any issues with their Header Paint peeling or flaking off maybe a week into driving? So I had bought an unused set of Headman Headers off someone and decided to paint them with header paint before installation. I sanded them down real good back a few months ago and coated them with two average coats of Rustoleum high heat sliver header paint (2000 deg.). Now fast forward to last week when I cranked the car up for the first time. Like I read on the instructions for the baking period, I ran it until it started smoking then stopped for a cool down... repeated a few times as directed. Eventually the paint wrinkled up for about a foot or two of the pipe. Now its beginning to flake off a lot of places. Just wondering if this has happed to anyone else so soon in the game? I guess I thought I did it correctly and prepped it as best I knew how, but then again I'm human...

I don't have much faith in header paints. The last time I used it, it burned off almost instantly.

If I were in your situation I'd probably try sanding and spraying some touch up to see if it holds.

Some people use fireplace paint and have had good luck, haven't tried that myself.

Yep mine did the same thing. I had mine sandblasted first and then painted them. I don't think header paint works at all. I thought I would beat it by getting me a set of those fancy ceramic coated ones. What a waste, they rusted with in the year so I was better off with rusty painted ones, less money!

Satellite72 said:

Has anyone ever had any issues with their Header Paint peeling or flaking off maybe a week into driving? So I had bought an unused set of Headman Headers off someone and decided to paint them with header paint before installation. I sanded them down real good back a few months ago and coated them with two average coats of Rustoleum high heat sliver header paint (2000 deg.). Now fast forward to last week when I cranked the car up for the first time. Like I read on the instructions for the baking period, I ran it until it started smoking then stopped for a cool down... repeated a few times as directed. Eventually the paint wrinkled up for about a foot or two of the pipe. Now its beginning to flake off a lot of places. Just wondering if this has happed to anyone else so soon in the game? I guess I thought I did it correctly and prepped it as best I knew how, but then again I'm human...

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Only ANYONE that has ever painted them. LOL!

It is an age old problem that there is no real economical solution to.

Some paint will last a little longer than others but it will all go away eventually. People spend a lot of money sending them out to have them ceramically coated but it is brittle and if it chips off then you have an open to the metal spot that will rust and run.

The factory did not paint the manifolds because they knew that it was not going to last. The Harley people figure out long ago that even the chrome pipes soon blue from the heat near the heads and put a chrome heat shield over that area that is held on with a big clamp so it all looks like an intergrated pipe and the slight space between them keeps the shield from blueing.

Yes, headers are one of the best bangs for your buck for dollars spent to h.p. gained in SOME cases. It is all about the amount of air you move effeciently through the engine.

The F.A.S.T. racing and pure stock guys have proven that headers are not all that necessary for the average car. It is all about you entire engine package/combo. The factory HP manifolds are quite good in many cases. I have them on my 523 six pack stroker that will run mid 11s on polyglas tires.

Unless you have an engine combo that REALLY justify headers you will have less leak, gasket, fitment and paint problems with the exhaust manifolds.

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one having these issues... I suppose I'll just try taping off the area and try sanding and touching them up while on the car with another product of some sorts. Thanks for the input. I'd be glad to hear of any success stories.

The question should be: has anyone NEVER had header paint flaking or peeling off ?

there are no success stories. its never going to stay on there. at some point it will burn off.
just bite the bullet and get the things coated. in the end you wont have to replace the headers.

steve

I tried that flame stuff 1800 degrees!! blah blah flaked right off don't waste your cash...