Exhaust Manifold Paint Question

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Paint and Body
1

Rusty old cat just got a new set of exhaust manifolds and I wondering if I should paint or spray something else on them before installation. Any advice would be appreciated.
Exhaust_1.jpg

2

You could try some POR15.

3

VHT ceramic in your choice of colors would be good. I use silver ceramic for touch-up on ceramic coated headers and it holds up great.

4

VHT sounds like a good product. I read their info on their site. It sounds like the biggest thing you have to do is cure the coating correctly at the specified time and temps.
Steven

5

While I’m sure that’s recommended/a good idea, I have had great results just spraying it on ceramic header boo-boo’s and away we go.

6

Best I’ve found is a special coating made just for exhaust manifolds is Bill Hirsch’s cast iron grey.
It’s high temp 1200 and is avail in spray or liquid.

I’ve found best results are glass beading and spray solvent, dry over night.

Spray in lights coats, then put on car. Cures w/ eng heat.

Years later still looks like new.

7

Let me hijack this thread a minute. I am curious as to what the manifolds originally looked like. Were they left as raw iron, painted, what color?

8

Raw iron I believe.

9

Eastwood sells a product for coating manifolds that will keep the “As-cast-no-rust” appearance for many years,

10

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

11

Depends on the engine size if they (common belief) were attached to the engine when it was painted as a unit. Currently its big block no and small block and Cleveland yes. In both cases they were bare uncoated when installed. The ones on the engine at the time of painting often received a nice coat of paint along the top and upper part of the runners fading through just overspray as you move down the sides.

This discolored, chipped or burnt through as miles were added to the car.

I’ve had luck with liquid graphite int he past - a bit of up keep on driven cars. Or more recently I use a ceramic paint I use that comes by the quart. Expensive but you can do maybe 50 cars out of that one container. Heat them in the oven to cure and their good to go.

Hope this helps.