Header Paint and hearder heat wrap ?'s

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02sixxer

02sixxer

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Right now I cant afford to have my Headers ceramic coated, but somthing needs to be done they look like crap, they are through the fender wall headers.

First Questions:
What paint is reccomended? I have been told VHT makes a decent header paint primer and clear. And to make sure I do all steps for best results. Anyone know about this?

Question Two:

My fender wall headers are close to the back wall of the fender and the heat had caused the old paint to chip and curl up. It looks like crap. The car is being painted in about a week or so. Will wrapping the header where it runs close to the fender wall help the paint not peel?
 
hardware store. barbeque grill paint. works. cheap. damn the VHT.
 
the header wrap actually works real well at suppressing heat, a customer's car where I work has heat wrapped headers, and a few of his plug wires touch the header tubes, but the wrap keeps them from burning up.

JUST remember, header wrap voids all major header makers warrantees
 
The headers are self made from a headman kit that has to be cut to lenght and welded togehter. I dont think they cary a waranty and if so i am sure if something happend they would say it was my fault anyway due to me welding them and them not putting them together.
 
Header wrap is known for rusting headers out. It holds moisture like a sponge. Nuthin you can do to avoid it. I wouldn't use it.
 
well if it's a kit definately run the header wrap, remember though that they do trap a ton of moisture
 
I use the VHT header paint on my Hooker Fenderwells, its about the best that I know of and use the header/exhaust wrap on the tubes right under the brake master cylinder, you dont want to use the header wrap if you have coated headers it will mess up the finish.
 
This is POR-20 on a set of \6 headers. The picture was taken about 2.5 years and 20k miles after painting them. They looked nearly as good under the car. Unlike POR-15 you have to remove all the rust before applying the coating.

Slant6.jpg


This is VHT's header paint on a new set of hedman headers. I used solvent to remove all the black paint that these headers are shipped with, which by the way, is not a temperature resistant paint as stated in the hedmen instructions shipped with them. The VHT was mostly gone in a year.

CompleteRightSide.jpg
 
I use DEI exhaust wrap with stainless steel bands on my headers. Then you must spray them with the DEI coating with soaks into the fabric and makes them water resistant. It's been 8 years and my headers are still perfect. Total cost, about $50. Would I do it again? Nope! Too much damn work and dust. It made me itch like crazy. Next set I am coating I don't care if it costs me $300.
 
I agree on the header wrap causing problems. When I used to road race the motors we got had header wrap on them, they all held moisture and ended up causing the header to crack in several spots for several inches each. I would never use it again.
 
How does moisture stay in the wrap when the header is between 450 to 900 degrees???
IMO the extra heat that is not able to be released through the surface area of the header which raises the heat of the tubing greatly is what causes damage to the header. The purpose of header wrap is to decrease the temp of surrounding areas. Like under your hood..... to increase power, or to help with headers being too close to something you dont want hot...like your paint....

So to answer the OP yes header wrap will help to decrease temp to help with paint being ruined on your fender. Check summitracing.com They have pretty good prices on header wrap you will need around 75 ft depending on how you do it. Just get the 100 ft roll and have a lil extra. You can use saftey wire to fasten it and save a lil money vs the stainless straps...but the straps are pretty nice get em if you got the cash ....And the dei coating after wraping them is a must IMO.....good luck
 
Don't use header wrap if your headers are already ceramic coated (I know, overkill ... but some still do it). It will void your coating warranty too!
 
Do NOT use header wrap. They will quickly rust the header from the inside out. If you want to lower the temp inside the engine compartment, the best way is to have the headers ceramic coated. They lowered the temp on mine by 20 degrees!
 
Ditto on skipping the wrap.. I did mine and they went to crapola city in short order.
Coat'em if you can..
 
I have checked into ceramic coating, but rhe only place I can find even close to local wants $320. I dont know if I want to spend that on these headers. I wih I had the money for the schumachers.
 
I did mine with the wood stove pipe paint only put 1 coat on or it will peel off looks good been on a year now.
 
i have header wrap on my headers in my v8 vega and no problems.... been on it for 4 years and i had to re wrap the one pipe.. (it goes out fender well and back under so tired rubs when turned all the way) and still looked good shape... normal surface rust as if you had stock headers.... made the engine bay and inside the car alot lower temp. i also dont drive it in the rain for moisture problem
 
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