New product for painting headers

[Adler45]

If it stands up to the heat of machine gun barrels, I thought that it would work well for headers. This stuff is tough as nails and I have used to on several of my stainless match pistol barrels. It is however, not very cheap.

http://www.lauerweaponry.com/index.cfm?Category=270&Subcat=DuraHeat%20Coating

[Mark whiz]

How cool - I could put a camo paint job on my headers! :-D

Unfortunately that would get pretty expensive to buy enough to cover and exhaust system.

[Ironriot]

You could probably cover the entire exhuast with the 16 oz bottle. Besides if its as good as they say it is then it probably costs alot less then ceramic coatings

[Adler45]

I find that this stuff goes pretty far. I have used their standard finish on a couple of shotguns and pistols when I was a gunsmith and the standard small bottle would do a shotgun or two pistols. I imagine the hi temp stuff goes on the same.

Just thought that you guys might like it. I am tempted to use the standard stuff for my engine. I was thinking of a red engine with the cooling fins left aluminum on my GS 550

[Mysuzyq]

Another promising product I came across...

http://www.techlinecoatings.com/Retail.htm

May be a bit more cost-effective, and withstands 2000F...I think 12oz should be enough, according to their coverage estimates.

Tony.

[Duck]

Kal Gard is what we used in the 70's on the superbikes. They have just come back into the motorcycle industry with some chemical sprays.
I just sent off anote asking if the or their parent company still sell small qauntities of their heat desipating paint to consumers. Will keep yopu posted, this was good stuff.

[97Intruder]

Does anyone know what the temp gets up to on header pipes? I've got a Craftsman non contact temp gun, and shot my head pipes with the bike running, and if I remember correctly, they never got hotter than I believe 600'ish, this temp gun is infrared 1000 degree. I've used it to see which cylinder is firing rich or lean, or not at all. Pretty handy, and easier than drilling and installing pyrometers! So I guess it was stupid to ask what the temp gets to, since I already know, but thought maybe someone had a better measurement. And was thinking that 1200 degree paint " should " be more than sufficient to paint headers with, I think that it would just be a matter of prep.....removing chrome, if needed, and proper priming...ect... to keep the paint, or coating from peeling or flaking off. Correct me if I'm wrong, cuz usually I am.

[Mysuzyq]

Apart from the ability to withstand extremely high temps (or perhaps, because of it) the ceramic finishes are very durable....although high-heat paints like VHT and similar can do the job, they tend to fade within a couple years usually, with the black turning to a grey shade, esp near the engine. Ceramic coated pipes claim to be much more impervious to chipping, salt spray etc and generally easily outlast VHT without fading . My ceramic coated pipes have faded only slightly in almost 5 years, but are'nt super -resistant to salt as I found out after parking the bike unwashed for a few days, after riding on roads wet with snow melt......some minor pitting at the collector was the result. I think I might try the Techline ceramic paint next time around.
Tony.

[tkent02]

I've got a Craftsman non contact temp gun, and shot my head pipes with the bike running, and if I remember correctly, they never got hotter than I believe 600'ish, this temp gun is infrared 1000 degree.

I bet it gets a lot hotter under high power, low speed, something like up a long steep grade.

[Steve]

I have no idea what exhaust temps are on the bikes, but I did have a pyrometer installed in the header on my turbo Corolla back in 1976. Highest temperature I saw was 1750. :shock: Yeah, I know it's comparing apples to oranges (normally-aspirated bike vs turbo car), but that's the only experience I have with exhaust temps on a gasoline-burning vehicle.

The trucks I drove (Cummins-powered Peterbilts) had much lower exhaust temps. If the temp probe was before the turbo, we were supposed to keep it below 1350. If the probe was after the turbo, we kept it below 1050. It only got close to those temps on long uphills when loaded, the temps were usually about 3-400 degrees cooler.


.


.

[Mysuzyq]

They probably get pretty toasty in traffic jams in summer as well, I bet.8-[
Tony.

[gsgeezer]

If you use any paint or chemical treatment that withstands 1200 degrees F. you are good.

[stiksave]

Another promising product I came across...

http://www.techlinecoatings.com/Retail.htm

May be a bit more cost-effective, and withstands 2000F...I think 12oz should be enough, according to their coverage estimates.

Tony.

Have you tried the techline product yet? Two cans of VHT $20, 12oz. Black satan $55.00 shipped. I guess I don't want to be the first.

[Hammered]

The Tech Line products work very well. I was turned on to them by a racer friend back in Va before moving. I went to Summit Point track one Sunday with him, he ran his trials and came back into the pit area. He told me to touch the exhaust, I laughed and told him to touch his Ahole with his nose first. He removed his glove and leaned on the header. Couldnt have been more than 100 or so. I didnt have a way to test the temp but I could handle the exhaust with it. He swears he recieved a boost on HP and was able to squeeze an extra couple laps per tank. The whole not burning myself on the exhaust had me.

Look for the products named Satin Black or Colorgard. Both are air dry and are cost friendly.

[Billy Ricks]

I've use Kalgard and VHT. The Kalgard holds up fine and is the coating that was used on most of the headers back in the day. I've used VHT and had it burn off. The techline coatings are ceramic based and work great.