Exhaust Pipe Temperature

[Anonymous]

Hey All
I'm currently painting my 81GS400, will hopefully put up some pics when it's done of before and after, but that's not what this is about. What this is about is exhaust pipes. I wanna clean up the set I have, get rid of the rust and so on. Ok so I get the rust off and I'm down to bare metal, where to from there? What's the best way to clean up the pipes. They are stock from a GS450A or something if that changes anything, it's basically stock. What I'm looking at is actually painting them, now I can get engine enamel in all sorts of purdy colours, but can I use the stuff? The can says up to 500o F but am I going to exceed that? Ever? And what about my engine if I go ALL out, will that exceed 500o? If anyone knows I'd really appreciate the help. And any idea if I need to prime before I use the stuff? I guess the can would likely say that. Like I said, I'll get a post up of the project when it's done.
Thanks

[Anonymous]

I'd say as long as the can of paint says you can use it on the exhaust, you're good to go.
I have some advice though. The bend of the exhaust pipe is the hottest point. It can get hot enough to glow at night.
When you paint the pipes, you need to cure them. Don't paint them, and put them on, then go flog the hell out of the bike. It's GUARANTEED that the paint will come off. What you do is paint them, then put them in the oven for an hour or so at 250o (usually the paint can will say what temp) to let the paint cure. If you're not comfortable baking a set of pipes, or they don't fit, then go ahead and mount them to the bike, but run them in stages. Start the bike for 3 minutes or until the pipes just start smoking, then turn it off and let it cool. Do it again, running it longer. Repeat 4 to 5 times. You should be good to go at this point.
I don't think primer is a necessity.
I did the header pipes on my old '68 VW Baja Bug using the above method. They came out perfect.... until I ran it through a mudhole and instead of having nice black headers, with no flaking paint, I had nice brown splattered headers, with no flaking paint. Kind of a homemade ceramic job.

The key is curing the paint, so it doesn't just burn off.

[earlfor]

Exhaust gas temperature is around 1100F as it leaves the exhaust ports.

Earl

[redliner1973]

Use paint specifically for hightemp applications. :twisted:

[AOD]

normal black paint burns right off...you need to use a high temp exhaust paint, available at an auto parts store.

[Dink]

Unfortunately I have been unable to find a Gloss black exhaust paint so on my bigbore Kat (which I reckon probably runs higher exhaust temps than a 400/450) is I paint it with flat black exhaust paint to protect it, this I baked on by refitting the exhaust, then whilst this was still warm I removed the exhaust and spray over it with cheap gloss black, this does burn off after a while so I occasionally recoat it after brushing it over with a brass brush.
Of cause you could always just get the headers ceramic coated and forget about it.
Dink

[Anonymous]

I recently refinished my crankcase. A friend who knows these things said the Duplicolor High Temp. with Ceramic is not actually good to the advertised 500 degrees. More like 200 to 300 Buyer beware. I used it anyway though.

Michael

[Pete's GS]

I had the rust and chrome sandblasted off, then sprayed Rustoleum 1200 degree flat black Bar-B-Que paint. It's holding up fine, and I like the Rat Bike look. VHT makes a paint good for 1500 degree but 1200 seems sufficient.