20 years
ago when I rebuilt my Dodge’s engine, I decided to try something different on
the exhaust manifolds. Every car I saw that tried paint on the manifolds or
headers had rust after a short while. Same with ceramic coatings, although they
seemed to work better. The problem is coatings never expand and contract at the
same rate as the iron, so eventually they loose their bond and crack or flake.
I used to
work at a manufacturer of airplane pitot tubes, used to measure air speed. These
have to be heated so ice does not accumulate, and at 1000 mph through minus 55
degree air that takes a lot of heat. At ground level these will easily go over
500 degrees. They also have to be corrosion resistant in salt air. And abrasion
resistant to dust in the air at 1000 mph. So what did this manufacturer use to
survive all these conditions: Electroless nickel plating.
Unfortunately,
I didn’t work there anymore, so I found a local plating shop in the phone book
and had the manifolds plated for $50. Ask for the plating without brighteners.
That will be about the look of freshly sandblasted cast iron, instead of bright
and shiny. Since the plating is only a few thousandths of an inch thick, it
does not look like paint or ceramic coating, but like bare metal. After 20 years
and 20,000 miles, the plating still looks good. Over 98 % still there, but it
has turned dark in some areas like a well-used motorcycle header pipe. I will
use it again on my next project.
I had
depended on the plating shop to sandblast and remove the rust. Had I done it my
self and done a better job in the pitted areas and de-rusted it chemically too,
I suspect the plating would be 99.9% intact today. If you get the interior
clean, it will also get plated.
Remember:
you want Electroless nickel, not electrolytic nickel. Electroless
nickel is applied without electricity. It chemically bonds directly to the iron
atoms. Electrolytic nickel is applied with an electric current and is not as well
bonded. Electroless is also harder and denser. Ask for the plating without
brighteners for the look of freshly sandblasted cast iron, instead of bright
and shiny.
Dave
Homstad
56 Dodge
D500
-----Original
Message-----
From: Forward Look Mopar
Discussion List [mailto:L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ron Waters
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2010 8:53
PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] Exhaust
manifold paint
What
procedure did you go thru before coating the manifolds ? And how long has it
been since you used the manifold paint ? Is any rust coming thru ?
I sandblasted
mine, then painted with the Eastwood stuff. Rust was visible within six months.
Then I brought them to a high temp coating place,where they put some type
of ceramic type coating on. Mounted these on the car. But again have
some rust coming through.
Ron
-----
Original Message -----
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2010
9:41 PM
Subject: Re:
[FWDLK] Exhaust manifold paint
I use
the POR15 manifold paint...goes on easy brush on, and lasts looks great.
-----
Original Message -----
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2010
8:25 PM
Subject:
[FWDLK] Exhaust manifold paint
What
are you guys using to paint your exhaust manifolds. (for my 56 plym, v8)
I was
going to get some eastwood gray high temp, but the website says it's on back
order until May 18th. Don't really feel like waiting that long for it.
Nick
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