Powder Coating Exhaust System

[Udi]

Does anyone have a first hand experience with powder coating the exhaust and manifold? There is a paint shop by my office that's specializing in powder coating. They do boats and all kinds of hot rods. They paint engine parts and exhaust systems too. They would guarantee their high temp powder coating. I want to know if anyone had that done and is satisfied.

Thanks

Udi-

[joeheli]

I have never use it but I have seen many gyros fuselage, engine blocks, manifold painted with powder coating and they are really heat, and scrach resistance . I have see many gyros that the paviment that they take off and land every day is not really car or spray paint friendly( ROCKS!!). I can see the paint coming off every time. But on a powder coat paint gyro, it stays intact.

Another thing if you see a 6 years old powder coating surface on any place, it really looks like they painted yesterday.It never fades.

Powder coating is a good choise for your exhaust and manifold or you can use ceramic coat paint for it. It really would take high temp. Chuck "Caribbean gyro", has is Lyncoming engine block painted with powder coating and it really look new. I really recommended! :D

[gyromike]

Udi,

When I had my gyro frame powdercoated 5 years ago, I asked about the exhaust. The coater told me that he had tried coating some exhaust headers, but it just burned right off. He recommended a system like Jet-Hot (http://www.jet-hot.com/pages/headercoatings.html). It's a ceramic coating. You may also want to look into Swain Tech Coatings (http://www.swaintech.com/header.html).

Swain Tech also has ceramic coatings for engine internals:
http://www.swaintech.com/race.html

I have yet to use either product, but I have seen the result of the Jet Hot system, and the finish seems to hold up.

Oh yeah, Jose is right about the durability of the powdercoating on frame parts. When I knock the dust off of mine, it still looks freshly painted. I have a couple of scratches on the axle, but no chips or flakes.

[Chuck Irby]

Udi, I had mine done a while back and it burned off immediately. While I was down, I got it done by Jet Hot, the black 2000 degree coating.

[robertstodaro]

My dominator ceramic coating has several hours on it now and it's still perfect.

(silver)

They also ceramic coat in flat black, but it's not powder coat.

I did some vw short stacks with some off the shelf shaker can stuff from the autoparts store.

It worked fine but looked like brown primer. cost about 3 dollars. they make it in others colors too. It's hard to beat for the price and ease.

[gyromike]

With regards to non header applications, my Sport Copter is completely powdercoated. Looks great when it's new. The problem is that it's unfixable once damaged. It's not as durable as generally believed. Once damaged, colormatching with touch-up paint stands out/looks awful because the touch up paint isn't the same as the melted-on powdercoat.

Stripping and removing powercoat is expensive and you risk damaging the metal, both physically and thermally.




Actually,

I have found powdercoating easy to touch up. I had to weld a tab on a piece of steel that had been powdercoated. I blasted the area with glass bead, but it wasn't easy. It took some time. After welding on the tab, I preheated the part, applied the powder to the bare area, and cooked it at 400º for 10 minutes and it matched perfectly.

Try dropping a piece of powdercoated metal into a can of carburetor cleaner. It'll strip it clean off.

It's very durable, but not impervious.

[Udi]

Thanks for all replies. I had my exhaust painted with high temperature paint. It's not a powder coating; I guess it’s more like ceramics. It was done by a shop that is specializing on powder coating, so I assumed it was powder coating, but it wasn't.

This is the same paint they use to paint the exhaust systems of all kind of hot rods and drag racers. They say it is good for 1500 degrees. After about 35 minutes on my gyro the paint still looks like new. But the temps never exceeded 900 degrees, so the real test (1200 degrees) is still ahead.

Udi-

[joeheli]

Udi I am glad that we coud help you . Enjoy your new exhaust ! :D
Did you get my private email?

[Dale Young]

First I tried powdercoating, Then I tried painting with the 1500 degree paint, Both burned off after only a short while. I used black.

[Udi]

My exhaust coating is holding up well after 15 hours of operation, Dale. See above for details. Did you have a paint shop do the work for you?

Udi

[Brad_King]

I had my custom tuned headers ceramic coated inside and out. I have about 150 hrs on them. The EGT normally shows 1300-1350. Still look great. Another note, the header guy told me that by using ceramic, he could make the headers out of mild steel instead of SS. Said they would last as long, be cheaper, and not prone to cracking.
This applies to professionally done coating inside and out. Don't know about the home stuff.

Brad King
N6372K
Mad Max II LTC

[scottessex]

They do make Hi-Temp powder it usually holds up well.

[Dale Young]

Udi, I painted the exhaust myself after sandblasting the components. Maybe I made a mistake in the application. I dunno... but it just did'nt last . Hope yours holds up better than mine. I'm going with the bake on silver stuff next time.

[Caribean_gyro]

I beleived you ceramic coat them. Powder wont hold high temp. This is what we do here with the rotax mufflers
ChuckP