Header Headaches

[Dano78]

You've gotta be kidding.... After I've spent money on all these 'claimed' brush-on and spray headers paints, you're gonna tell me paint for you average backayrd BBQ will work??? I think I'm gonna be sick..

Ok i gotta know... you got a brand name? P/N? For some reason our Napa doesn't even sell BBQ's little along the paint to go with. I'll have to talk to Mike about that and get him to start carrying BBQs at out Napas.

I know the other day when i was tuning my dual quads, I somehow managed to lean it out too far or something happened to cause a massive lean condition and the next thing you know the pipes were BRIGHT Red! Eyeeoowww!!!!! That pretty much finished off the last coating I had applied...

 

[cobra_2_76]

On the coating. I had my Hookers Jet Hot coated two years ago and everything still slides together, just a little tighter which does reduce the exhaust leaks.

And boy does that Jet Hot coating reduce the engine compartment heat, it's amazing how much cooler it is!!!!!


Has far as header bolts I'm having luck with a set that has the allen wrench head. It's real easy to get the wrench into each bolt to snuggle them down, much easier than the contortioning necessary to get a wrench on some bolts and sockets on the others. Just wish there was enough room down there to get a torque wrench onto them without pulling the engine up and partially out.

 

[78Mach1]

Has far as header bolts I'm having luck with a set that has the allen wrench head. It's real easy to get the wrench into each bolt to snuggle them down, much easier than the contortioning necessary to get a wrench on some bolts and sockets on the others. Just wish there was enough room down there to get a torque wrench onto them without pulling the engine up and partially out.

Allen heads make life simpler for the Header bolts, they are hard enough to get in, don't need anymore headaches torquing them down. Glad to see I'm not the only one to think of them.

 

[dmoody]

Where can you get Allen head exhaust bolts at?

d

 

[cobra_2_76]

I bought mine from Summit racing. I can't remember the brand but come with the bolt locks.

 

[Blue Thunder]

Thats a cool idea, I never tried allen head bolts on the headers. Especially since Snap-On has those cool allen head ball ends, so you can tighten them from every which angle.

 

[joeythesaint]

I ended up putting a ratchet handle in line with the rear-facing bolt holes in the Hedmans, and whacking at it with a hammer to get clearance to get an allen tool in there. Major PITA. But they're on.

I have the feeling that Mr. Hedman's jigs have slipped a bit over the years; it was necessary to open up the bolt holes with a drill to make them line up with the holes on the heads.

 

[HaveII]

There really is no such animal. I've tried just about everything out there possible to put on a header short of having them sent out for the 'real deal' coatings. That 1500* is a total joke. The second you run down the freeway (constant hot temp) or run it a bit too lean, pfffttttt..... there goes your paint/coating. Chrome plating, aluminumizing, or Cereamic coating are the only ones that seem to work for sure. [/QUOTE]



I found a great do it yourself header coating. It's made by POR who makes an aluminum coating product for exhaust manifolds that I tried. The coating costed about $30,comes in a small can, and can be applied with a brush. I did sand blast the headers and wiped them down first, but the coating has been on for nearly two years and still looks like the day I put it on. It's a little work, but alot cheaper than paying for the pro-coatings.

 

[77sleeper]

holy thread resurection batman

 

[Dano78]

There really is no such animal. I've tried just about everything out there possible to put on a header short of having them sent out for the 'real deal' coatings. That 1500* is a total joke. The second you run down the freeway (constant hot temp) or run it a bit too lean, pfffttttt..... there goes your paint/coating. Chrome plating, aluminumizing, or Cereamic coating are the only ones that seem to work for sure.

I found a great do it yourself header coating. It's made by POR who makes an aluminum coating product for exhaust manifolds that I tried. The coating costed about $30,comes in a small can, and can be applied with a brush. I did sand blast the headers and wiped them down first, but the coating has been on for nearly two years and still looks like the day I put it on. It's a little work, but alot cheaper than paying for the pro-coatings.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, run a little more horsepower through those puppies and you'll have "Metal Flake" for you next paint job. That's the exact stuff I used and I did everything textbook to application as to include bead blasting and extensive cleaning. I think they lasted for a couple of days before bubbling up and flaking off. I wasn't very impressed.... However, the stuff could be alot better on rigs that are a little more tame than my pony.