So I picked up some used but super clean 2.0 Steel (not stainless) Heat Exchangers this last weekend at the swap meet - I've done a little tack welding repair, they have already been stripped clean and I am hanging to install them but they need surface finishing of some sort.

I have searched extensively here and found a number of different opinions which have left me a little confused on how to proceed.

We are not aiming for originality by any means - in fact we are aiming for something of a resto-mod and would like a little bit of bling.

So our question is what is the best way of getting what we are looking for?

Paint? But will it last?

Powder Coat? But I have heard more than a few who say they are against it.

Ceramic coating? I found some talking about it but have not seen the finished product or found any info on the possible negatives.

Something else???

Also - for those who have coated theirs - have you coated the entire thing or just the outer 'heat exchanger' parts?


Thanks for you input.

grey thermal barrier coating? close to stock color. i don't think pc will stand up where the tin gets close to the piping. i had my muffler system coated with black tbc and it's held up well.

k

It is my understanding that a HE should never be PC'ed due to the fact that the powder emits a toxic gas when it is heated up! Since HE are part of the heater you would be venting it into the cabin!!

If you have to coat them I'd go with Jet Hot, well, I did go with Jet Hot but I don't have pics. They were quite sexy for an exhaust, though.

Jet-Hot did a nice job with mine, I'd use them again.

DO NOT powder coat your exhaust. It WILL blister and peel off after the first good run.

Ceramic coating works. Many places will ceramic coat inside and outside your pipes. This carries a LOT of the heat out the tail pipe, and may not do much for you if you want to heat your car. Or, it may be fine. Ceramic made a big difference on my headers.

Paint can work. But you have to do ALL the prep and cleaning, or it's not going to last.

Zach

the absolute best but it's pricy. I personally know roundy round racers that use this stuff multiple seasons on open headers with rocks nailing the pipes the whole time. It does not chip, flake or discolor


http://swaintech.com/race-coatings/

http://swaintech.com/

One of the guys I know took the white loightning coated header and them painted over it with rustoleum spray bomb and it didn't burn off, so you can color your exhasut any color you want

See this thread for lots of pics...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...8&hl=bursch

Ceramic coating works, I have used Jet Hot on a few exhaust systems. A good powder coater won't coat your exhaust, as that is not was PC was designed to work with.

Jet Hot is a great way to go.