Exhaust Manifold Reconditioning
 

What are you guys doing to recondition your manifolds? I'm cleaning up the extremely nice 402 manifolds before I reinstall the motor in my '71 Impala...it's a low mile CA car so there's just a light coating of surface rust to deal with. I remember using Calyx back in the day but curious what you guys prefer in 2020.

Thanks!
Tony

I used KBS high temperature coating on my z. I am not happy with what it looks like now and acts like it is coming off. I figued the engine would have cured it but maybe I should have done it right when it was painted. Supposed to be good paint but thought I should warn you if thats on the list. Not like they are easy to remove and coat again.

I've been using a ceramic coating from Central CT Coatings for years with great results on the show field and street. There is a ceramic under coating and a cast grey overlay that not only helps with heat deflection but also looks great. I did run in material cracking issues on a big cube big block but that was isolated to breaking the motor in on the dyno with the coated manifolds which is not suggested. Nice product.

http://www.centralctcoatings.com/index.html

Dan

Dropped my original exhaust manifolds to a friend's shop and he sent them for a few rounds in his block tumbler using some steel shot. Gotta say the exhaust manifolds came out looking great. When things warm up here, I'll spray them with a high temp clear to keep them looking this nice. Here's the before and after shots and some pics of the tumbler he uses for cast iron parts cleaning.

Not sure who all has access to a tumbler in their area, but I know MacNeish also does this for people.

https://i.ibb.co/XY5G5pW/IMG-8480.jpg
How they looked before being tumbled.

https://i.ibb.co/ZMMd0kh/IMG-9312.jpg
A look inside his tumbler as he just finished cleaning a block.

https://i.ibb.co/HXrYF9Y/IMG-9313.jpg
The steel shot that he uses for cast iron clean up.

https://i.ibb.co/QpJjN24/IMG-9373.jpg
And the exhaust manifolds after being cleaned up.

One more shot.

https://i.ibb.co/qm5R53z/IMG-9374.jpg

Jerry did mine, and they came out great!
Buddy

I still use Calyx it lasts for years and is affordable. Easy to do at home.

I used to use the Eastwood stuff, it was better the older it was still in the can. I use a foam brush and can recoat them in the car.

I like the Por 15 now

I used Cerakote and I hope I am happy when I fire this up.

Thanks guys, appreciate all the feedback!

Let us know how it holds up after you do fire things up. I'd be curious to hear.

Cerakote is what I use as well. Assuming the surface was prepped correctly it'll be just fine. Just treat it like any other ceramic coated header. Do not break the engine in with them.

Thanks for that info. I would have made a mistake.

Ceramic coating then top coating is the best long-term method, IMO. The coating seals the manifolds so you don't have rust bleed through. I've seen various top coatings used. One was a rub-on product that looked great.

Curious, what color is that? What was the cost to do both manifolds?

It has been a minute since I got them done. I will find out what color and I think I paid about 100 bucks but I do have equipment to clean them with. I glass beaded them and then shot peened them first before I sent over to a friend for the Cerakote .

I believe this is the color. https://www.cerakote.com/shop/cerako...H-170/titanium

I used Slip Plate graphite coating on my Chevelle manifolds years ago and they still look great. You have to clean the manifolds well with muriatic acid before you coat them. Touch up after they on the car is easy also. If needed just brush touch more Slip Plate on it blends in.

I also have another set I had ceramic coated and then painted with Eastwood manifold grey that have held up well over the years also.

Rich

Thanks. I was looking through the Cerakote catalog and they have a "V" series that is rated to 1800F.

https://www.cerakote.com/shop/cerako...V-164/titanium

Was there a particular reason you did not use that?

This is what I ended up buying. Going to do them this weekend. Thanks for the tip!

I’m not sure that is the correct color.

Here is C-105 that I used and it is titanium. I’ll look and see what the manifold color should be.

I guess I was wrong... here’s titanium..


https://www.cerakote.com/project-gal...v-164-titanium

Ahh.. here we go.. I just had to find the product numbers in my notes..

https://www.cerakote.com/project-gal...-hunter-orange

This sounds like the product that people were using as a top-coat after the ceramic coating. Looks good and easy to touch up.

I used KBS high temperature coating on my z. I am not happy with what it looks like now and acts like it is coming off. I figued the engine would have cured it but maybe I should have done it right when it was painted. Supposed to be good paint but thought I should warn you if thats on the list. Not like they are easy to remove and coat again.

Jim McCune, Im trying to contact CERAKOTE but no one answering on 8/24/22.
Was this applied like a powder coat and baked ???

I looking at their web site I didnt yet find the product to use..........

Your pic makes the finish seem a little dark...Is it just the lighting....How does the CERAKOTE "Look" compare with cast iron fresh from your Shot Blaster ???

50-50 Cerakote C-series Glacier black-Glacier silver. I would be inclined to go perhaps a bit darker. Maybe 75-25 black to silver but I'm sticking with it.

https://www.cerakote.com/project-gal...glacier-silver

Also use it on my front rotors and spindles and springs. Sprays very nice with a 1.0 tip on a touch up gun.

BCreek Dave, The Link You Posted uses 72/25 so is that your recommended choice or still NO Conclusion????

From Reading the above posts on CERAKOTE I'm assuming this is a Liquid Product that youre applying using a Touch Up (small) Spray Gun and 1.0 Tip......(No mention of pressure)....I'm still wanting to talk with CERAKOTE

In conclusion asking what the end result difference is between

1) Media Blast (Garnet Sand) then Flame Spraying/Arc Spraying Molten Aluminum (aka RESKINING) and Top Coating with Aerosol VHT 1200 or POR15 Cast Iron

2) Media Blast, then CERAKOTE in above 75/25 Shade Formula With NO Top Coat

Not knowing the cost of the CEROKOTE Products (Two Bottles) Im guessing that FLAME SPRAY is much more expensive to have done ??

Given that everyone writes about how long their "Reskinned" Manifolds have held up, Do We Know the Long Tern Durability of CERAKOTE. ????

Cerakote was about 70USD...35 for each "sample" size bottle which was plenty for the manifolds and the front spindles. The springs I did in C-129 stainless. I have not started the engine so I can't personally speak to the durability of the product, but there are many positive reports by others of its use on manifolds. I followed the prep to the letter including pre-baking the manifolds in the oven at 350 to cook out any traces of oils. It was about the easiest of any "paint" I have sprayed. It is shot straight from the bottle. No hardeners or reducers. It is very thin, hence the small tip (they recommend a 0.8, but the 1.0 worked fine for me) 25psi at the gun but still no runs and not much casting grain loss. Not sure if you can top coat it. The "C" series coatings do not require a post bake but still have a high heat and corrosion resistance rating. I am planning on using C-239 Sniper Gray for the rear leafs.

The Cerakote web site has many photos of different exhaust manifolds using different shades of grey. Click around to see which ones you like the best. From the link I posted earlier you can click on some tags in the page to go to Automotive Exhaust etc and see many examples.

To the above CERAKOTE Users............

1) How did you prep, media blast before applying

2) Someone said not to fire up a new/rebuilt eng on newly CERAKOTE'd
manifolds.........Does this mean I should use another set of uncoated Manifolds
to Break In eng and THEN change out the CERAKOTE'd Manifolds.........Lots of extra work..........

Here's the Cerakote recommendations for cleaning-spraying:

https://images.nicindustries.com/cer...2419423215.pdf

Don't know about your second question. Probably a good idea, but you are right a bit of a PIA.

For #2, I ruined a set of jet hot coated headers years ago because I did not heed their warning. For manifolds though, there's a lot more mass, so likely won't develop the hot spots associated with thin wall headers and may be okay. IMO, either put in the extra effort or roll the dice...I prefer not to roll the dice.