AHC coatings

[terrymac]

I started the bucket on Saturday and turned the pipe off number 1 cylinder a dull gray. I haven't tried anything yet to bring the shine back but I'm looking for suggestions. I thought some Autosol and a power buffing pad but thought I should ask first.
Terry

 

[rooster57]

i clean mine with Mothers alum polish it works good

 

[benT]

If you over temp the coatings, it will not polish back up. Most Silver Ceramic Coatings are good for 1300 deg. If you exceed that on start up with a lean cylinder, it will burn through. Unfortunately, the only fix to bring the shine back is to have the header re-coated. We do header coatings (CermaKrome, Black, etc) and we send out a statement with all headers we do warning about this. Starting fresh engines on old "startup headers" is a good idea. I think there are some for this purpose available on this board.

 

[Duke]

SBC Headers, I have a set that is pasted around for start-ups. I send them to who needs them, they send me the postage and then safe the headers for the next person. LumenAL started this tradition and I would like to continue it.

 

[Ted Brown]

Just a thought here about startup exhaust, if you have a set of stock manifolds, bolt them up with a head pipe and a used muffler if you can, so that way you can hear if there is anything too lose or rattling... that is a need to hear noise, so the quieter the exhaust the better... just a thought, as that is what I do.

 

[Youngster]

that's a great idea ted. on a recent start up with a Model A we heard a lil rattle. come to find out it was a socket that was in the lifter galley. never would have heard it if it wouldn't have been for the ram horns and muffs.

Ron

 

[rooster57]

i read this as re already has a burnt header pipe.

 

[terrymac]

I'm going to try some Autosol and a power buffer. It'll be what it is for now but I checked into re-doing the coating. They want as mush as what I paid for the headers is the first place but the do inside and out. I've seen some of his work and it looks better than these did out of the box. So I guess I'll put a few miles on to make sure there are no other issues and write it off to a learning lesson
Thanks Terry

 

[Youngster]

your T's lookin good terry! thanks for the post. you just might have helped someone else not using start up headers.

Ron

 

[TEX-T]

Ben,
I went to your ProKote link. Looks pretty cool. I am bulding some headers now for my T. It has an Olds engine, so nothing is available. I was going to get them chromed, but sounds like the coating may be a better and cheaper way to go. Can I run my engine using the raw headers first and then get them coated after I know it runs okay?
Thanks,
Tex-T

 

[rooster57]

That is exactly the thing to do. If you have a thermol probe or better yet an infrared temp probe this is the way to monitor the exhaust gas temp durring breakin on each cyl.

 

[Ted Brown]

Ben,
I went to your ProKote link. Looks pretty cool. I am bulding some headers now for my T. It has an Olds engine, so nothing is available. I was going to get them chromed, but sounds like the coating may be a better and cheaper way to go. Can I run my engine using the raw headers first and then get them coated after I know it runs okay?
Thanks,
Tex-T

Good idea to run them bare till things get all sorted out, but if you have the stock manifolds, I would still go that way, much quieter and less chance of getting burnt on them HOT PIPES!! hehe

 

[Rick]

Ted what are you doing up so early?A man your age should get some sleep.

 

[benT]

Ben,
I went to your ProKote link. Looks pretty cool. I am bulding some headers now for my T. It has an Olds engine, so nothing is available. I was going to get them chromed, but sounds like the coating may be a better and cheaper way to go. Can I run my engine using the raw headers first and then get them coated after I know it runs okay?
Thanks,
Tex-T

Definitely! We see this a lot with custom-fabbed headers. If the headers are new or not, it is the same amount of work. We still bake them off to get the oils out of the metal, blast them and coat them. There is no cost difference between new or used--this should be the same for any coater.

 

[donsrods]

I think you are going to have to recoat your headers. I got the same thing when I started up my 27 roadster about 20 years ago. I cooked some of the pipes a little and they dulled down...........never did come back no matter what I did. Lean condition and being out of time will contribute to this happening. Somehow I lucked out on my current T, they stayed nice and shiny for the past year and never had a problem at first fire up.

Don

 

[Wild Mango]

Donsrods is on to it. Late ignition timing bumps up exhaust gas temperatures. If its out of whack by a decent amount, as it could well be if the engine has been static timed on the marks, the 20mins or so to run in a cam at 2000rpm or just warm up could do the damage. I always spin it on the starter with the plugs out and set the timing with a light. Your coater may not agree but the final cure for a lot of these high metal content coatings is actually on the engine, intended that way or not, and if over temped the gloss binder dulls off. This from a local coater here with years of experience.