They have been sandblasted but now whats the best thing to use to wipe the headers to remove things like oil from my hands? Paint thinner seems to leave a residue/haze when I wipe a mirror. (I test things with a mirror to see if a residue gets left behind.) I was thinking dish soap (grease cutter) but I prefer not to wash the headers with a lot of water if I can just wipe it with something.

They have been sandblasted but now whats the best thing to use to wipe the headers to remove things like oil from my hands? Paint thinner seems to leave a residue/haze when I wipe a mirror. (I test things with a mirror to see if a residue gets left behind.) I was thinking dish soap (grease cutter) but I prefer not to wash the headers with a lot of water if I can just wipe it with something.
Good question...I'd like to know, too.

I like acetone, but you have to keep it from getting contaminated in the container. A good option is spray brake-Kleen.

rubbing alcohol ?

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I use lac thin for just about everything, from when I build an engine, to painting.
More expensive, but it does not leave any film.

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lacquer thinner is very fast drying and is not a proper wax and grease remover for that reason. By the time you wipe it, it has already evaporated so quickly that it has allowed contaminants that it floated off the surface, to fall back onto it. I would use a real wax and grease remover, which is a slower-evaporating solvent, designed, for the actual purpose, of removing contaminants before painting.

Brake clean is very good to get the surface clean but gets expensive on a daily basis. For you, would work. For us that paint all the time we use wax and grease remover, which is made for the purpose of prepping surfaces for topcoating.

a couple cans of brake clean will work perfectly in cleaning the headers

Lac thinner is my vote, thats how I prep for paint. I can see how because it dries so quickly that that could inhibit its usefulness.

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I use lac thin for final cleaning only. He said it's cleaned and ready to go.

I happen to have 2 gal of wax & grease remover also. I love that stuff for primed or painted surfaces.

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yup, don't use [paint thinner on anything yer painting , unless you don't want it to stick.
Do as others have said ....

Are there any brand of high temp header paint that lasts? All the high temp headers paints I've used in the past just seemed to burn off pretty quick. It's been a while since I've used them. I'm just getting back into the "car thing" after about a ten year absents. :bowtie:

Are there any brand of high temp header paint that lasts? All the high temp headers paints I've used in the past just seemed to burn off pretty quick. It's been a while since I've used them. I'm just getting back into the "car thing" after about a ten year absents. :bowtie:

to keep header paint for baking off is all the prep you do to the header like sand blasting them then wiping them down with grease remover .i've had very good sucess with VHT "flat white" hi temp header paint on many sets of headers since the 70's . what i do is after they're installed start the motor up and wait until the headers start to smoke then shut the engine off and let them cool down fore 10-15 minutes , now restart the engine and repeat those previous steps 3-4 times and the paint will be baked to the metal . you could do this with the headers off of the motor using a propane torch but it won't be as effective as you can't get the entire header to stay the same temp

want a really nice header coating that resembles the older style alumna coated headers of the late 80's early 90's try this and it works very well and i've done this many times with great results .do a search on nastyz for anti seize coated headers ..........i've been doing this to headers for the last 10-15 years on some headers and it looks good

what you'll need :

1] nice cotton t-shirt, cotton diaper or those foam pad brushes from lowes or home depot

2] (2) large garbage bags

3] permatex anti seize .......they make different types like their regular anti seize,copper,nickel and stainless steel .ea of these will give the header a different look like nickle plated or stainless steel ,it's up to you on what color you want the headers


how to :

1] with a clean oil free header use your cotton towel,diaper or foam brush and apply a nice even coat of anti seize over the entire header making sure to get a smooth finish without it smearing or puddling up


2] let the headers air dry for a hour or so then place ea header in a large garbage bag with the header flange at the top of the open bag


3] install ea header onto the motor then remove the garbage bag from ea header

4] start motor up and watch for the headers to start smoking then turn the motor off and let cool 10-15 minutes .during this time with the engine turned off and with a clean cotton towel gently wipe the headers down this will help smooth out the finish

5] repeat step #4 about 4-5 times or until the smoke coming off of the headers is diminishing

once that is done you'll have a very nice set of headers that looks like they were alumna coated .about every year or so all you need to do is re-apply a little anti seize to the header tubes very close to the cyl head following the steps i shown

For some reason I cant MULTI QUOTE so I'll do this...

1. What are the names of these wax and grease cleaners that you guys are commenting on?

2. When you say Brake cleaner... is it Brake clean? or Brake Kleen? No after residue?

3. I've tried the antiseize but it didn't come out shiny. It was more dull aluminum. Check out the link below.

4.. I have had good luck with VHT white primer for YEARS! But you have to check this out.... Duplicolor HIGH HEAT Aluminum.. you won't believe the ceramic coat look.

Scroll through the article...and forget its from fordmuscle :)
http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/exhaust-articles/472399-coating-headers-high-temp-ceramic-paint.html

Chuck's advice is solid but I need to add another step in the process. I learned this from an old timer way back in the 70's and it still works well today!

If you have an acetylene torch, this will be the best tool but a MAPP Gas or Propane torch will also work, but not as effectively.

Clean off the headers with a Wax and Grease remover like PPG DX330 then hang them up to prep for painting.

Take the Acetylene torch and run a carbon rich flame over the whole set of headers to cover them in a sooty black finish. Adjust the torch to a cleaner less oxidizing flame and heat up the headers to just shy of cherry red to clean off the soot. When the headers get hot enough to burn off the soot, the surfaces are almost ready to paint. Let the metal cool down a few moments but still stay warm and lightly spray a tack coat of High Temp header paint on and let set for 10-15 minutes.

After the paint sets and the metal cools down, run the torch over the surfaces to warm up but not burn the metal and watch the paint cure by turning a slightly flatter finish. Spray another light coat of color but you can cover more than just a dusting / tack coat.

You can repeat this process for another 3-4 coats until you are satisfied with the coverage, then let set overnight.

The next day, follow the install instructions Chuck outlined and do the same break in and you should have a finish that will last nearly as long as a coated header.

I've always used Eastwood header paint.This stuff has always worked great for me.I painted these headers in 2005,and they still look pretty good.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj363/yobin67/100_2383.jpg (http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj363/yobin67/100_2383.jpg)

1. What are the names of these wax and grease cleaners that you guys are commenting on?
http://www.proformproducts.com/en/products/detail/?id=159

I've always used Eastwood header paint.This stuff has always worked great for me.I painted these headers in 2005,and they still look pretty good.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj363/yobin67/100_2383.jpg (http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj363/yobin67/100_2383.jpg)

the paint on those headers looks identical to the anti-seize coating i've done a few times