Hi Guys,
I am in the process of detailing my engine bay and with the engine out it's time to deal with the headers. The previous owner of my car did not drive it much and the headers, which are ceramic coated, have developed some surface rust. Is there a way to deal with it or am I stuck with getting these headers re-coated? Has anyone removed rust with any success?
Thanks!
You didn't say if they are polished or just coated. They sell both. For the polished ones I found that 0000 steel wool and mothers mag polish did a good job on mine. I had ran mine for a season and they got a little junky. Burnt oil and some signs of light surface rust down by the collectors. I used the same process on the exhaust pipes as well.
Call TTI and see if they have any coating warranty. At one time I think they did.
Also, TTI sends cleaning instructions with their headers. You can probably find those on their website. I seem to remember them saying to spray the collector area with WD-40 during storage months. The ceramic coatings can't get way down into the tight cracks.
0000 steel wool would probably be my vote too.
Sorry forgot to mention that they are just coated not polished. I did read the instructions on their website and they said to use some metal/ aluminum polish. I was just wondering if anyone knew some other options? I think the rust might be a bit too heavy for some polish.
The car was likely only driven 1 or 2 times a year for the last while.
I will add some pictures when I get home.
Re heating the coating will make them look like new again too
I had a cracked valve cover on the Charger last summer that ended up leaking oil down my new ceramic coated TTI headers. I finally had a chance to take some 0000 steel wool and then applied some Mother's Mag Polish. I'm going to hit it again but it made a big difference.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/e4af1c938ad18704c6a88a2ef1434503.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/5cc27f31a08396fdaf1d3572890d682e.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/da638d9bf2e7dcbf5c3bd66ce72eb758.jpg)
Steel wool took off the burned on oil easily.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/ebc882c484833d4350f3f7d35d37a3a4.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/474eea3f679715047302129cf3f7296d.jpg)
Rubbed on some Mother's Mag Polish.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/9a67c707d85f3a4da8978cc3fed48a9d.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/95e20e5e7654ca02e84785afada5bc49.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180517/80b743deaf60b5d521336c897077f772.jpg)
That came out pretty good.
I definitely recognize that look. Dealing with that again myself. It's not a fast easy process but it does work.
I ended up sending mine out to be re-coated to deal with the rust. I got them coated slightly darker so they stood out less.
Quote from: 72 Challenger on May 17, 2018, 04:13:38 AM
I ended up sending mine out to be re-coated to deal with the rust. I got them coated slightly darker so they stood out less.
One of the resto-mods I did, I had the TTI headers coated in Cast Grey so they didn't "stand-out" at all....kinda looked stock under the hood....kinda.... :rofl:
Quote from: anlauto on May 17, 2018, 04:53:43 AM
Quote from: 72 Challenger on May 17, 2018, 04:13:38 AM
I ended up sending mine out to be re-coated to deal with the rust. I got them coated slightly darker so they stood out less.
One of the resto-mods I did, I had the TTI headers coated in Cast Grey so they didn't "stand-out" at all....kinda looked stock under the hood....kinda.... :rofl:
...where do you think I got the idea? :haha: I also strongly dislike the look of chrome/ very brilliant finishes under the hood. Of course I have no pictures on my work computer of the refinished exhaust. I also swapped the end bolts to studs. Love Mopar but the end bolts into the water jacket is a really dumb design.