Paint my exahust headers? (Changed from muffler)

[Jon Gunther]

Hello all, I just received my Piper Cherokee exahust system back from getting repaired. After the repairs the shop left it bare metal. Should I paint it with some header paint before install?

 

[Tom-D]

Hello all, I just received my Piper Cherokee exahust system back from getting repaired. After the repairs the shop left it bare metal. Should I paint it with some header paint before install?

NO ! Big Time NO!

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Are they stainless steel?

 

[Jon Gunther]

No, it is all mild steel, when I took it to the shop it looked like it was painted black except the couplings which were all rusted out. The shop media blasted it all and referbished the whole thing.

 

[Dana]

NO ! Big Time NO!

Why not?

 

[JAWS]

The title above is "Paint My Muffler?". Do not paint the muffler. The air that heats the cabin comes from around the muffler. You will be breathing that air. Similar situation with the pipes.

The entire exhaust system is left in it's natural state.

 

[Jon Gunther]

Sorry for the mix up on terminology. Changed the title. My concern was about the headers that connect the cylinders to the muffler

 

[Dean V]

The title above is "Paint My Muffler?". Do not paint the muffler. The air that heats the cabin comes from around the muffler. You will be breathing that air. Similar situation with the pipes.

The entire exhaust system is left in it's natural state.

 

[Dean V]

The title above is "Paint My Muffler?". Do not paint the muffler. The air that heats the cabin comes from around the muffler. You will be breathing that air. Similar situation with the pipes.

The entire exhaust system is left in it's natural state.

And you don’t want paint on the exhaust parts so they can be inspected properly.

 

[Jon Gunther]

That makes sense, are there any ways to preserve it so it does not return to the rusty mess it started out as?

 

[JAWS]

That makes sense, are there any ways to preserve it so it does not return to the rusty mess it started out as?

Fly often, use a hangar.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

A little blurb from Powerflow, who did get FAA approval to ceramic coat only the last portion of the exhaust outside the cowl.

I am aligned with the "no" votes above, however.

https://www.powerflowsystems.com/blog/?p=154

 

[Tom-D]

Do you know what kind of gasses will come out of burning paint?

 

[Fiveslide]

That makes sense, are there any ways to preserve it so it does not return to the rusty mess it started out as?

Smoke oil?

 

[bluerooster]

Don't paint, jet coat, powder coat, or coat in any other fashion, your exhaust components. Just a tad of anti seize on the slip joints, and studs. Nothing more. Most aircraft exhaust is stainless steel, and no need to add coatings, which will not last very long at all anyway.

Yes Stainless steel will rust when subjected to the conditions of an exhaust system.