Polishing ceramic coating

[grannyknot]

I have a header that looked great when it came from the coaters,

silver ceramic but it has dulled over the years and wondering if there is some way to bring back the shine?

I have tried 0000 steel wool and Autosol polish in unseen areas but nothing is working sofar.

Thanks,

Chris

[240260280z]

I wonder if the glass top stove polish would work?

[CCPcoatings]

I have a header that looked great when it came from the coaters,

silver ceramic but it has dulled over the years and wondering if there is some way to bring back the shine?

I have tried 0000 steel wool and Autosol polish in unseen areas but nothing is working sofar.

Thanks,

Chris

 

 

Using steel wool is VERY aggressive, and unfortunately you may have damaged them beyond repair. Forward pics of what you have and I can likely give you some direction.

 

The bright aluminum layer on this coating is VERY thin.  Any significant dulling is the direct result of exposed temperatures.  So, even if it is able to be polished, its a moot point as its just going to dull again.  If its dulled as a result of oxidation, then that would be no problem and is recommended at least once a year.

 

In general to polish bright Ceramic Coating you want to start with a NON ABRASIVE aluminum polish first.  I prefer  Flitz liquid polish but you can use any.  If that doesn't get it you can step up to a LIGHT abrasive.  Chances are  if this hasn't done the trick, nothing will.  If you had to remove some debris off the tube you could step up to steel wool, but chances are you're going to burn through the bright layer......

[CCPcoatings]

I wonder if the glass top stove polish would work?

Not likely.  Stove tops are coated with "porcelin" which is in the "glass" family.  Where as the Metallic - Ceramic on his pipes has aluminum on them.....

[grannyknot]

Wow, an expert!

You can see how shiny it was in the lower left corner, from your description it sounds like the heat has dulled it. I'll try a polish.

Thanks you.

Chris

[CCPcoatings]

Wow, an expert!

You can see how shiny it was in the lower left corner, from your description it sounds like the heat has dulled it. I'll try a polish.

Thanks you.

Chris

Yep.  That is definitely heat related.  Could have been from start up, tuning or just running warm in general.  I'm not familiar with the typical EGT's of these engines.  I would have never have recommended a bright polished ceramic for your application.  It doesn't work well on standard exhaust manifolds or shorty type headers because there inst enough primary length to dissipate all the heat.  What little primary you have is all exposed to the flame front. So even though you have a header, much of it is configured like a log manifold.

 

You really need a "High Temp Ceramic Coating" which is rated at 1800F - 2000F+.  These coatings are not offered in the polished finish but do come in about a dozen different colors.  Even on a properly tuned v-8 type engine with long tube headers, the first 4-12 inches will dull slightly.  The rest will remain shiny.  You don't quite have that length to play with.  The High Temp Ceramic will not dull or change colors like this.

 

You can try to polish things up, but I doubt it will do much.  If it does it will return to what you currently have fairly quickly.   

 

Below is a header that was fired up too lean for only a few minutes and below that is what the headers are supposed to look like.