Protecting new raw cast iron (OT)

I picked up a set of new cast iron exhaust manifolds for my OT DD.

The hood on this vehicle is louvered so the engine does get wet.

I would like to protect the new manifolds to slow down the inevitable rust that will form.

Since it is a DD the expense of something like Jet Hot is not in the cards. I have thought about hi-temp paint, that gray stainless goop that Speedway sells and good old fashioned stove coating (used to work well on my Jaguar engines after the factory porcelain went away).

Thoughts? Recommendations? The headers are as cast: no rust or grease (yet).

 

I've always used VHT.

 

try
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137392
http://www.roadsters.com/gibbs/

Theres no rust on my nutz

 

Best and least expensive finish on cast iron I've used is first sandblast the manifolds, spray with Dupli-Color High heat 1200 degree with Ceramic paint and bake in the outside gas bar-b-que. I did this to a pair of old ramshorn exhaust manifolds and they have been well protected.

 

Eastwood products ! This has been covered many times !

 

I used the POR15 exhaust manifold paint.

You can see it here on my 327 manifolds.

 

Being a DD anything, including ceramic coatings, is going to deteriorate.....especially if you're in the salt with it. (tis the season). Eastwood hi-temp exhaust coating holds up reasonably well. Ceramic coating will last about a season or two in the salt/snow and thats about it before it starts blistering/peeling. The Eastwood stuff goes about the same distance in severe duty.

The folks from fair-weather states have good luck with the VHT spray cans but up here were weather actually happens it'll be toast well before spring with rain/slop/salt exposure.

Bigchief.

 

Good advice, all. I don't need to sandblast them because they are brand new. For the same reason, I wonder if POR will work since there is no rust for the POR to latch onto.

I realize that any paint will eventually go fail. That has me wondering about that stainless coating (supposedly not a paint) Speedway sells, or plain old stove creme. Both can be refreshed over time.

Has anyone ever tried that particular Speedway product?

BTW I have only bought one item from Eastwood ever as their products seem overpriced. That is the cast iron header coating but since it is just another paint I wonder if two weeks down the road I will just wonder why I took the time to apply it.

 

They look really good. Were the manifolds new or did they already have some rust on them? How have they held up?

 

Yes, I know about Gibbs and I use it sometimes, but I wonder if it would just make a smoky mess on exhaust headers.

 

I've used some stuff called Calyx (or something like that) got it from Ecklers' Corvette, Eastwood sells it too. It's a paste you rub into the cast iron then buff with a flannel or cotton rag, doesn't fade, absolutely not affected by heat but it will wash off. I think it's some sort of grease but it works great on manifolds.

Smells kinda like wintergreen too - no ****.

 

get some powdered graphite lube, apply to cast iron, rub it in with a newspaper. Wear gloves.

 

I usually apply a nice thick coat of iron oxide to the exhaust sytems on my DD type vehicles. Some time it take several applications to get the full effect.

 

Very nice!