How to treat nos muffler before install?

[VWGirl]

My muffler has had it. In fact it is long gone. I have two options for replacement

1 used german original muffler
2 nos getman original muffler

Either way id prefer it be protected. From the threads I have seen it doesnt seem to matter what is used it still seems to rust. So is ceramic coating worth it or will cheapo high temp rustoleum do the job as well?

I should probably treat the rest of my exhaust while im at it. Yhoughts?

[hambone]

My hi temp spray paint burned off in rashy places.
Use it and it will wear out eventually, even from the insides. Heck it's just a muffler.

[Hippie]

+1
Paint lasts a matter of weeks. Ceramic costs more but won't keep it from rusting from the inside.
Paint it up pretty with high temp but don't expect much.

[Amskeptic]

+1
Paint lasts a matter of weeks. Ceramic costs more but won't keep it from rusting from the inside.
Paint it up pretty with high temp but don't expect much.

I just hit the new BobD muffler with 2000* VHT yesterday, and followed the curing directions to the letter. The cross-over and heat exchanger visible here were last painted in Texas in early September about 17,000 miles ago:


You can see 15,000 miles on the original Texas paint job here in Georgia, photographed two weeks ago:


The key to paint sticking on old rusted parts halfway reasonably is to understand that all the mini-pocks and voids and rust-induced texture will prevent the paint from bonding fully even as it looks really good. Sand paper will not enter the pocks too well. A good wire brush will. I wash with paper towel and water to remove the rust dust from the pocks. If you are home, a soap and water scrub followed by a thorough rinse and dry, really helps.
Colin

[hiwaycallin]

The key to paint sticking on old rusted parts halfway reasonably is to understand that all the mini-pocks and voids and rust-induced texture will prevent the paint from bonding fully even as it looks really good. Sand paper will not enter the pocks too well. A good wire brush will. I wash with paper towel and water to remove the rust dust from the pocks. If you are home, a soap and water scrub followed by a thorough rinse and dry, really helps.
Colin

Got a procedure for applying and curing that VHT paint on a new (or adequately prepared) exhaust system? I get the feeling that the application and curing of the paint is at least as important as the paint itself.

[hambone]

Wet climates, all bets are off.

[whc03grady]

So is it okay to paint these--one of which I have in my garage brand-new waiting to be installed--with that high-temp paint right on top of the factory paint? Or do I wait until the factory paint burns off? Or what?

[hambone]

I cleaned the factory paint off with oven cleaner, then the hi temp stuff. Didn't seem to matter.
I think mufflers are doomed to eventually rust.

[Hippie]

I would get the factory paint off anyway. It seemed to burn off even faster taking my high temp paint with it.
I think it is just to prevent rust during storage, but the factory paint isn't a high temp primer.

[Amskeptic]

I would get the factory paint off anyway. It seemed to burn off even faster taking my high temp paint with it.
I think it is just to prevent rust during storage, but the factory paint isn't a high temp primer.

That is pretty much it for the factory zinc primer. Sand it down to bare metal if you want a decent bonding.
Colin

[whc03grady]

Okay, a local place will sandblast the primer and hit it with high-heat (2000F) paint for $50.
Thanks, all.

[airkooledchris]

Okay, a local place will sandblast the primer and hit it with high-heat (2000F) paint for $50.
Thanks, all.

Good deal!

[airkooledchris]

remember, it's all in the prep work.



this was, of course, the area of my setup I should have spent considerable more time prepping.

this is the classic empi extractor setup, which works really well but the muffler they provide won't hardly last a year without some help.
my hope is to make this setup last until aircooledtechnology finally releases their new setup, assuming that it still comes in well under the price point of the Tangerine Racing setup (which is beautiful.)