Manifold
Mayhem
Exhaust Manifold Refinishing
by Phil Brewer
Exhaust manifolds have it rough. They live in terrible conditions, subjected to extreme heat and cold temperatures, performing their duty without complaint. And what thanks do they get? They’re ridiculed for being performance-inhibiting, rusty eyesores in an otherwise pristine engine compartment. Well, we can’t do much about the restriction of your manifolds, but we can show you how to drastically improve their appearance.
The problem with exhaust manifolds is that the factory did nothing in the way of rust prevention. The manifolds were raw, unfinished cast iron, and started to rust shortly after popping out of the mold. After thirty years of heat cycles, the manifolds are always extremely rusty, and, of course, very ugly. So what we need is a protective coating that’ll keep the manifold from rusting while maintaining an unfinished appearance.
Fortunately, there are two methods that promise a solution: The traditional high-heat paint, and a relatively new exhaust manifold treatment. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, which we will explain, and we’ll show you the application techniques for both. So follow along with us now as we show you how to improve the looks of your engine compartment by beautifying your exhaust manifolds.
The exhaust manifold treatment we are using (Year One part # FW33) comes in a spray can, so we hung the manifold from a bolt hole for easier access to all the surfaces. Using medium coats, spray the entire manifold. Be sure to get complete coverage. The treatment will turn the manifold a very flat, dark grey.
