Best paints for engines and exhausts

[TonyB]

Are you talkin about the stuff DG puts on the exhaust? i know that goes black but it looks like something else besides clear, its like a golden colour to start with.

[YZ250H]

Cyclegod,
Did you use the VHT clear ??  Ceratinly not a good result that you had 

[TonyB]

so does VHT make a clear?

[YZ250H]

Yep,  I've got a can at the farm.  It's high temp (500 degrees from memory) engine paint.  May not be good enough for the exhaust or the head   I'll check it out on the week-end.  I was going to beadblast the head on the 250 and paint it clear.  Now I'm not so sure.
I've heard of people rubbing the pipe down after each outing with a scotchbrite pad and WD 40 (refer Project YZ).  He didn't have any luck with the clear on the pipe either, but he doesn't say which paint he used.

[TonyB]

OK, i called VHT in melbourne ( Speco Thomas) and spoke with the tech paint guy who showed me the stuff under fame proof section, part number SP115, and they recon it WILL NOT go black unless there is another coating already on the metal... so its off to the hardware.. bet they won't have it ha ha

[YZ250H]

TonyB (that's a great name  )
If you can't find any let me know and I will retrace my steps and see if I can find some.  Can't remember where I got mine   Thats what happens when you get old 
So the head and exhaust plan is back on then ??
looks like you are the test case TonyB.  Some photos of the pipe  (before riding and after riding) would be good too as I'm considering one for the YZ250H.

[DJRacing]

The stuff (paint) on a DG pipe is shellac. As the pipe gets hot it starts to darken and gets that golden colour and goes darker (black) closer to the exhaust port. I tryed shellac on one of my pipes (vintage-Iron) and it went that colour but it has burnt off closer to the exhaust port.

[LWC82PE]

any 500 degree VHt or what ever brand should be fine for the head but for the exhaust you really want something rated at 1500 degrees i reckon ive mentioned this before but VHT flame proof coating (1500 deg) is pretty good. i wonder how good 2 pack clear paint would be for pipes? ive used 2 pack black paint on lots of british barrels and heads including sidevalve motors and they get pretty hot and the paint stays good on them, but im not sure if it could withstand pipe temperatures.

[TonyB]

yz250H or should i call you Tony? the Retro rocket pipe looks great except for the main bend under the tank which was made in 3 lobsters instead of 4 or 5 so the bend looks amaturish but i have been assured by them that it has won many races and produces muich better power than the dg unit. I will soon know as i did have the dg pipe on it. I will also be fitting the V force reeds. i will take pickies showing pipe soon, but for now i am going overseas for 2 wweeks so it won't be untill then...

[YZ250H]

TonyB,
Yep, you can certainly call me Tony.  That's why I've got this dodgy YZ250H tag - TonyB was already taken 
The can I've got in the cupboard is SP115, so it seems we are talking about the same thing.  I'll be very interested to see how it goes.
Look forward to seeing your photos.  Boneheads Pro Form looks good too. So do GMC"s pipes.  So many choices 
Enjoy your trip OS.
Cheers

[TonyB]

Hi TonyB , well I'm in Sweden and its 5 degrees rain is horizontal and I'm missing oz like mad already and its only been 24 hours!!
I noticed my pipe was starting to rust so i went down to the local repco and they had some clear VHT so I hurredly dersuted the pipe and painted it before I rushed off to the airport, and it looks nice and shiny...   
PS Oh so many beautiful woman in Sweden, shame about the weather.

[YZ250H]

TonyB,
It's hard life being in Sweden 

Post some photos when you get back please. (of the pipe and the women)
Cheers

[Rossvickicampbell]

I have a GMC pipe on my 73 Honda and after about 2 seasons the "nickel cad" (I think it is) started to show signs of wear and tear mainly through chipping.  Had the pipe acid dipped and then etched and painted myself with satin black VHT exhaust paint - have touched up numerous times since with 500 degree paint and even high pressure clean it periodically to prep for painting.  The VHT paint hasn't burnt off - regardless of 500 or 1500 - and more often than not sticks like preverbial baby poo and wont come off under 1800 psi cleaning.

As I said earlier - ya gets what you pay for and I am reallllllllllll happy with the VHT.

cheers

Rossco