4Cruisers
SILVER Star
I thought I'd post some pictures documenting the results of my approach to revitalizing the exhaust manifolds on the 3FE from my '89 FJ62, part of my larger '86 FJ60 build (I'll start a separate build thread on that project in a few days).
After doing a boatload of searching on Mud and elsewhere on the internet, I was not sold on any one method of coating my cast iron exhaust manifolds after sandblasting. It seems like there are issues/drawbacks with many of the common methods, whether it's "do nothing" (same old crappy, rusted appearance), high-temperature paint (flaking and chipping), ceramic coating (expense, "unnatural look"), etc. Then I stumbled on a post on a car restoration forum that described using a spray-on graphite lubricant coating, specifically SLIP Plate, manufactured by Superior Graphite. I learned that the carbon in cast iron is in the form of graphite, and that by applying it as a "paint", the graphite would actually bond into the pores of the cast iron. The coating is supposed to be resistant to water, rusting, salt spray, etc. I looked at similar products I could buy locally, because I didn't want to wait a week or more to have something shipped to me - my 3FE build was waiting on this. I decided to try a product called EZ-Slide, manufactured by Van Sickle Paint. It's described as a graphite paint, and it's medium gray in color. I picked up a 12 ounce aerosol can at my local Tractor Supply Company for about $8.
After a thorough sandblasting, I hit the manifolds with compressed air, then wiped them down with 100% mineral spirits (paint thinner). I then taped off the machined surfaces (cylinder head mating surface, exhaust down pipe mating surface, etc.) and sprayed on the first coat. After letting it let it dry for about two hours I sprayed on a second coat, then let it dry for another two hours. I then buffed the surface with an old kitchen towel to give it a nice natural cast iron appearance and lustrous patina (how long has it been since you've seen those two words used together?). I had heard from others that the surface of the part would remain "wet" over time, and that the graphite would rub off on your fingers when handled. So I decided to try to "bake" the finish to drive off the volatiles and hopefully cure the coating. To bake, I put the manifolds under heat lamps (brooder lamps) at close range for two hours on each side. I don't believe the baking helped much, if at all, but hardly any graphite rubs off on your fingers using this approach.
Here are some photos of the manifolds after treatment:
After doing a boatload of searching on Mud and elsewhere on the internet, I was not sold on any one method of coating my cast iron exhaust manifolds after sandblasting. It seems like there are issues/drawbacks with many of the common methods, whether it's "do nothing" (same old crappy, rusted appearance), high-temperature paint (flaking and chipping), ceramic coating (expense, "unnatural look"), etc. Then I stumbled on a post on a car restoration forum that described using a spray-on graphite lubricant coating, specifically SLIP Plate, manufactured by Superior Graphite. I learned that the carbon in cast iron is in the form of graphite, and that by applying it as a "paint", the graphite would actually bond into the pores of the cast iron. The coating is supposed to be resistant to water, rusting, salt spray, etc. I looked at similar products I could buy locally, because I didn't want to wait a week or more to have something shipped to me - my 3FE build was waiting on this. I decided to try a product called EZ-Slide, manufactured by Van Sickle Paint. It's described as a graphite paint, and it's medium gray in color. I picked up a 12 ounce aerosol can at my local Tractor Supply Company for about $8.
After a thorough sandblasting, I hit the manifolds with compressed air, then wiped them down with 100% mineral spirits (paint thinner). I then taped off the machined surfaces (cylinder head mating surface, exhaust down pipe mating surface, etc.) and sprayed on the first coat. After letting it let it dry for about two hours I sprayed on a second coat, then let it dry for another two hours. I then buffed the surface with an old kitchen towel to give it a nice natural cast iron appearance and lustrous patina (how long has it been since you've seen those two words used together?). I had heard from others that the surface of the part would remain "wet" over time, and that the graphite would rub off on your fingers when handled. So I decided to try to "bake" the finish to drive off the volatiles and hopefully cure the coating. To bake, I put the manifolds under heat lamps (brooder lamps) at close range for two hours on each side. I don't believe the baking helped much, if at all, but hardly any graphite rubs off on your fingers using this approach.
Here are some photos of the manifolds after treatment:
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