Running in the newly coated Exhaust Manifolds

Running in the newly coated Exhaust Manifolds

After installing the manifolds / headers you should run the engine at high idle of about 1200 RPMs for about 30 minutes to accomplish a 750 degree consistent temperature through out the header surface.

After this initial run in the car may be driven at highway speeds.

If you got hand prints or greasy marks on the headers you should wait until they are cooled down and remove the hand prints with something like Simple Green, 409 cleaner or any other mild cleaner that will cut the grease.

Important Information regarding the care and cleaning of your ceramic coated Performance Headers.

The following tips are suggested to insure years of service from your ceramic-coated headers.

FIRST ENGINE RUNS

Most header coatings damage usually occurs during the first run on a new engine. When the exhaust temperatures exceed 1200 degrees for an extended period of time, the coating will turn dull. Excess exhaust temperatures are normally caused by excessively lean or excessively rich air/fuel mixtures and/or incorrect ignition timing. It is extremely important that the engine is properly set-up prior to your first engine run. It is also helpful to use a large floor fan to help cool the engine and headers for the initial start up.

CLEANING

Stains on satin matte finish headers can usually be removed by using hot soapy water or an environmentally safe Orange Cleaner Degreaser and a soft cloth. Never use abrasive cleaners. Two or three cleanings may be required depending on the severity of the stain.

Hi Luster Polished ceramic header finish can be cleaned in the same manner and can be polished with a non-abrasive aluminum polish. (Wax Shop, Mothers, Never Dull)

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

When storing your car for an extended period of time, some precautions must be taken. Park the car over a large sheet of plastic or tarp. This will protect your car and headers from moisture seeping up through the floor. Wipe down and dry the headers thoroughly. Then coat the headers with WD-40 or an equivalent where the tubes are welded to the header flanges and where the tubes come in close proximity to each other (Especially where the four tubes enter into the collector). These areas are prone to rusting as the coating is unable to get between the tubes in the unexposed areas of the header. If rust occurs, it will travel into and under the coating and create a stain. When you are ready to start the car after storage, wash the WD-40 off by following the cleaning procedures

	CermaKrome turns white in the curing process. This white patina rubs off easily with medium abrasive scotch-brite or 0000 steel wool. They can also show some green coloring on the surface while they are still wet. The green will polish out when the headers are polished.
	Another look at the headers after about 30 minutes in the oven. Note the wet green area has been cured out to the expected chalky white.
	Cast Headers after vibratory polishing.
	Smooth tubing headers will have a nice finish without pits or casting marks.
	The underlying texture of the base metal will telegraph right through the CermaKrome finish. The only way to avoid this is to pre-finish your parts to the level of smoothness you want. Most NEW tube headers come out very nice but old rusty headers will show all the pits of the rust when you CermaKrome them. It is best to use Satin Black or other options if your headers are rusty.

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