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deputydawg
03-18-2006, 11:03 PM
Looking under the hood of my GN, the piping is nice and polished, but the turbo is an ugly rust color. Can or should I use the ceramic header paint to spruce this up? The stock heat shield was taken off long before I got it. I am considering hunting one down. It just looks wierd with the shiney piping and a crusty looking turbo attached to it. Any suggestions?

Mtocrs1
03-19-2006, 03:49 AM
Header paint wont last long due to the high heat from the turbo. If it was me I would get a chrome turbo shield. They only cost around $70.00 if I remember right. If you dont want to spend that much you can get a stock one off E-Bay pretty cheap.

Keller
03-19-2006, 04:35 AM
I'm guessing you are talking about the exhaust side of the turbo. (turbine side which is cast steel, not compressor side which is aluminum)

To really make it 'pretty' would be a challenge because temperatures in this area get to 1600F peak or so. (internally) That is why it is supposed to have a heat shield on it.

To keep things nice, you would have to get all the rust off with a wire wheel (ALL of it) plus wash it thoroughly. (After removing the housing off the turbo...a whole 'nother conversation.) You would have to take care to not get grease or oil on it, not even from your hands after cleanup. Then it could be painted with something like VHT "Nu Cast" 1500F manifold coating. SP-998 Cast Iron looks pretty close to "as cast", in my opinion. Then, carefully take the part (which will not be thoroughly dry - thus the challenge) and bake it in an oven for awhile at whatever the highest temperature you can manage is for awhile. (Can says 1 hour at 600F. Good luck if you can do it. And if you don't mind the stench in your oven. I suggest a self cleaning oven.) Then slowly take it down to room temp. This will cure the paint. Otherwise, you'll be putting the part on the car kinda-gooey, and that just plain sucks.

This can be done with stock manifolds as well. I suggest welding fillets aroung the ports and porting them first.

I don't know any chrome shop that will do a shield for $70 today. Maybe you'll find a used one for that price.

kenmosher
03-19-2006, 01:35 PM
To add to what Scott was saying ...


Sand blasting/media blasting can really clean up the little cracks and crevices (OFF THE CAR AND MASK OFF ANYTHING THAT CAN GET SAND IN IT)
Use mineral spirits or alcohol to thoroughly degrease the part (something with very low residue). Brake cleaner can work too for final cleaning
Apply the paint in thin coats (not big gooey coats) ... I've actually successfully used the cast color spray VHT High heat (and the black as well) with good results IF you properly treat it and bake it. Eventually it'll start getting sort of "chalky", but on the whole it lasts pretty good.
If you can't bake it in an oven, I've actually had good success with doing the inital cure with a propane torch and then doing the final cure on the car itself (with some runs under boost with a cooling cycle between runs)