Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Guys,

I have my exhaust off and it looks ok mechanically but it is a crappy dull brown colour and I was wondering if you guys have painted your exhaust pipes. If so, what sort of paint is recommended.

Best regards,

Jim Mantyla

Is it Stainless Jim? Dan

I could be wrong here but once you paint something you will never stop painting it ! Even if you chrome it there will be "hot spots" that will discolor the chrome . I believe paint will do the same and maybe even "peel ?" Dan may know more about this . Not sure if there is a way to restore the SS color to the metal ? 3M wheel ?

RB

It sounds like you have mild steel pipes. That is their natural color. The only paint I know that has been tried is ceramic coating. It has mixed results and can tend to crack the pipes.
Cubes

You can ceramic mild pipes and re coat them but it does not last. Do not try to chrome used pipes. Stainless pipes will polish out like new but it won

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Like I said...once you paint , it never stops ! Good info Lou . Polish those bad boys until you drop ! Better yet pay someone else to polish them there pipes !

RB

Black Satin Header Coating, Bought it from aircraft spruce, goes on glossy,dries satin, when you run the engine and heat the pipes the finish goes flat. Prep the steel by sanding with Emory cloth,hold the pipes with plastic bags on your hands so as not to,oil up the freshly shined steel.wipe down with MEK,spray on a wet coat of header coat and let em hang overnight. Install and heat em up watch em go flat, mine was done 4years ago they are flat black. You can sand blast instead of usin the Emory,just don't touch with bare hands after the blast..............Stainless will brush up with Emory cloth, go from coarse to fine, they will shine up good.....Dan

As I need to remove my SS exhaust during the next annual (this will be the second annual for NX115RX) as recommended by Custom Aircraft Exhaust to "exercise the crossover joint (to keep it from freezing up) I will probably apply some elbow grease to shine up the SS unit . I like shine over paint ...when it comes to exhaust . Polishing an entire airplane is an entirely different story , not going to happen , not the prudent thing to do ! Found "No Blo" exhaust gaskets on E-Bay for $2.50 each ! BOOM !

RB

Guys,

Yes they are stainless steel. They are just discolored a dark brown and I thought there might be some way to spruce them up while they were off, to match the chrome plated intake tubes.I did break one stud in the process of removing them and used a dremel to split the rest of the nuts. The new nuts will be brass. I did manage to get the broken stud out without having to remove the jug. I will be also applying some anti seize on the slip joints when the exhaust goes back on.

Jim

Use the HIGH temp Copper Anti seize (Perma Tex ?) . It was recommended by Custom Aircraft Exhaust . Can't remember the temp. of the stuff, but I think it is 1800 + degrees ? I also put a dab of the stuff of the threads of the exhaust nuts . Don't forget to lube up the slip joint with the goo and the ball joints at the end of the exhaust . I will post how my 2 year old slip joint did during the next annual (April 2013) as how the stuff prevented the pipes from seizing ?

RB

Polish those suckers

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

For S.S. systems, I think that one of the best to use is a nickel -bearing anti- seize, like Loctite Nickel Anti-Seize. It has a temperature range up to 2400 deg. F. It doesn't contain any copper and is highly compatible with stainless steel. Good stuff - lasts a long time.

BOOBS!... ooops, I mean BOOM! (sorry, Rich!)

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

I like yours much better John!!!!!

BOOBS! it is.

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Matt Smith
Des Moines, IA
55RC

OK John...you made go look at the bottle of anti-seize I have . It is Copper Permatex and rated at 1800 degrees . It was the stuff used by Custom Aircraft Products where I bought the exhaust . I had no other bench mark to go by , so that's what I used. I'll find out in a few months if the stuff worked as the exhaust comes off for the next anuual for inspection and re-grease the slip joint per the manufacture . I have never seen 2400 degree Boobs , but I like your thinking ! BOOM !

RB