Painting engine - how about down pipes?

[U4RIA-ZXR]

Sorry - I'm a newbie - I was looking at painting my engine (just bought an L2), and I noticed the 4 to 1 pipes could do with a clean up - are there any problems with painting these pipes (using heat resistant paint), will it cause a problem for the MOT man!?

[RedexRobB]

High Temperature Paint will do perfectly mate, shouldnt cause you any problems at all for the MOT!

You can buy it at halfords.

[U4RIA-ZXR]

Wow that was a quick reply!
Thanks mate, will get started the weekend!

[masterofinsanity]

its crap mate don't use high temp exhaust paint, you are supposed to bake it on at 425 degrees or run the engine til it cures, better off getting some stove enamel, its resistant to the same temp as exhaust paint but you apply it and it cures at room temperature, and looks and lasts 10 times better.

see mine, i used plastikote stove enamel from B&Q

[RedexRobB]

I never knew that baz! I guess stove enamel would protect it better too?

[masterofinsanity]

much thicker finish RobB i must have put about 6 coats on these and only used half the can, i think it was £5.99 a can, halfords exhaust paint is the same but slightest bit of damp and the rust comes through, and clean as much rust off as you can, i got mine down to bare metal with anglegrinder, and flap wheels first.

[deviant]

baz - have you actually ridden the bike any distance since you've done it, or have you done it as part of the latest rebuild?

[masterofinsanity]

not yet mate, so when i do start using the bike i'm hoping the engine dont start cracking up and the pipes start flaking

[deviant]

that's why I asked. It looks fantastic at the moment...but I don't imagine you've got it properly hot since you've done it.

[masterofinsanity]

i did heat the pipes up on the bbq between coats, but it does say on the tin it is good for 425'C and cures at room temp so should be fine.only time will tell.

[RedexRobB]

not yet mate, so when i do start using the bike i'm hoping the engine dont start cracking up and the pipes start flaking

famous last words or what!!

[masterofinsanity]

ok the stove enamel lasts longer than the high temp exhaust paint, by about a day it don't flake just rusts through, next time i'm gonna paint the headers in kurust first b4 i respray them but the stove enamel beats the exhaust paint by a mile for a better finish.