Welding to Headers

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Ok, today at work I was working on a custom wheelwell exit exaust for a cj-5 with a 350 swapped in.  My only issue was trying to weld the header (heddman headers) onto our 304SS mandrel bent 90's.  We are not using a flange, it will all be one piece when done.I cleaned off the part to be welded as best I could but there is some kind of coating on the header that does act like paint.  its not burning off which I figured it wouldnt because the headers see high temps daily.  However, even the heat from welding isnt burning it off, its just briefly allows the puddle to form then once I back off the heat it covers the weld again.My boss thinks it might be some kind of exotic metal coating, I check heddmans site with no help.  Im not really looking for advice on how to weld it, as I got the job done.  Im just wondering what this coating is.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:It could be ceramic coating.  They do offer it in flat black and other flat colors now, so it's easily mistaken for paint.
Reply:x2      My Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:I vote ceramic.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Thats what I thought too, but it scratches off really easily like paint.  It got scratches just from being moved around on my aluminum work surface.  I dont know anything about ceramic coating but I think its tougher than that.I have a boker ceramic pocket knife and its really durable.Its a primer grey color if that matters to anyone.Last edited by sn0border88; 10-30-2007 at 10:04 PM.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:The ceramic coatings can still scratch quite easily, particularly the matte ones.  That's why I used to wrap everything in blue 3m tape until it was in its final resting spot.
Reply:when most people think of ceramic, they think of ceramic tiles (high-strength, brittle, good wear and tear) and since they are on headers, they have to be extremely high-temp resistant. i'm with everyone else... the situations ounds like you have a thin coat of ceramic on the headers... more and more after-market mfrs are using ceramic as a selling point. there is no real advantage to this... the coatings are so thin that the heat jsut radiates thru it. if you really think you need it (i don't... once the pipes get hot, they won't have any condensation, thus they won't rust nearly as fast as the rest of the exhuast system... some mfrs are using SS as their base metal anyway), Du-Pont makes a spray-paint that they claim has ceramic in it. different colors, 1200 degree resistant. i love it... i used it on my exhaust manifold heat shield... never looked better. they say to bake it at 350 degrees for 2 hours (it may be 4 hours), but i never did... i figured that my heat shield gets the hot and probably stays that hot for at least 2 hours in the summer (when i painted it), so i never bothered to stink up the house. note: you will get a BAD burning paint smell the first time you run the pipes... after that i never noticed anything. i painted the rest of my exhasut sytem to protect it from salt and snow when i replaced it a couple months ago. it still looks red and great. if you need to put it on, mask off the face that matches with the engine block, and coat the pipes. i woudl reccomend at least 2 light coats if you are wanting a show-quality finish.the reason the original finish is comming off so easily is that the stuff at the factory is very similar, if not the same, as Du-Pont's chemistry. it is merely high-temp paint. there is no chemical bond between the coating and the metal, thus it easily comes off... especially with bare, smooth metal.hope that helps,Later,Andy
Reply:What ever the coating is, you have to remove it to weld the pipes together.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I cleaned most of it off, the exaust is now finished.  Looks pretty damn good, and its really quiet. We fit a catalytic and a 3ft long muffler inbetween the exit of the headers and the rear of a cj5 door.  Its a pretty damn compact system.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:WE wanna see pics!DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:It was a rush job, so it went back to the customer before I had time.  Sorry, but they say we will get another one to do next week because they liked this one so much.The jeep itself was pretty cool, fuel injected 350, metallic green flake paint, $15,000 in A/V system alone.The shop said so far the owner is approaching 70-80k invested in it. Have we all gone mad?
Reply:My $500 CJ-5 will out wheel those "toys" anyday.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:For sure, but does yours have satellite TV? Its beyond me why he put tv's in it (not 1 but 2 both IN THE DASH)You have to look at your crotch to see the one on the pass side. Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Originally Posted by sn0border88For sure, but does yours have satellite TV? Its beyond me why he put tv's in it (not 1 but 2 both IN THE DASH)You have to look at your crotch to see the one on the pass side.
Reply:No satalite TV, no power brakes, and I don't care what happens to it. BTW, I remember the first exhaust I ever welded, my 65' Ford truck, coathangers and a borrowed OA rig, never failed.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterJust what they need after something snaps in two while waiting for help..  ...zap!