I've done a search but wanted to ask a quick question. I'm going to be getting a set of Heddman shorties soon wanted to know if paint stripper from Home Depot will remove the paint on the headers or do I need to buy "automotive" paint stripper?

 

Are you removing it so you can paint them again?

 

Yeah I plan on using an aluminum header paint to keep them from rusting and make them look a little snazier. The only reason I want to use stripper from Home Depot is because I have some. I'm experienced at stripping wood but never done metal before and am not sure how it would work on automotive applications.

 

Depending what kind of paint they used on it originally it might be difficult to get off with any stripper. I tried aircraft stripper on some used headers once, it would take off the top layers of paint but wouldn't touch the baked and cured header paint underneath. You can try it though, and if it doesn't work there's always sandblasting.

 

you could always use electrolysis to loosen the paint and then use a wire brush to rub it off. It's pretty simply, you'd need a rubbermade bin, some re-rod, copper wire and a battery charger. there are plenty of articles online on how to set it up, just make sure you scrape some paint off where you put the negative terminal so you get good conductivity. Leave the header in there for a few hours, pull it and see if the paint is loosened - if not, leave it longer. You can use the same process to remove rust. I'm not positive how it works on aluminum, but its cheap and worth a try.

 

I have the Hedmans... I just bought some of the "Aircraft Stripper" (2 cans) from O'reillys, and took them to the car wash. I sprayed them and waited about 20 minutes, then hosed them off, waited for them to dry a little, then sprayed more stripper on them and waited another 20 minutes, then hosed them off. It got 90% of the paint off, then I wire brushed the rest. DO NOT let that crap splash on you while hosing them off (it REALLY burns!!!). Use several light coats of the header paint instead of few heavy coats (wait about 10-15 minutes between coats. And either bake them in the oven, or DO NOT GET ANY GREASE on them when installing, and then do the "burn in, suggested on the can. If you get grease on them before you cure them it will not stick in those spots. I started my car and ran it for like 40 seconds then turned it off and waited 10 minutes (I did this like 8 or 9 times), then drove it easy for about 1 mile, then let it sit overnight.

I think I used 2 cans of header paint (the silver ceramic one)

 

ALSO, FYI... if you are getting the Hedman Y-pipe also, it sucks, it bottlenecks down to a 2 1/2" pipe. I bought a 3" 90 degree (might have been 45) mandrel bent elbow, and had an exhaust shop cut the y-pipe where it was still 3" and weld on the elbow in place of the other, then coated that with the header paint. I also painted all the welds on my exhaust with the header paint.