Cerakote Coating Failed - Alternatives?

[AustinL]

Hi Guys,

I had my Dansk muffler and cat bypass pipe Cerakoted by a local company and it failed on its first outing. The coating cracked then flaked off. I removed the muffler and bypass pipe, took it back and had them do it again. Unfortunately if failed again on the first outing.

This same company powder coated my wheels for me, and has done lots of powder coating for my business with phenomenal results. However their Cerakote work has proven a waste of time and money so far. They are offering to do it again at no cost, but of course I have to pull the equipment and wait 4-6 weeks (their turnaround time) to get everything back. I have a very low interest level to give them another shot, but may do so if I can come armed with more info perhaps helping the vendor understand why this keeps failing. Anyone have tips I can share with them to get this right?

Alternatively, I'm totally open to other ideas you may have to coat my exhaust parts. The goal was to turn both parts black as you'll see below. But at this point I would be happy to have them a dark gray, black, or something that doesn't flake off I do not like the polished tip at all hence the decision to change it in the first place.

For what it's worth the muffler is aluminized metal with a polished stainless tip. I'm not sure what the cat bypass pipe is (previous owner sourced), but it's unlikely stainless as there was some surface rust before this process.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Early signs of failure


Early signs of failure


Total failure once rocks make contact


Looked so good when new!

[MBAtarga]

You need Shaun @ Tru6 to weigh in on this.

[phunt]

Cerakote needs to be baked or cured at a very high temperature. Higher than powder coat. Especially the high temp cerakote for headers. Regular cerkote is cured at 400-450 degrees the header material needs 700 degrees. Most shops particularly powder coat shops do not have ovens that get that hot. 400 degree oven is fairly standard with 500 degree ovens kinda rare. And most places do not run at max temp. Very few places have ovens that go over 500 degrees. The cost of heating them is high. So they bake the headers at as high a temperature as they can. Expecting the heat from the engine to fully cure them. Until then the cerakote is soft and can be contaminated or marred during installation causing it to fail. I learned this the hard way. Ask your shop what temperature the cure the headers. Contact cerakote and ask what they say the temp needs to be.

[phunt]

Sorry forgot an alternative
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjJ1cv3ubiGAxXXR38AHYFyA8UYABAAGgJvYQ&ae=2&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6uWyBhD1ARIsAIMcADoDgJgq6rtSjJRyXFlj R6n98oeY_6Hj20agU_RECl0-9cV_sj0gwTMaAq7tEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESVeD21y227uNf9U0Xtc2FdOEH8m9f06qIn4BtjcXncy LCzFH_1eYzMlcHiqFSG3aDL7y-Gz4RavqTNTiE45eUCtzRhrNJWcwt6NIPrigRmPHHztxkcYs&sig=AOD64_0b7T_-ZKySgZx9Xuje8n-d9_Qp4Q&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwix8ML3ubiGAxW8ENAFHYyyBv4Q0Qx6BAgLEAE

[phunt]

Sorry forgot to mention alternative
Jet-Hot coatings

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

You need Shaun @ Tru6 to weigh in on this.

Thanks Mark!

OP, do you know what Cerakote they used? Looks like Jet Black which is a C series air cure. I used V series Cobra Black which is both prettier, and much harder and has a higher temp rating than Jet Black though a muffler temp is well below both.

It's a simple surface prep issue. they either didn't media blast it correctly, pre-bake it correctly, clean it correctly or a combination of all 3. Personally, I never use C series. It's soft and looks dull compared to E, H and V series.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Cobra Black

[AustinL]

Fantastic, thank you all so much for your informative replies!

I know the vendor uses their oven to cure but am not sure at what temp, I'll find out for us.

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

OP, do you know what Cerakote they used? Looks like Jet Black which is a C series air cure. I used V series Cobra Black which is both prettier, and much harder and has a higher temp rating than Jet Black though a muffler temp is well below both.

I'm not sure but will certainly find out. With that said, am I understanding correctly that while you prefer the V series, that the C series should still work for cat bypass pipe and muffler based on temps they reach?

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

It's a simple surface prep issue. they either didn't media blast it correctly, pre-bake it correctly, clean it correctly or a combination of all 3. Personally, I never use C series. It's soft and looks dull compared to E, H and V series.

I suspected prep issue, but this is far from my wheelhouse so didn't say anything to the vendor. He has told me there is a specific guy he uses for the Cerakote process, versus his other employees who do their powder coating.

Your V series Cerakote parts look fantastic! In your experience, how does this stand up to pebbles and so forth over time? My sticky tires throw all kinds of crap up at these parts, which isn't causing the failure (it cracks and flakes in areas untouched by stones), but certainly strips off the failed Cerakote with ease. I want to make sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree with this material even thought I've started down the path.

Thanks again guys, this issue has been chewing me up for months now, glad to hear there may be light at the end of the tunnel!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to hearing what they say and why they think it failed. Any of them should work, I just have a bias against C mostly because I prefer the durability and look of the H & E. V Cobra Black I use mostly for door frames, handles, wipers, etc. since it's 100% UV safe and the nicest deepest black you can get, at least for my taste.

Thanks for the kind words on the 3.2 exchangers. On how does it stand up, I honestly can't say since no one has ever contacted me about problems over the long term and have had a lot in the field. So either no one is looking and finding failure or it's all good.

Your pics show a very light layer. it's supposed to be light but that looks very light. Could be just the pics. For exchangers and mufflers I do two wet coats with 15 minutes in between. That looks like just one coat.

[AustinL]

Thanks Shaun. Really appreciate your input! I wish you were closer, we'd have this sorted in no time

I did not hear back from the vendor today, but hope to early next week. I'll report back then.

Happy Friday all, time to hit the road this weekend!

[Hotshot]

I cerakote almost everything I restore on my car. 3 years on my muffler tip and no issues. Prep Prep Prep. Also what Cerakote was it done with? There’s air dry and heat. Air has higher Temps, Heat is more durable.

C series should be more than fine.

[Hotshot]

I’ll post my exhaust stuff when I get back. These were done with E and C coatings. Everything here restored has Cerakote on it. I even clear the plated and aluminum cross beam. The fan is clear over glass need blasted magnesium.

You really have to have clean blast material ( aluminum oxide ) and re cleaned in acetone before you spray. That looks like surface prep. I’ve messed up some tests with dirty blast media before. It pounds dirt and oil in the metals so it looks clean but it’s oily and doesn’t let the Cerakote stick.

[RobFrost]

Originally Posted by Hotshot

I’ll post my exhaust stuff when I get back. These were done with E and C coatings. Everything here restored has Cerakote on it. I even clear the plated and aluminum cross beam. The fan is clear over glass need blasted magnesium.



You really have to have clean blast material ( aluminum oxide ) and re cleaned in acetone before you spray. That looks like surface prep. I’ve messed up some tests with dirty blast media before. It pounds dirt and oil in the metals so it looks clean but it’s oily and doesn’t let the Cerakote stick.

How long has the cerakote been on the magnesium parts? Were they conversion coated first?

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

[Hotshot]

3 years. I blasted the fan with glass beer, cleaning the cosmoline and gunk off. Sprayed the clear air dry Cerakote on that and the plated part, and it’s been 3 years now with no bad effects. Everything has been perfect and I can clean new dust off it with a blower. Electricity my car is perfect with every ground clean.

Highly recommend it. I do fan for people and they. Like colours. I decided to try natural as an experiment.

[AustinL]

Hi Guys,

Received a reply from the vendor. They claim they used C Series and that there is "no oven time with the C Series". That's all they had to say.

At this point I will probably eat the cost from first vendor and try to find a different vendor who has a proven track record of Cerakote on exhaust parts. While the first vendor is offering to try again for free, nothing they've said makes me think it will stick the third time.

If anyone has leads of Cerakote companies near Monterey, California I'm all ears. Thanks!

[thetorch]

Was the muffler etc new? Older parts often have so much oil embedded in them, it's not going to stick. 2 cents.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Good to have confirmation. For applicators close to you, Cerakote has a locator tool,

Here's what's close to you, you have to click on applicators outside of range but still close enough. good luck!

https://www.cerakote.com/find-applicator?q=monterey%2C+california

[rowingone]

I would agree with those that said the prep was not right. If you want to save some money go get some Rustoleum BBQ black paint . . no really . . great for headers, last forever and easy to apply!

[AustinL]

Originally Posted by thetorch

Was the muffler etc new?

Muffler was new. Bypass pipe was not new. It stuck quite well to the bypass pipe the first time, not at all to the muffler.

[AustinL]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Good to have confirmation.

Thanks Shaun! I started calling around and found someone who seems to know their stuff. He actually recommended a high-temp powder coat for my purposes. He's done lots of exhaust parts with it and reports great durability, more so than Cerakote. Any thoughts on this type of powder coat?

Originally Posted by rowingone

I would agree with those that said the prep was not right. If you want to save some money go get some Rustoleum BBQ black paint . . no really . . great for headers, last forever and easy to apply!

Yeah I think that's the culprit. The original vendor claims to have put everything in their over for proper prep, but who knows.

I've used the black Rustoleum High Temp for motorcycle parts in the past, definitely can work depending on goal! My experience is that it will not last on my muffler though, I wanted a more robust approach.