plating the manifolds

[jan lauwers]

hello friends;

I am having several motor parts plated. The guy in the plating workshop asked me if I want the inlet and outlet manifolds plated in Zn or in Nickel. Nickle he said can resist higher temps which seems to make sense on this kind of part(s). Nickel plating is more expensive than Zn but not that much that it becomes a real hurdle I guess. What is right here guys? how should these parts be treated?


thanks to all, have fun!

Jan

[zoegrlh]

All I did is buff out the intake with steel brush on drill, for the exhaust I painted with high temp paint , you can get at any auto store, in a gray.
Bob

[jan lauwers]

how hot do in -and outlet manifolds actually get? what temps are we talking about?

thanks!

Jan

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Jan,

When you search Google ... This is the result. It may change of course based on speed and actual HP. On performance cars like a ///M3 I've
 seen engine exhaust cherry red hot on the test stand at the BMW factory. I never did ask about the temperature at the time.

--------------- Google Result ------------

Spark-ignited engines tend to run exhaust temperatures approaching 1200 deg. F, under most conditions.  Sustained high speeds in racing can push that up considerably, but 1100-1200 is a reasonable assumption for "everyday" driving, or powering a generator, etc.
Diesel exhaust temperatures vary a lot more, depending on the load.  At idle, exhaust may be around 700 F.  Moderate loads push that
to more like 850-900 or so.  "Full" load (rated maximum continuous output) on industrial engines I work with can reach 1100 or so.
To sustain exhaust temperatures higher than about 1200 F, serious consideration has to be given etc. etc.

------------end Google quote -------

If you do paint it with high temp paint, expect it to blister soon after ... It will be a mess.

[Cees Klumper]

Jan, the intake manifold doesn't get that hot I think, probably same temperature as the valve cover or thereabouts. There is I believe a lot of information on this site about the original finishes of the intake and exhaust manifolds, and if memory serves me well, the intake manifolds were not coated while the exhaust ones may have been. They're cast iron. When I treated mine I did as Bob, meaning I cleaned them with a wire brush then spraypainted them with a dark grey special high-temp spray paint in a can. I am not sure whether that coating is still on, after some 13 years. I would not go through the trouble to get either manifold metal-plated.

[paults1]

Jan, I cleaned my intake manifold with wire brush on a drill and then applied a clear coat. I used Eastwoods Nylac. Still looks good after 25 years. Any clear coat for raw metal will probably work.
Paul, '63 230SL

[hauser]

This is what's on my exhaust manifold.

http://www.jet-hot.com/

[Tyler S]

For the exhaust manifolds, I used a grey color ceramic based high heat paint out of a spray can. Has held up so far with about 500 miles on them.