Date:         Wed, 16 Nov 2005 08:11:39 -0500
Reply-To:     Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Ceramic Coat Catalytic Converter?
Comments: To: Michael Edwards <medwards1@TRIAD.RR.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <002a01c5eaa6$b453aae0$ea75be41@michael1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I have never heard of anyone ceramic coating one of these and I would
not recommend it.  The bodies of all of the Cats that I sell and have
seen are usually stainless anyway.  They don't look shiny like you would
expect stainless to look, but they are stainless and therefore resistant
to corrosion.  The flanges on each end are really the only parts that
seem to rust to any extent.

Don't expect too much out of the ceramic coating.  I have had exhaust
parts treated with it from three separate sources and so far I am kind
of disappointed. You get a nice shiny chrome looking part, that will
quickly start to rust and within a few months the coating starts to
discolor and peel off.  Any "lifetime" warranty that the coater will
offer you is conditional on your removing the pipe or part in question,
shipping it back to the coater, having him re-coat it, and then shipping
it back to you.  Kind of a pain if you are driving the van regularly.

Having said all of that ceramic coating may still help retard the
rusting process in spite of all that I have said.  I have a tail pipe
out there that I am still keeping tabs on to see what it looks like a
couple of years down the road (they usually rust out at that point).
Ceramic coating will disappoint on the purely aesthetic level.  It is
almost worse to see a beautiful shiny exhaust system turn dull and rust
than it is to just bolt the stock gray painted pipes on and see them
rust.  At least the dull gray pipes never looked like anything in the
first place :-)

Just my experience,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com

Michael Edwards wrote:

> Just got a new exhaust system and plan to hi-temp ceramic coat before
> installing.  Does anyone know if you can coat the Catalytic Converter?  I
> have no idea what makes up the inside of these things.  I know
> anything in
> the exhaust system is subject to high heat, but I think the oven curing
> temps exceed 400F.
> Thanks
> Mike
>