What works to keep the Bassetts pretty?

[jrod]

What do you guys use out there to keep'em shinny?

[canuck1]

A good boat bitch

[YeLLowBoaT]

Care Of Your Bassett Headers
1. The richer the motor, the longer the headers will last.
2. Water should be entering the headers at 1500-2000 RPM, no less.
3. Water entering later than 2000 RPM will cause bluing and discoloring.
4. Spray WD-40 or some related oil in between pipes and back side of your
headers. This will help prevent rust. Eventhough nickel gets between the
pipes, the chrome does not and thus the rust will occur if the headers are
not taken care of properly.
5. To get rid of rust, use fine steel wool. Then spray WD-40 again.
6. After loading the boat on the trailer, run the motor for 30 to 60 seconds
to dry the inside of the headers. This will also help to keep your headers
from rusting.
7. Spray WD-40 into weep holes after every use.
8. These are suggestions only and are not guaranteed to work, but based
on our experience, they have helped.
Right off the basset web site... Now they will "blue out " if your not injecting enuff water or not earily enuff. Any good crome cleaner will work to keep them "shinny" just don't do it hot...

[shaun]

water :p

[b's sanger]

Ceramic coat them. I wont own another set without the coating.

[Devilman]

Mine ran dry for a little bit(valve was crummed up) & discolored some. Didn't "blue" as bad as some I've seen, but discolored nonetheless. Bought a bottle of "Blueaway" from the cycle shop. I've seen mixed reviews about it here, but I'll post my findings once I try it for myself. Other than that, I'll spray WD40 down the tubes when cleaning it up from the weekend. Try & keep 'em from rusting from the inside....

[tahitijet]

Ceramic coat them. I wont own another set without the coating.
I'll 2nd that. heres mine coated. takes very little effort to keep them looking good. These were done in a polished alumn finish.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG

[YeLLowBoaT]

Those look sweet..... better then the chrome.

[beerjet]

I'll 2nd that. heres mine coated. takes very little effort to keep them looking good. These were done in a polished alumn finish.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG
One more thing to put on my to do list.:idea: looks fookin awsome.

[Glencoe MiniDay]

I had mine piston coated on the inside have not yet fired the engine they are brand new so the powdercoater said to pison coat the inside and that will not allow the heat to "SOAK" as much and he said to run as rich as possible to keep from bluing also.

[Devilman]

I'll 2nd that. heres mine coated. takes very little effort to keep them looking good. These were done in a polished alumn finish.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG
Damn, where did you send them? That looks friggin nice. All the coated ones I have seen were just kind of a dull silver, not shiny like yours. Shit & I was all ready just to run mine the way they were.... :cool:

[sleekcrafter]

My boss just got a SS set of headers JETHOT coated, that stuff burned, and bubbled in less than ten minutes. It's not going to be my choice, for sure.
Sleek

[Devilman]

My boss just got a SS set of headers JETHOT coated, that stuff burned, and bubbled in less than ten minutes. It's not going to be my choice, for sure.
Sleek
JETHOT is all I've ever heard of. Some of them look ok, but never shiny like that. I have a set of Bassani headers on my truck. They're stainless with the ceramic coating, they looked pretty sweet for a long time. Pretty grungy now though. Who know, they may clean up if I ever tried it.:D

[JLB440Stroked]

Ceramic coat them. I wont own another set without the coating.
I'll 2nd that. heres mine coated. takes very little effort to keep them looking good. These were done in a polished alumn finish.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG
b's Sanger & TahitiJet
Will this coating hold up when running hard with no water? Where did you guys get them coated? I know Rewarder does them. I really want to do mine, as I smoked the chrome, first day out. I prefer to run them dry and the local boat potrol lets go.

[lucky]

windex

[b's sanger]

b's Sanger & TahitiJet
Will this coating hold up when running hard with no water? Where did you guys get them coated? I know Rewarder does them. I really want to do mine, as I smoked the chrome, first day out. I prefer to run them dry and the local boat potrol lets go.
I havent run them dry for long, but have had no problems. They are coated inside as well. transfers heat better too. Also is cooler to the touch. Mine were done at Embee in Santa Ana, Ca for about $300.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/285520050924_0004.JPG

[Jeanyus]

The best trick and it is guaranteed to work better than anything: When you get them brand new, leave them in the box. They will always look like new. :)
I was going to say that, but didn't want to be a smart alek.
I have heard other people say that, chrome headers are hotter, to the touch than painted or coated headers.
If you are puting over transom headers on, and you plan on touching them, I think you have made a big mistake.
Just curious, how much cooler are the painted, or coated headers.
Heres my guess, chrome headers reach a temprature of 1200 degrees, and coated headers only get up 1199 degrees.

[Moneypitt]

I think the brand names should be "backwards" on the collectors, so when you burn your arms the imprint, (brand) would at least be readable, you know like the Kung Fu deal with the dragons or what ever they were. .........MP

[bigriverdog]

The best trick and it is guaranteed to work better than anything: When you get them brand new, leave them in the box. They will always look like new. :)
That or I was thinking, put them on the boat, but never start the engine. They will last for years.

[Wicked Performance Boats]

I think the brand names should be "backwards" on the collectors, so when you burn your arms the imprint, (brand) would at least be readable, you know like the Kung Fu deal with the dragons or what ever they were. .........MP
I like this idea best! Make it backwards with raised letters. Make a great tattoo. AND it's cheap. Budlight ps. I'd have about a dozen tattoos

[LVjetboy]

"Ceramic coat them. I wont own another set without the coating."
I'll third that and I've owned many a chrome header. I love that chrome out of the box.
"Heres my guess, chrome headers reach a temprature of 1200 degrees, and coated headers only get up 1199 degrees."
You guessed wrong. I can say from experience that Jet Hot coated headers run significantly cooler than chrome. I believe the average is 200+ deg F running not 1 deg F. And that makes a BIG difference, even more on shut-down. Ceramic coating or TBC used in aircraft engines for decades on turbine blades and other parts...I know this. Ceramic coating dramatically reduces heat transfer so also surface temperature. My coated headers are cool to touch after shut-down long before my chrome headers ever were.
If you don't believe me how about a racer (Westech) Steve Brule's comment, "Damn chrome headers!" Referring to hot chrome headers hard to work around after a dyno pull.
I care less if the ceramic coating is Jet Hot or some other brand. No doubt some coaters are better than others, I'm not promoting any ceramic coat mfg or applicater. Although I think both inside and out should be coated. BTW, the thermal resistance of paint not the same as ceramic, and I'm not talking about paint. And I understand from experience both chrome and coated headers don't keep their appearance as well as the mfg may claim.
But keeping those chrome Bassetts pretty? Not gonna happen if you run your jet often (on gas) even water injected w/a good tune. Chrome restore products typically don't restore to new shine and results over time are ever more fleeting. Chrome oxidation runs deep and the heat that caused it rarely cured.
Someone said keep in the box, very true.
I fought the new chrome battle many years. I finally switched to ceramic coating, I'd never go back. Not because I don't like the new chrome look. More because I value the cooler running of a coated header for the lake. And in the long run, the coated header, although not as pretty to start with, looses less in appearance than chrome over time.
jer

[sleekcrafter]

Any one every used these guy's? http://www.afipowder.com./armor_coating.htm
Sleek

[tahitijet]

Damn, where did you send them? That looks friggin nice. All the coated ones I have seen were just kind of a dull silver, not shiny like yours. Shit & I was all ready just to run mine the way they were.... :cool:
Caps here in town did mine. There supposed to be one of the better hot coating companies.
You have to ask for the polished alumn finish. I'm really happy with mine.

[tahitijet]

b's Sanger & TahitiJet
Will this coating hold up when running hard with no water? Where did you guys get them coated? I know Rewarder does them. I really want to do mine, as I smoked the chrome, first day out. I prefer to run them dry and the local boat potrol lets go.
No. They will turn frosty white at the bottom few inches. Even run dry they'll look bette then chrome after a while of running chrome. Plus coated inside and out there is no worries about rust.

[tahitijet]

I was going to say that, but didn't want to be a smart alek.
I have heard other people say that, chrome headers are hotter, to the touch than painted or coated headers.
If you are puting over transom headers on, and you plan on touching them, I think you have made a big mistake.
Just curious, how much cooler are the painted, or coated headers.
Heres my guess, chrome headers reach a temprature of 1200 degrees, and coated headers only get up 1199 degrees.
They still get hot enough to burn if you touch them but the biggest differance i've noticed is they cool down faster and don't stay as hot just sitting in the sun as chrome.

[IMPATIENT 1]

I Don't Run Valve Seals So Rust Isn't A Problem On My Rewarders,and I Wipe Em Down As Soon As There Cooled Down On The Trailer.during Winter I Pull Em Off,smear Em Up With Wax And Hang Em On The Wall.3yrs Later Chrome Still Looks Brand New,no Rust Anywhere.basic Water Injection Set-up,t Valve And Ball Valves On The Headers.putting In A On/off Valve From Moroso In Frt. Of The T Valve So I Can Run Dry At A Flick Of A Switch(99.00 Jegs).

[Jeanyus]

TahitijetYour headers look sweet.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG
Will they stay like this if you run them without water? I run mine a lot without water. My plan was to run these till the chrome goes bad then have them coated. I don't live too far from Fresno, How about posting the phone # of the place that coated your headers.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/5859headers.jpg
These are starting to look a little dingy, I bought these in 96, for $750, I sold my old ones on e-bay for $500.00. So a new set of chrome headers cost me $250.
The decision I have to make is, do I spend $300 to have old headers coated, and hope the coating does not peel off. Or sell the old ones and put brand new ones on. The fact that the coated stay cooler is nice, I guess the chrome ones will burn the $hit out of you. And the coated ones only burn the crap out of you.

[Moneypitt]

Next race you attend look how close the headers on a SS or PS boat come to the sides of the boat. You will see the ones with "coating" of one sort or another have not blistered the paint, and the chrome or what used to be chrome, ones either have guards, or blistered paint. Lean a motor out during a race, forwhatever reason, and those header temps go off the scale. While underway, the air rushing by will help, but when you come to a stop the headers are still cooking everything within 5 or 6". I saw the SS55 boat on the ramp with some sort of black coating and the headers almost touched the side, but the paint was fine. Coating is the best way to go, as technology has marched on since chroming was the way to go, and those "shiney" aluminum, almost polished look headers are the best I've seen............Ray

[Oldsquirt]

TahitijetYour headers look sweet.
..... I don't live too far from Fresno, How about posting the phone # of the place that coated your headers.
.
Ron , I'm pretty sure the place he was referring to is "Caps Brite Hot Coatings". Lots of people have used them for headers and been satisfied with their work. Here's the website....Caps Brite Hot (http://www.capsbhc.com/)

[Captain Assin' Off]

I'll 2nd that. heres mine coated. takes very little effort to keep them looking good. These were done in a polished alumn finish.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P1010043-med.JPG
Those look good!
I coated mine internally with some motorcycle stuff from the Harley dealer that works very well, mine still look like new, after two years of running, but but yours do look very nice...

[Jeanyus]

Ron , I'm pretty sure the place he was referring to is "Caps Brite Hot Coatings". Lots of people have used them for headers and been satisfied with their work. Here's the website....Caps Brite Hot (http://www.capsbhc.com/)
Thanks for the link, I'll put that in my favorits. I'm gonna run chrome headers this coming season. But I think I will have them coated for next season.

[tahitijet]

Ron , I'm pretty sure the place he was referring to is "Caps Brite Hot Coatings". Lots of people have used them for headers and been satisfied with their work. Here's the website....Caps Brite Hot (http://www.capsbhc.com/)
Thanks guys.
yup thats them... It will run more then 300 to get them done if there already chrome they have to send them out to western chrome to get stripped and i think they charge like 75 bux to do that.

[Rondo]

Hey Guys, here are a couple tips. I boat regularly on a very weedy lake which can raise havoc with the water injected header lines. My headers are only 2 years old and last summer I decided to check the individual lines and found a plugged injector fitting! Now, usually if I get weeds in the line or [more often]in the pop off valve, the engine will cough of sputter. However, with just one line clogged it made no such noise!! I had one tube get hot and started to blue. So, if you run a weedy lake be sure to drop those lines and clean them out!
One more tip. If you guys work on your engines you are likely to be leaning on your header. I've seen oily hand prints and sweat on the chrome actually burn in after idling for a short period. Be sure to clean the chrome right after working on your engine.
A little trick that I do is take an old pair if jeans and cut both legs off. Use the cut offs for covers. Just slip them on and presto.......no more prints!
Works for me! :wink:

[Willis]

I use this product, http://www.flitz.com/
It works
Willis