Can I paint my Exhaust Header heat shields?

[patrickt]

You might want to just check the temperature of your shields with an infrared thermometer gun, which is handy for lots of stuff, but I doubt you get over 500 degrees on anything other than the primary pipes themselves. VHT Paint will go way higher than that: VHT Very High Temperature Flameproof Automotive Paint

[spdbrake]

I'd skip painting the heat shields black. The shiny surface of the stainless reflects heat. Painting them black will allow them to absorb the heat and transfer it to the fiberglass underneath. If you really want them black you could remove them and install 2-3 washers under each attaching point. That way you don't have direct contact and the air gap will help dissipate the heat the shield has absorbed.
Thermal heat = Thermal Radiation = Infrared Radiation.
A mirror will reflect Visible light and IR, Black just absorbs it.

[ront49]

Good luck on painting stainless steel ... Best to ask a good paint man if there is a primer that will promote proper adhesion. I've painted chrome bumpers and had very good luck with zink based primers. Don't forget to skuff the stainless.

[timemachine]

Just to clarify I’m only looking to paint shields not the headers. Headers are already black

[Dwight]

sand blast the stainless and use VHT high temperature paint. Walmart and the auto parts stores sell it.

Be careful how you blast the heat shields. You don't want to wrap them.

[spdbrake]

Originally Posted by timemachine

Just to clarify I’m only looking to paint shields not the headers. Headers are already black

Yes that is the way I understood the question.