Painting the rocker panel insulation?

[LifeIsGood]

My rocker panel insulation (heat shields) has darkened in the area of the cats. I'm currently replacing the exhaust system with a new 3" all the way back, so it should be cooler. I'd like to paint the heat shields with VHT Flameproof Coating, maybe yellow or gray (unless the brown bleeds through, then black). Is there any reason that this might degrade their effectiveness ?

Driver's side...

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Passenger's side...

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[AZTVR]

OK, I'll be the first to ask.

WHY would one contemplate painting your heat shields yellow ?

I think that you'll have to have a specialist answer the heat transfer question. I think that it is complicated. If the surface is dark, I can see that it might be worse than being light ; but, we're talking about effective reflectivity in the infrared here, I think.

 

[LifeIsGood]

OK, I'll be the first to ask.
WHY would one contemplate painting your heat shields yellow?

Because my viper is yellow and the VHT Coating is available in yellow .

If the surface is dark, I can see that it might be worse than being light ; but, we're talking about effective reflectivity in the infrared here, I think.

Yeah, this is what I don't know either.

 

[AHudson777]

There IS however insulating paint that you could coat the inside of the sills and accomplish some benefit. Read here...

Insulating Paint Additive Makes Paint Insulate

I've no experience with this, found it AFTER I'd put my sills and hf cats back on.

 

[dave6666]

If you so choose to paint it I would go with black or silver as they are more stable pigments than whatever is used in yellow. Also, with the main purpose of the metal covering being containment and structural shape forming of the glass fiber insulation inside, things like heat reflection etc. are really a second consideration.

I think there should be a club started of people that paint stuff like that on their cars. My guess is you'll be the only member. Ever.

 

[RPHJR]

dont do it... I tried this on my solid yellow GTS several years ago. It started smoking as soon as I started the car. The VHT paint STINKS.. Nothing you can buy in the store, will withstand the side sill temps. It might be flame proof for 30 seconds. But believe me... It will bake right off inside the sills..

I would leave it alone..

 

[AZTVR]

I think there should be a club started of people that paint stuff like that on their cars. My guess is you'll be the only member. Ever.

dont do it... I tried this on my solid yellow GTS several years ago. .

Uh-oh. A second one ! And both yellow car owners !

 

[Jance GTS]

I was wanting to paint mine black so you can't see them after I install my new sill vents. I don't see anything wrong with you wanting to paint them and since it comes in yellow, I think it was worth asking.

I've used high temp paint on my exhaust on an old Ford truck that I had. It did smoke and smelled really bad for a few days, but after the "new" burned off the color remained and everything was fine. Of course it wasn't near as hot as a Viper, so I guess it just all depends? I have recently used the VHT paint and it sprays really well, they even recommend it for Bar-B-Que grills.

I also sprayed the inside of my chrome turn down pipe on my newer truck that has Borla Exhaust and it's still fine 3 years later. I can get you a picture of it if you want to see it, but it will have to wait until it stops raining LOL

 

[LifeIsGood]

I think there should be a club started of people that paint stuff like that on their cars. My guess is you'll be the only member. Ever.

Damn it Dave! Don't you know by now that I'm very anal retentive. If it's dirty...clean it! If it needs painting...paint it! Everything must be in order .

 

[dave6666]

Damn it Dave! Don't you know by now that I'm very anal retentive. If it's dirty...clean it! If it needs painting...paint it! Everything must be in order .

If it wasn't ever painted before...don't!

 

[RTTTTed]

header paint might work. Problem is that only black stays on.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

There IS however insulating paint that you could coat the inside of the sills and accomplish some benefit. Read here...

Insulating Paint Additive Makes Paint Insulate

I've no experience with this, found it AFTER I'd put my sills and hf cats back on.

That stuff looks interesting.

I used silver VHT and got maybe an extra 10k miles before the sills discolored. This time I painted them with Rutland Flat Black Stove Paint. In 50,000 miles I'll post the results.

 

[dave6666]

H/F cats and ventilation solves all of that. No heat = no heat.