Save this muffler?

[BillyRok]

My right side aftermarket muffler had a clamp on it where it connects to the header. I could also see a crack on the underside just in front of the clamp that the PO had tried to repair with JB Weld or something. I took the clamp off and cleaned up the hardened putty and discovered a crack that ran 1 and a half times around the muffler and wrapped around the crossover. I welded it up and did some grinding, here it is:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

I wiped some oil on it to prevent rusting for now but am wondering how best to save this? I have some High Temp Rustoleum Aluminum paint (2000 degrees). Will that adhere to the ground down weld? Putting the clamp back on will help cover most of it up but I don't want rust to take over.

Anyone else dealt with this and have any ideas for me?

[CaptonZap]

Hit it with the paint, after solvent wipe to get the oil off.
The exhaust gas temps on a properly tuned engine rarely exceed 1250 deg F at the port, and those are absorbed by the inner pipe. By the time the gases get to that point on the muffler, they have lost a lot of heat, and should have no effect on the paint, other than to bake it harder.
A swab with Jasco metal prep rust converter (phosphate conversion coating) before the paint wouldn't hurt anything, and might help deter rust.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_99271-78-QJP...15C=1126018732

CZ

[motoman]

My right side aftermarket muffler had a clamp on it where it connects to the header. I could also see a crack on the underside just in front of the clamp that the PO had tried to repair with JB Weld or something. I took the clamp off and cleaned up the hardened putty and discovered a crack that ran 1 and a half times around the muffler and wrapped around the crossover. I welded it up and did some grinding, here it is:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

I wiped some oil on it to prevent rusting for now but am wondering how best to save this? I have some High Temp Rustoleum Aluminum paint (2000 degrees). Will that adhere to the ground down weld? Putting the clamp back on will help cover most of it up but I don't want rust to take over.

Anyone else dealt with this and have any ideas for me?

Run back over that and fill in the voids. Grind it smooth using a 'flap' sand disc on your little angle head grinder leaving a bit of a hump in the weld. Go down to your local NAPA and buy a can of Duplicolor HighTempSilver. It absolutely will not yellow from the heat. Clean the area off with BrakKleen, laquer thinner, whatever and spray. Will look the same as when painted, 5yrs. from now. BTDT.