DIY: Painting Stock Muffler
 

For some of us who have yet to get a new exhaust, but want something a bit more sleek looking than the stock exhaust, one option is to give the muffler a few good coats of matte black paint. For this project, you will need the following:

2 cans of BBQ/Stove Grade Flat Black spray paint
200 grit sandpaper
Masking Tape
Newspaper / Trash Bags for masking curtains
About two hours

Here is what the stock exhaust looks like. As you can see, once the muffler starts to get discolored, it can really throw off the look of the rear of the car.

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We want to take really good care to mask off the car. In my case, I wanted to do the painting with the muffler on. I am not going for super show room quality, so i dont mind not painting the top portion of the exhaust. Also, because the exhaust is essentially a one piece from the cat-back, it would require quite a bit of effort, and then I would have to worry about gaskets and torque specs and possible rusted bolts.

Spend some quality time under the car masking everything off. Even mask up the trunk to the back window, you dont want some overspray travel through the air on the paint.

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We now need to prepare the metal for paint bonding. To do this, get your 200 grit sandpaper and start attacking the muffler. I used some detailing spray to lubricate the muffler to let the sandpaper work better. You can also use some dish soap and water. Make sure to get every nook and crannie possible. The better your sanding, the better hte paint will bond.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1303066290

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Next, take your spray paint, and shake it up real nice. Apply a nice thin even coat to the muffler. You really want to be sure to stay even and not overspray so that the paint drips. Use the side to side technique from about 6 inches away, and use a light misting action. We want a thin coat to allow the next few coats to really bond.

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After about 15 minutes of dry time, start applying your second coat. Again, be sure to spray evenly and making sure the can is shaken nicely. Then give about a 5 minute dry time, and repeat this process. I used about 1 1/2 cans to really get a nice thick even coat (the can recommends 1 whole can per small grill fyi).

Once you are done laying out all of your coats, remove the masking, and marvel at your "new" muffler ;). Let sit for a few hours to cure (at least one hour). FYI the first time you turn on the car, the paint may smoke, this is perfectly normal, the heat from the exhaust actually causes the paint to bond even stronger.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1303066634

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Great job!

Looks good, but I'm not too sure about the extremely high exhaust gas temps that rotaries are known to produce.

Perhaps since you did multiple thin coats it will last.

I tried the same thing on my Talon muffler and it began to chip from stones/salt/etc.

yea the paint is rated for 1200 max flash temp and a 600F ( or more supposudly) constant temp. Exhaust temps shouldn't really reach more than 600F constant

Nice option for those with stock exhaust. Nice DIY!

ty sir, appreciate it

nice work. Ima do mine soon.

ohh I never would have considered that! You're outside the box thinking is a credit to our fair community ;)

much better

Oh it would probably look so sexy offsetting the blue

Thank you sir, can't take full credit though, it's a fairly common mod among the honda and scooby guys

thanks buddy, i agree

thats looking good sir.

Did you think about painting the tips as well?

Oh, Meguiar's Quick Detailer in the pictures as well? ;)

Haha yup, I used the MQD as my lubricant for the sandpaper, thats actually the stuff that came with their claybar... I personally like their Ultimate Detailer better.

As far as the tips go, I like the chrome on the tips, but I have it painted black all the way up to where the tips meet the exhaust piping, so there is a very nice factory looking break. I will have to take some better close up pics later.

yeah the stock exhaust is a real eyesore. I painted mine after a mere month of ownership. Looks good. I used flat black. Since my car was brand new, I got away with a damp sponge on a semi-hot exhaust as far as the prep lol.

Here are some more detail shots...dont mind the dirty car... fyi these pics came from right after the drive home from work, with 2 2nd gear redline pulls. and FYI those are not missed spots, its actually the flash reflecting off some overspray :(

im about to go and do this right now will post pics when done...

thanks for the diy

It will be easier and better to take the muffler out, paint the complete muffler not just the bottom and installed, nice diy

Nice diy Paimon!
It would be a good practice to deep degrease the exhaust after sanding it with some strong product. Road dirt, gas fumes etc all make up for a messy surface and paints don't like grease\oil at all :)

agreed, thanks for the tips ^^

So far the paint seems to be ok, smooth to the touch and no signs of cracking or fragmenting. I will keep you guys posted from month to month

I agree with you, if I had the patience I would just remove the muffler, but that requires removing the whole cat-back and as I mentioned in the first post, I didn't want to deal with torquing and exhaust gaskets and possibly damaging the springs,nuts, etc.

The job is only to hold me over till I get a new exhaust ;)

Funny enough, when I was under the car the other day putting on the rear bar I noticed the entire bottom of the muffler is all silver---the black paint just burned right off! No sign of rust all is clean. I think its a stainless steel muffler so why does the rear discolor? So anyone that wants to do this save yourself some effort and just paint the rear and the parts between the muffler and tips.

Before
Attachment 246158


After

Attachment 246159