Milltek Arrived and Installed, Pics! Video clip is Up!

[RAudi Driver]

So my Milltek arrived today and everything looked good. So I get online to find someplace that can coat the entire exhaust black. I found a place called Pentrate that, well, from their site:

The Black Oxide finish is an actual penetration into the surface of the metal being treated. There is no dimensional change in the size of the piece nor is there any reduction in the hardness of heat treated parts. Nickel Pentrate converts the surface to the Black Oxide finish without altering any of the original physical properties of the product.

Because the Black Oxide is an integral part of the metal surface, it cannot chip, crack peel, craze or rub off.

Pentrate Metal Processing, Inc. also provide Zinc Phosphate coating and Passivation of stainless steel.

http://www.pentrate.com/

Long story short, took the exhaust there, main cats were at lunch, was told to leave the exhaust and they would call me with the price. Main cat calls me later in the day and says that he can't dunk the mufflers as they will get destroyed in the bath. Spent the rest of the day going back there to pick up the exhaust. A total waste of my day, gas and energy. Back at home and trying to figure out a good way to get these things blacked out. Tempted to go the Krylon route.

Anywhoo, here is the exhaust off the car. I got a hold of a professional consumer video camera and will be doing a real nice video clip of the exhaust once it's on.

BTW, the dp's are for sale in the classifieds.

[swoyekr.]

krylon will burn off. Dunk them in a tank of carbon hah

[MOFSTEEL]

I think you should try Jet-Hot coating.
They have been around for a while and do great work.
http://www.jet-hot.com/

[swoyekr.]

I think you should try Jet-Hot coating.
They have been around for a while and do great work.
http://www.jet-hot.com/

Yea i agree. Jet-hot also will improve flow believe it or not.

[ant7701]

they couldnt dunk just the tips???? Also...i remember seeing a red avant here with flat black exhaust. maybe find the thread and ask him??

[40valve]

I wonder if higher quality brake caliper paint would work. Not sure what is the temperature rating on that stuff.

[kloover]

Yea, I don't understand why you want to paint the entire thing black? Just the tips/rear of the muffler shows...

[RAudi Driver]

1st, thanks MofS, i'll look into this.

2nd. If I paint, it's only going to be the tips and back of the cans. I was going to dunk and when they couldn't do it, i asked if just a tip dunk could be done. They said that because the tank temp is 200 degrees, there is still a chance that the mufflers could get damaged. It has to sit in the solution for a few hours. Bottom line, they wouldn't take the chance.

Keep the ideas coming.

[quattro.it]

they couldnt dunk just the tips???? Also...i remember seeing a red avant here with flat black exhaust. maybe find the thread and ask him??

Yeah, what about just the pieces aft of the muffler? Seems like they should be able to do that and these are the only pieces that show. Nevermind just read your last post... Seems like you are going for a black chrome look which would look very nice.

[S-Fore]

Why no check out with SPP, who does the Zinc coating on their brake rotors?? or just look into having them ceramic coated; which could very well be super expensive as my harley exhaust was going to be $350.

[tadhgbrosnan]

Milltek sounds great but I have heard so many complaints about the build quality(B6/B7.) Have a look at this thread, Ed...

http://forums.audiworld.com/rs4b7/msgs/92484.phtml

[Mello]

Milltek sounds great but I have heard so many complaints about the build quality(B6/B7.) Have a look at this thread, Ed...

http://forums.audiworld.com/rs4b7/msgs/92484.phtml

Seriously, they sound great but look like they were put together by a local muffler shop. For that amount of money, I would expect a mirror finish.

[RAudi Driver]

Milltek sounds great but I have heard so many complaints about the build quality(B6/B7.) Have a look at this thread, Ed...

http://forums.audiworld.com/rs4b7/msgs/92484.phtml

This is my second set and they actually look great. Granted, I am not back east like Vijay is. I love milltek for the sound and the smaller diameter piping. Unpolished welds is something that I can deal with.

There is only two other exhausts that I would probably rather have, them being the MTM and the Tubi.

Thanks for the heads up though. I might address the welds before I install them if I don't coat the cans.

[ngng]

i thought milltek tips were removable?

[evilb]

How about a really big Sharpie? ;)

[AWDCRAZY]

Use High Temp Engine Paint. It will hold up just fine!

[Rodknock]

BBQ paint will work...

[ChronicTeutonic]

Ed, having seen the titanium package in person I can see why you'd want to get the system done that way. Too much bling would ruin the look.

I've had some good luck with the Duplicolor high heat ceramic stuff you can buy at Poopboys or Vatozone. The prep and curing is essential though. I do the following:

1) Use a green scrubber to rough the surface (important for these polished tips) so the paint can bond.
2) Use acetone and lint free cloth to clean the surface. Make sure to wear latex gloves when you handle the parts so the oil from you skin doesn't cause trouble later.
3) Paint following the directions on the can. Usually two light coats 20 mins apart and one final medium coat.
4) Cure it for a week (in direct sunlight if possible) before you get it hot.

I once made the mistake of cutting short the cure time, stuff just bubbled like mad.

If you're just concerned about the tips and cans you probably won't have much trouble with bubbling. That stuff is far enough away from the cats that you won't see too much heat.

[ChronicTeutonic]

On the specialty coats front you could also try these guys: http://hpcoatings.com/am/products/pr...t_extreme.aspx

I think you'd have to ship the stuff off to Arizona though.

[iconoclast]

A total waste of my day, gas and energy. Back at home and trying to figure out a good way to get these things blacked out. Tempted to go the Krylon route.

motorcycle guys have been doing ceramic/porcelain black coating for years on exhausts... look into that...

[RAudi Driver]

motorcycle guys have been doing ceramic/porcelain black coating for years on exhausts... look into that...

Yea, this is the route that I am going to have to take. I called several places this week and ceramic coating is the ticket.

Eric, the guys at Fast intentions told me to stay away from Duplicolor. They said that the black browns when heated.

Also, couldn't get the Accuseals to fit the exhaust, so it looks like I am sticking with the stock clamps.

[RAudi Driver]

didn't want to wait. If the paint doesn't stick, then I will go with the ceramic coating. That being said, I went with several cans of high temp paint. Pics below. Flame on!

[channad]

looks good! can't wait to see it on the car. Let me know when ur doing the install!

[swoyekr.]

cheap way out. hopefully it doesnt turn brown like the above post.

[ChronicTeutonic]

Looks good Ed!

Look at it this way, if it turns brown, they make this stuff called paint stripper...

[RAudi Driver]

Looks good Ed!

Look at it this way, if it turns brown, they make this stuff called paint stripper...

Exactly!

[CanuckRS]

http://www.topguncoatings.com/ceramic.html

Ceramic if it doesn't work. I would have gone this route myself...

[Cargo8]

my friend maybachgt used bbq high temp paint. it has worked great and looks awesome!

[cellg8]

That looks AWESOME! Reminds me of what ppl call 'Matte Black'!

[CARTEL]

OMG, you spray painted your RS4. Awesome.

[Tiesto]

OMG, you spray painted your RS4. Awesome.

That's what I was thinking. If it came down to that I'd leave it stock.

[MOFSTEEL]

They came out great and if it lasts you only paid a few bucks instead of a hundred or two to get them done.

[RAudi Driver]

They came out great and if it lasts you only paid a few bucks instead of a hundred or two to get them done.

It was the best option considering my circumstances. I prepped the areas by hitting it with an sanding brush on my drill. After it was all scuffed up and cleaned by the brush, I used Duplicolor's paint prep cleaner and then a soft microfiber towel to wipe of the cleaner. No primer was used and the paint was made specifically for headers and exhaust manifolds. It has ceramic in it and I don't think that it gonna pose any issues down to road. The finish came out just as good looking as the finishes that was on the stuff at Pentrate Metal Treatment. $16 in paint, $3. in prep cleaner and I'm done.

thanks or the comp mofsteel.

[ieatfishburitos]

Next mod, the spray painted roof! Get to work!

[CanuckRS]

Pics pics pics. Need I say more :)

[RAudi Driver]

Donezel!

I think that it looks perfect. It's a wonder what a few cans of Duplicolor and some soaking wet 2k grit can do.

All I got to say is that Valved Non-Resonated is the way to go. No regrets at all. I was afraid that it was going to be a tad loud, but not at all.

The car is totally hot since I was testing my install. The tips are sticking out but they sit flush when cold. Once again, Flame on!

[evil_O]

Wow... that looks very nice in the pics.

[evil_O]

That's what I was thinking. If it came down to that I'd leave it stock.

Nah. Not as though he was painting the car itself. I think painting the tips in his case was the way to go. Something I could see myself doing, especially since I seem to have that instant grat need.

If it holds, job well done. If not, there are fixes.

[RAudi Driver]

Nah. Not as though he was painting the car itself. I think painting the tips in his case were the way to go. Something I could see myself doing, especially since I seem to have that instant grat need.

If it holds, job well done. If not, there are fixes.

Yea evil, the instant grat was at the highest level since the exhaust was with me for a few days. Yesterday was dedicated to painting. Didn't think I was going to install it this quick, was gonna wait for Channa, but woke up at 5am this morning and the bug bit.

I only had one glitch, the rented pipe expander broke inside one of the pipes. It took me going to the store to purchase a torch, expanding the pipe with heat and pulling the expander out. A total 2 hour PITA!

About the paint, seeing as my prep was flawless, I used a 1,200 degree manifold paint and sanded between coats with a nice wet 2000 for the final sand. I think that it's gona last for quite a while but only time will tell.

Anywhoo, I got my fix!

TIA for all the comps!

[bsrpilot44]

Wow nicely done sir! Looks DOPE! That paint match with the rear valence is spot on!

PS: Canyon run asap