Anyone know best way to renew the finish on my coated headers? The ceramic looks dark and dull. Was thinking about painting with high heat silver vht.

Myself, I prefer the VHT aluminum and have had very good luck with it for years. Do be aware that surface prep is the key, But that is true with paint in general.
The only ceramic coating I've had good luck with was done by Jet Hot

So it is ok to paint over the ceramic coating?

I wouldn't recommend it. unless your able to sand the surface(s). Having them media or sand blasted would be the way to go IMO

The ones on my race car were done maybe 25 years ago; a month or so ago, I cleaned them up with some light polishing compound (3M Finesse-It).

If the ceramic coating is rough where it was burned off they will need recoated. But if just dirty or burned oil on them, use ZEP citrus cleaner and a brillo pad. Then Mothers aluminum polish. They will clean up quick.

I've never been able to restore the "cooked" ceramic. I just take them off and re-coat them.

ok, thanks for the info guys. I will try the zep clean up first with a scotchbrite pad.

chrome polish works good too. It will even clean up those ruff spots at the close to the head bends for the most part. I'm pretty sure I got this straight from my jet hot instructions that came with my headers.

Careful with the Scotchbrite, green is less aggressive than red.
You can try 0000 steel wool too, but blow off the debris.
Basically you don't want to be more aggressive than necessary.

I was told by the vendor I use that it can be wet sanded and polished for maintenance/stain removal.I'm sure just a polishing compound for paint would work without sanding for maintenance. He also said the coating is dull when applied and is put in an abrasive tumbler to bring out the surface sheen.
RT

Mine has darkened in color as well.

if you guys are going to try the steel wool thing then get the stainless steel stuff.

I recently read that the Lysol heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner works really good.
I believe it's the one with Lime and Rust cleaners then use a very fine scotchbrite pad.

Wally.

I would try mothers polish first before using anything else. It always takes burnt oil off my headers and brings back the shine.

i also seen on facebook using tolit bowl cleaner

Fast Orange Hand cleaner. You already have some and it smells nice to. Todd

Yes I do. I have used citrus cleaner with scotchbrite in the past and it works fairly good. Plenty of things to try here. thanks

This is what I was talking about

But that's on non-ceramic coated stainless, right?