Painted exhaust headers

So my 90 4.0L XJ got its new exhaust installed today (Pacesetter header and cheapo Summit Racing muffler, stock cat still). I was on my way home from the shop and saw smoke coming out of the engine compartment, so pulled over and opened the hood, fire extinguisher in hand. There was no fire, but the black paint on my new header was burning off, and the engine reeked of melting plastic. Is this normal for painted headers? I had only driven three miles or so before I saw the smoke.

Yes, overly painted header/s will smoke. They then to smell funny when doing so also.

12GaugeXJ said:

They then to smell funny when doing so also.

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Do they normally smell like burning plastic though? That's what worries me. I knew the paint wouldn't stay on for long, but I wasn't expecting the smell it made.

Mambeu said:

Do they normally smell like burning plastic though? That's what worries me. I knew the paint wouldn't stay on for long, but I wasn't expecting the smell it made.

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My headers on my Chevy A body smelt bad, its been a while though since they were freshly painted. IIRC, they smelt kinda like burning plastic, but it could also be the type of paint.

12GaugeXJ said:

IIRC, they smelt kinda like burning plastic, but it could also be the type of paint.

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Okay, cool, I'm not the only one that happened to. I was worried that the mechanic who did it had left some tool somewhere where he shouldn't've. I don't like when other people work on my Jeep, but I don't feel up to replacing a seventeen-year-old exhaust, especially drilling out and tapping the broken manifold bolts.

I painted my APN with high heat paint and it still stinks like burned plastic. Go figure. I was glad to read this thread though! lol

I had my shocks replaced at sears long time ago, smelled like burnt rubber and it was. Got to work and popped the hood, the mech left the old rubber donunts on the intake manifold where they would just touch the exhaust manifold and start to cook.