LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Lets here the opinions.

I was going to ceramic coat the new 1 7/8" LT headers I just ordered.

Should I.....or not...?

$250 for the set at a local shop.

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redtan

iTrader: (5)

No not a waste because the coating on headers does more than just protect them from the elements. It also reduces radiant heat from the pipes, keeping the engine bay cooler and the exhaust temp up inside the pipes.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Plus... lower under hood temperature means electrical wiring and connectors should last longer before becoming brittle and breaking.
I'd just make sure they're ceramic coated on the inside, along with the outside.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

The inside too.....?

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LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Thats what I liked about my Grots.....you could put your hand right next to them and you don't feel the heat radiating off them. I have friends with uncoated headers that can't get the starter to engage after it gets real hot....

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CCPcoatings

Ceramic Coating SS headers is more important than coating mild steel headers, though for different reasons. As someone mentioned, you primarily want to coat SS headers to reduce radiated heat / temps. SS headers hold heat on the surface much like cast iron manifolds will.

Ceramic coating the headers will dissipate the heat much faster. Also, it will keep them looking new and fresh as opposed to the discolored / oxidized hue they will take on very soon after running them.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Yes, otherwise you can end up reducing the life of the headers.
If you only coat the outside of the headers the exhaust heat can't dissipate as well, so to some degree the heat builds up in the header tubes. It's one of the same reasons most header companies will void you header warranty if you wrap the tubes in heat wrap.

CCPcoatings

Actually, its the complete opposite. Heat being dissipated off the surface of the header is the last stage. You would normally be coating the OD or ID/OD of the headers in an effort to keep as much heat possible within the tubes and exiting the end of your exhaust as hot and fast as possible. Whatever ends up permeating through the pipes would then be dissipated off the surface.

Previous theories were that if you only coated the OD of the header, the ID would get hotter than the OD and cause stress between the two causing a crack or failure. There is likely some truth to the temp variable, but that would also be the case in ANY exhaust pipe. The ID is always hotter the the OD. OEM have been wrapping parts of the exhaust system for years and I've yet to see an epidemic of pipe failures as a result.

Since very FEW to no header manufacturers that coat their headers actually coat the ID, this is more BS than reality. The bottom line is if your headers are so poorly made that they are coming apart if coated or wrapped, they're going to do it regardless at some point down the road......

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

So then, how does the heat dissipate off the surface of the headers if the outside is ceramic coated with a heat barrier?

drew408

I did my Kooks because I have a friend who is a powder coater and wanted to get into ceramic coating so he hooked me up....

That said,DO NOT compare ceramic coating to Jet Hot/HPC coating(which runs around $900 dealer cost). Jet hot/HPC damn near eliminate underhood temps and comes with a lifetime warranty.

CCPcoatings

I'm going to assume you've either owned a set of coated headers or been around a set of coated header. If you have, you would know that even though the headers are coated they still get hot right? Not as hot, but hot none the less. You can't touch them immediately after being shut down, BUT you can usually put your hands on them 5-10 minutes later.

Ceramic coatings / thermal barriers function in 2 ways. First, they act as an insulator keeping hot or cold in them much like a thermos. Similar to many thermos's, ceramic are not 100% barriers to block heat. So in many exhaust applications the heat will get so high for so long that some of the heat will actually permeate the surface of the substrate and the particular coating. Once the heat reaches the surface layer of the ceramic coating the heat is dissipated much quicker than just the raw substrate. Hence the reason you can change your plugs so quickly after shutting the engine off with a coated set of headers vs non-ceramic coated headers.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Man....you know what.....my current Grotyohan headers are ceramic coated. Outside for sure...no idea about the inside......probably not. I can touch them with my hand literally 5-10 minutes after shutdown like you explain. But the heads and everything else will fry my skin if I touch it. So I see what you mean about rapid heat dissipation. So true now that I think about it and after reading your posts.....

Good input.....Thanks.....

I'm definitely going to have them ceramic coated....for only $250....well worth it.

I got replies today from American Racing Headers and Kooks......they both say it keeps the exhaust hot while traveling through the tubes...which is good......and they say they will keep everything from getting hot under the hood.
ARH did say they don't ceramic coat their headers because in most cases its just not needed.

But my car is a 100% street car....not a track car or road race car. It needs to be cool under the hood, not baking hot. And like I mentioned, I know people that have starter problems when their engines run for awhile because the LT on that side cooks the starter. They let it cool for a little bit and it starts up.....
I've never had that problem with my ceramic coated Grots.....with my 427ci and now on my iron 390ci.

Ceramic coating for sure.....

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99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Yes I quite aware the header still get hot, just not as hot. Furthermore I'm quite aware of what a isolator and conductor is, an a ceramic coating is a isolator, that does a very poor job of absorbing heat and dissipating it, that's what a conductor like for example aluminum does. Tell me this when's the last time you saw a heat sink on a air cooled engine or a audio amplifier made out of ceramic..? Heat like electricity will follow the path of least resistance, so more of the heat in the stainless steel, or mild steel header tubes that are ceramic coated on outside will flow into the heads and further down the exhaust past the headers. That's where the heat goes, not quickly absorbed and dissipated through a isolator (ceramic coating/thermal barrier) which it can't do in the first place.

crozhuyou

It also reduces radiant heat from the pipes, keeping the engine bay cooler and the exhaust temp up inside the pipes.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

I personally wouldn't on good set of Stainless headers (Not Ebay) but if you want to it wont hurt anything. It'll keep the heat in the pipes and under hood temps down.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Speed Engineering 1 7/8" LTs.......

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99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Sorry LS6427, for high-jacking your thread, I'm done.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

No problem.....discussion is good......

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dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

So we're seriously going to argue with someone who obviously deals in coatings...?

Anyway, interesting comments about the starter issues. My Pfadt passenger header is literally TOUCHING the starter on my car, and I've not had an issue. That being said, I'm well aware of it and prepared.

When these do come off, they're getting wrapped. I'm a huge wrap fan myself.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Yea...a few people I know can't even touch their starter its so damn hot....after driving around for awhile. My current LT's are a good full inch away from my starter...but really not much heat comes off my LT's......

Ceramic coating must be insulating....and it definitely cools them off in a hurry after shut down.

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