slpss9723

I have noticed the past couple of times i've had my car up in the air trying to figure out how to fix my QTP catted y from scraping the ground, that i have some brownish, rust-colored discoloration on the bottom of my collectors and on the bottom primary tubes just in front of the collectors.....sure looks like surface rust to me, but since they are 304 stainless.....i thought it was impossible, anyone else seen anything like this or am i just lucky?

NOBR8KSS

iTrader: (12)

Water gets on the headers when you drive in rain or when you rinse out the engine bay...it tends to stain the stainless headers a brown color, but it isn't really rust...it should rub off with a little polishing compound and some elbow grease.

GuitsBoy

iTrader: (4)

stainless will still rust, but it will certainly take much longer to rust. Its likely just surface rust and will easily wipe off.

slpss9723

ok cuz i was a little concerned about it.......but i'll try that and see

stangkiller

yeah no reason to be worried, thats just the way all exhaust is, its just so hot.

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

some 000 steel wool or even an sos pad will take it off no problem.

000 would be the better choice, as it wont scratch as bad...

BOONE

iTrader: (4)

It takes a pretty high grade of stainless not to rust, what # im not sure. Mine have definite rust too, and i have stainless on my truck that is much worse, im sure its a lesser grade.

2002BlackSS

iTrader: (4)

All steels are iron based, and therefore can rust given time and exposure, as said before. Different alloy steels, however will resist rusting better than others, but as said before if it is rust and not simply discoloration, it is likely inconsequential. Go ahead and clean it off. If there is a serious problem call QTP.

DUSTYWS6

316L is a marine grade stainless steel that won't corrode. But 304 is an excellent stainless steel to make headers out off.

RAMPANT

iTrader: (17)

All stainless will rust. It is when they use steel tools on the stainless that you get cross contamination leaving little bits of steel behind to rust. To clean them use Scotch Brite so you do not make it worse, it is non metalic other than a bit of aluminum oxide. 20 years ago I used to design SS highway tankers and all tools used in the tank had to be made of SS and any grinding wheels never touched anything but SS.

Hope this helps.

BTW my QTP's have a little surface rust too.

Rampant

Durien

thats nothing bro just lick it all off...QTP headers rock!

BOONE

iTrader: (4)

I called qtp with a serious problem when i got my headers and they would not help me. Next time ill get my grott design from kooks when I step up to 1 7/8. I think qtp is too small to do quality work in a timely manner. And with me they were dishonest IMO. The rust is minimal and dont bother me, i have seen stainless that can be submerged for extended periods without any rust, just probably would crack with headers.

Quick Time

iTrader: (1)

What serious problem did you have? If they where that serious how you still have them on the car.

Our headers do not rust. They turn the common stainless golden brown. You can but your hand on it and feel a smooth texture. You might have road grimme but thats it. You can polish them back to the original color, but that takes alot of work.

slpss9723

well whatever it is (looks like rust to me) it is not road grime......i know that much! and not to ruffle any feathers or anything but i was also told that i wouldn't have any clearance issues with headers/y-pipe and i just spent $500 on two 4 inch round random tech cats to have my y-pipe cut up and rerouted so the driver side cat doesn't get the hell beat out of it anymore......wish i had known, i would have gotten their much cheaper offroad y and had cats put in it instead of having a now $1000 y-pipe.

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

I've seen several sets of headers, coated, stainless, etc, that LOOK like rust, but with a towel and alittle water the stuff comes right off. My pacesetter's looked rusted to hell, after it had been in a few good rain storms, took a towel to them and the stuff wiped off clean.

Its stainless man, take some steel wool to them, or water and a rag. Just try it.

How did you spend 1000 on a Y-Pipe? you bought QTPs catted y for around 500, then spent another 500 on 4" Randomtechs? WHY? And another question is why did you have to cut up your QTP Catted Y pipe? Its like 5 sections I believe...

for reference QTP Catted Y.

slpss9723

the driver side is the part that needed cut because it hangs too low, had to have it rerouted with the random tech cat to get it to tuck up higher.....and in answer to your "why" question.....i did what i had to do to be able to drive my car without it literally scraping everywhere.....i'm not happy about buying a $525 y-pipe and then having to have it customized with $600 more in parts and labor, but like i said i did what i had to do. BTW again not trying to ruffle feathers but do a search for how many people have to "customize" their QTP y-pipes.......don't get me wrong it's a bad *** y-pipe and with the 4 inch merge collector is awesome, however if Barry had told me up front when i asked about clearance issues that the **** would scrape i would have bought my own merge collector, cats, and had a custom y built for a lot less money than i have now spent......for basically a custom y-pipe anyway......back on topic though.....aside from the rust i love the headers!!!

slpss9723

OBTW Brandon i've already tried wiping it off to no avail, so i'm going to try some polish or something when i get the car off the ground again and see, but the headers have only been on the car for a couple of months so i was just concerned about it.......the car has only been in the rain twice since install because i got caught out in the rain.

Brandon Boomhauer

iTrader: (10)

Polish with some 000 steel wool then. Gets messy, but tends to work pretty good, compared to a rag and polish or something.

slpss9723

i'm not trying to turn this thread downward, however Barry you're claim that they don't rust is obviously inaccurate because there are people in this thread other than myself that claim they do.......no big deal though it's not like they are rusting through or anything, anyway i'm not totally unhappy with the headers, i just didn't think they would rust since that is the claim all over your website, i guess i'll periodically have to get the car in the air and clean/polish the rust off of them.....and i'm not trying to flame QTP i started this thread just asking a question and it kind of took a turn.....