SladeX

I just got QTP headers for my 98 and am wondering if I should just bite the bullet and ceramic coat it too...

EndlessSummer85

If you can afford it then yea, no question about it. They'll look better and last a lot longer.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

wait wait wait.....Don't ceramic coat a stainless header. You are just sending money away. The QTP's can drop right in and be fine! I think stainless looks better over time than that of a ceramic coated header anyway. You are just wasting money. I would say judging by your track times you need to spend that money on some more bolt-ons. Looks to me you are damn near bone stock or you just don't launch hard and take it easy down the track. .

You know how long stainless steel lasts dude? Longer than that of any other exhaust material that is down to earth affordable.

either way...I promise it will do no good to coat them. People do it anyway though. In the end it is your money and how fast you want to spend it.

SladeX

I ran those times with a slipping stock ls1 clutch with crappy track prep for 2.4-2.6 60 foot times. I'm sure with practice along with the lca's and ls7 clutch in my car, I can nail a low 2 maybe a 1.9 60 ft.

I ran those times bone stock as well while the dyno results are after the clutch, lca's, and ls6 intake swap. I've ported the throttle body since then, and will be adding exhaust.

I'm building a true dual setup over the axle with stainless steel everything. I'm doing the measure 500000times, do it once approach to my exhaust.

Hard Core Z28

You do not need to coat a stainless header. Now if it was a turbo stainless header i would day yes coat it to hold all the heat in.

EndlessSummer85

I didn't know qtp's were stainless I thought he was talking about ceramic coated vs. painted.

SladeX

I know stainless will last but I think I'll still coat it.

After time, stainless does "stain" to a dull brown and they are a pain to clean installed. My car does see rain at the least. Considering the benefits it gives (low engine temps, higher exhaust temps) I think it's a good option, especially those in smog patrol crazed areas. Every little bit to help me pass emissions without having to change back to stock is a good option.

black01_WS6

iTrader: (13)

have you got quotes for this yet? It seems like a waste of money, but may work.

If you do this post up your comments.

SladeX

The install is being done by myself on a lift next weekend. I'm taking pics of everything I'm doing.

It's pricey, but I already allocated enough cash to do all this, I actually found a shop to do the fab work of the true dual stainless steel cat back for a lot cheaper than I anticipated, so with that extra funds I opted to grab an adjustable panhard rod, driveshaft loop, get ARP header studs (instead of stage 8 lockers) and get the headers ceramic coated.

It's not exactly the "true duals for cheap" setup I'm aiming at. I'm going for an exhaust that can potentialy support 500hp naturally aspirated while still passing emissions testing of which we have nearly as bad as California.

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

to put in less words then jordan did......you coat a stainless header and its going to look like CRAP much less just be a waste of money

ProductionS14

Hotter gasses travel faster, so ceramic coating will have a slight benefit on exhaust scavenging which can aid in power. Underhood temps will also decrease and that's never a bad thing.

I don't see why all of you are saying not to when he hasn't installed them yet... its worth it IMO. They might look a little bit worse, but you can get them ceramic coated silver or a similar color to the bronze-tone that the stainless will turn after a while.

DANSBIRD

iTrader: (2)

Jet Hot will coat them for $275. From what I have heard, the difference in temperature from stainless to coated stainless is VERY minimal & has shown to have no power gains. Basically, it comes down to if you want to spend $275 for your headers to be shiney or not.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

Well, if smog is a problem, you are 100% illegal with a longtube anyway.

INMY01TA

iTrader: (1)

Stainless holds heat better than mild steel to begin with. Coating not necesary. If your Qtp's come polished, I wouldn't even consider it.

TheBlurLS1

iTrader: (8)

The ceramic coating is a waste on stainless headers. Stainless exhaust tubing looks a whole lot more "professional" and the coating will change colors just as crappy as it does on mild steel headers. Unless you just like the look of ceramic coat, never drive the car, and have money to trash, ditch that idea.

I PROMISE you'll be thrilled with them if you get plane ole' uncoated stainless.

scatillac

iTrader: (12)

Borrow an infrared remote thermometer and check some non-coated ss headers and some of the surrounding components and then do the same with a coated set. You'll see the reduction.

Also, if you measure the egt at the collector (via the 02 bung) it will be higher with all other parameters being the same. This will allow the 02 sensor to function better.

SladeX

I've fired off a few e-mails to kooks and QTP's and while they say it's not necessary for their headers as compared to mild steel headers, it will still be beneficial.

The lowered surrounding temps was mentioned by them, which never hurts considering all the electronics surrounding the LS1. The O2 sensor sensitivity was also mentioned as the higher temps inside would aid in that department.

Also, the headers were guaranteed to keep their color by the company that would do my headers else they'd recoat if it rainbowed badly or chipped. I'm not expecting them to stay immaculate, but it should resist the coloring stainless gets over time. I had a stainless steel y-pipe and catback on my old car and it was one of the things I noted before I sold it off last week that the stainless had really gone fugly over the years. I've seen some snowmobiles that had their exhaust pipes coated and despite being exposed to crap all winter have still kept a good color to it.

Intragration

iTrader: (1)

I'm having my Kooks coated too. I prefer the look of the stainless, but since it's easy to do when they're off and there are other benefits, I figured I'd do it right the first time. Underhood heat was my big motivator, and possible better scavenging is a nice side benefit. Speed Inc. offered a pretty good price for doing it too.

For appearance and stealth reasons, it was suggested to do them in black instead of typical shiny ceramic. This might be a good option for some. To me though, black reminds me of what my rusty old mild steel headers looked like right before they turned rusty.

fly944

Doesnt stainless turn brown after a while ?

TheBlurLS1

iTrader: (8)

It's funny to see all the preachers around here talk about how a metal intake manifold running 100* hotter than a composite doesn't make a difference, but people talk about "underhood temperatures" like they do.

Stainless turns a brown/gold after a while, but anybody who knows anything will realize they're stainless. Coated Kooks look just like Pacesetters. Coating WILL turn strange colors, and it will look like jacked up coating, not stainless.

If I WAS somehow convinced to coat my stainless, I'd do it flat black ceramic. I've seen several turbo kits done with it and they all look nice (on install).