92Vette

I have Exotic Muscle longtubes coming in soon for my vette. They are mild steel and ceramic coated. I put 20,000 miles/year on my car so I need to make sure these headers are protected from the elements (I live in New England). I know the ceramic coating only holds in heat and does not prevent rust necessarily. What can I do to prevent my headers from getting rusty?

- Vinnie

96z28_lt1

iTrader: (3)

try some sort of high temp clearn coat maybe

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

I posted this in another thread a few down from this one regarding the Pacesetters:

Like any mild steel header they will eventually rust. Just keep in mind that the ceramic coating is for heat retention, NOT rust prevention.

If you want a good looking header that will stay good looking, get a set of stainless headers ceramic coated.

I have found that there isn't much you can do regarding rust prevention. Eventually whatever coating you put on there will fail. That's why it pays to go stainless the first time around. Why not sell the headers you just bought, or return them?

DougThorley

Mothers aluminum polish works good on ceramic coated headers. You can use the liquid or the wadding type.

92Vette

I saw your other post, and I am aware that mild steel headers will eventually rust. I'm in college and on a budget so I couldn't afford stainless coated headers. Trust me, I wanted them!

Money is an issue for me, that's why I'm trying to figure out how to protect the headers that I ordered.

That's very interesting. That comes in a tub right? Should I apply it to the headers before installing them? I can see you're a header guy, I could use your help

DougThorley

Before or after. It just helps restore some of the lost luster.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

http://www.ssaccessories.com/servlet...Headers/Detail.

$559.

The EM long tubes are $770. You can have the stainless headers coated for around $200.

vtec

iTrader: (1)

from my experience, park it in the garage and dont drive it in the rain. my ls1 car's headers rusted all to doo-doo just sitting in the driveway. i put 8,000 miles on it in 10 years.

92Vette

OBX headers are a nightmare to install on my car, that's why I went with the EM headers, they are known to have near perfect fitment. I'm not doing this myself so I want headers that are easy to install (no metalwork, no new brackets, etc.) so I can save on labor costs. I also got $120 off the headers with a GP.

I don't have a garage, this car is my daily. I actually find that by driving it everyday and not letting it sit, it keeps the car sort of fresh.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

So you would rather have an easy install than rusted headers?

I HIGHLY doubt that an off-the-shelf specialized product for a specific application requires fabrication and metalwork to fit properly.

It sounds to me like the solutions have presented themselves. Good luck.

92Vette

The goal of this thread was to find out if there is a way to protect my headers from rust; high temp clear coat may be the solution. Or possibly just some high-temp paint.

People on CF have had a hard time with those headers, you get what you pay for I guess. I'd rather pay $200 for installation than $600+.



I'm open to more ideas on how to protect mild steel ceramic coated headers, any help would be excellent.

BTC

I don't think you can do anything to prevent them from rusting. The best you might be able to do is slow it down by keeping them away from heat, which isn't really an option, and moisture.

97z28K&N

no matter what you do to ceramic headers, they will rust. put a coating on it, go ahead. it will burn off at some point.

BALLSS

I would check with the coating company and ask if any product you can apply to their coating exists that would help reduce rust. The coating does not rust, the mild steel under it does.

I don't know of a high temp clear coat and if there is one does it even help prevent rust on something that will eventually rust especially if exposed to winter salted roads..

92Vette

I actually just called Exotic Muscle; they said the coating they put on is for rust protection AND heat containment. Hopefully that's true, I'll find out!

BTC

They're going to rust. Considering where you live, coupled with the fact it appears to be your daily driver, I would speculate that it will happen sooner rather than later.

Have you ever considered installing the headers yourself to save some money? I would imagine it's got to be a much easier install in comparison to an f-body.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Assuming such a coating DOES exist the headers would also need to be coated on the inside as well.

92Vette

They are coated on the inside. http://emracingcorp.com/scripts/prod...p?idproduct=67

jlpz

iTrader: (8)

I installed EM headers on my cousins vette..Within a few weeks you could see surface rust on the bottom of the headers. I had to dent the headers where the bolts go because they where machined wrong and the stage 8 bolts would hit the header..for the price he paid it wasn't worth it..I would have gotten kooks instead.

BTC

Are the OBX Kooks clones available for the Vette? Assuming the pricing is the same as the FBody variant, they might actually be cheaper than the EM headers.

If you're really paranoid about rust, you could cancel your order, get the stainless headers, install them yourself and come out ahead.