Is Stainless Steel Schedule 10 1.5" (inside diameter 1.68", wall thickness .109") worth the added weight and expense over Stainless Steel 16 gauge 1.75" piping (inside diameter 1.63", wall thickness .061") for building a set of twin turbo headers? It seems that added thickness would retain heat better and handle heat cyclings better but is it worth the extra $$$.

By the way, this is for a DD forged 370 twin kit, shooting for a max of 16-18lbs boost.

Rick

 

For longevity and durability on the road I think so. And also what you said about retaining heat while supporting weight (turbo). W/ a turbo they are pressure manifolds, heat cycles and pressure take a toll on thinner stainless. With heat the amount of pressure it takes to stress stainless significantly drops. If not made correct they are prone to cracking especially with the weight of a turbo dangling on them.. Unless you get a well engineered set of tube headers (16ga) and a well braced turbo and are concerned about weight I would use the sch 10 for sure. That is what I use. I dont know where you found it more expensive but the sch 10 (304) fittings ive always found at like half the price as the 16ga tubing elbows. Tubing is always more expesive than piping cause they are bent, the pipe fittings are cast as is. McMaster.com has them. Also there would be no reason to use a better grade than 304 in my opinion

 

I haven't done a ton a research on the pricing but looking at some pricing on a non-vendor site, a 16 gauge 304 1.75" U/J madrel bend is $62 and gives you 2 90's, 1 45 and 26" instraight pipe. Using the same vendor, 2 90's, 1 45 and 24" on 1.5" Schedule 10 runs $110.

Rick

 

Personally i would just do 16ga and have a bracket to support the turbo for sure.

 

Are you running a log setup or header setup?

 

If you look for it in Mcmaster Carr their 90 and 45 bends are only a little under 8 dollars a piece, and a 1 foot runs 20 dollars for schedule 10

 

The import scene is full of Sch 10 304L headers and mainfolds. Heaver weight, thicker material, and a root and cover pass.

I personaly use 16ga 304L tube. No need in the added weight. I have never had anything come back due to cracking. I do tell my customers that it is always going to be a possibility though. I dont care who welds it. The heavier turbos get braced to help prevent any issues.

It all comes down to what you are comfortable with welding and using.

 

can also have them stressed before you put em on too, its known in the welding industry as a Post Weld Heat Treat. the welding process leaves the metals under a lot of stress because of the rapid ramp times temperature wise, then when you start heat cycling them with a 15 or 20 pound turbo hanging on them that stress pulls the weld apart.

make them from what you want then take them to a heat treat facility, tell them all the matierial types, and they should be able to stress them no problem. The stress period is strictly controlled ramp up, soak time and temp, and ramp down, and relieves all the stress in the subjected areas. this is what im doing with my hot sides, only differance with me is my work has 2 furnaces and our Metallurgical Engineer is a hot rodder lol.

Any time you hear somebody say Nodular steel or naturlized steel, its been stressed.

 

I'm using the thick pipe stuff on my new headers. I believe mine is 1.7" ID though.

 

Header set up.

That makes it pretty even regarding cost. Thanks for the info.

 

its 1.680 i rounded up

 

Do you see any benefit to reducing spooling times by the heavier piping having better heat retention?

 

[QUOTE=Rick_Vor;12772854]I think if both cars are warmed up, are both are heat wrapped, you won't have a noticible difference. I just think the thick stuff is good for "peace of mind".

 

If I was running a header setup I would run just old regular 16ga, and if I ran say a large 40 some lb turbo I would brace it. Regardless since you sound like you are building your own, if you do run into some cracks, you will be able to fix it on your own

 

WOW! Ya thats high.


^what he said exactly.. I never put a root and a cover on them though, you dont really need to when welding 1/8 thick stuff. And its not like it has to pass x-ray specs. One of my whole headers all the way to the front weighs similar to an exhaust manifold. Might be overkill, but its not going to break....and it supports the weight of the turbo all by itself. With all 4 tubes tied together it is very strong.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#45735k215/=5g82yt