Mild Steel vs. 304 SS
Mild Steel vs. 304 SS What is the difference between these two material for headers ? I will be using this to make my turbo headers and need to know if there is a big difference I will be coating all the ehxaust with jet hot 2000.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Indianapolis, IN
The stainless is more prone to cracking at the welds.
If cost is an issue, you can go with mild steel and survive just fine. ive seen people using steel turbo headers for 5+ years and they hold up.
good luck
If cost is an issue, you can go with mild steel and survive just fine. ive seen people using steel turbo headers for 5+ years and they hold up.
good luck
Stainless only cracks when you don't give it enough room to expand. It expands more than mild steel. Stainless won't rust like mild and holds in heat better (lower coefficient of thermal transfer). Heat will cause the carbon in mild steel to precipitate out of the metal over time and make it brittle. 304 will do the same at a high enough temp, 321 is more stable at elevated temps like a race turbo setup.
If it were me, and cost wasn't an issue i'd go 304 over mild given the choice. I went 321 and merge slip collectors on mine for duribility. I'll be very very surprised if mine crack.
If it were me, and cost wasn't an issue i'd go 304 over mild given the choice. I went 321 and merge slip collectors on mine for duribility. I'll be very very surprised if mine crack.
But would the coating change the amount of heat that the metal sees ? I mean by using a coating it will reflect the heat and keep the exhaust velocity up. Harlan where did you get youre material for you turbo setup and do you have any picks of the down pipes routed under the car ?
i never liked the idea of coating the inside pre-turbo. Anything that can flake off and hit the turbines is not good.
I got all my stuff from Burns Stainless
My downpipes don't actually go under, pretty much straight down and that's it
I got all my stuff from Burns Stainless
My downpipes don't actually go under, pretty much straight down and that's it
