How big of a deal is the coating on headers?
 

I am getting a cam installed next month and I have crappy Hooker shorties and I want some long tubes and I was wondering how much difference the coating makes. I can get a set of pace setters for$275 without coating. What is the drawback?

They will rust out in a couple of mounths and you will be doing the job again soon.

Nate

Mild steel/coated headers will rust eventually.

Buy a set of 304 stainless steel headers and they will never rust.. Yes you can't beat the price of them, but if you want top quality and performance I'd consider a good brand of stainless steel headers.

Stainless steel will also keep the air temperatures in the primary tubes even, thus improving airflow.

We recommend the Kooks stainless headers, we own 3 sets of them and are putting dozens out the door each month with nothing but good things to say about them. We have an awesome sale going on right now.

- Matt

I have a friend with a set of the uncoated Thunder Racing headers and he just used BBQ pit paint on em, had em for a year and the only place that they show rust is where he's scraped em on steep driveways (his car is very very low)

That sounds good considering I don't have $1000 to spend on a set of headers right now. I know that is the cheap way out but I want performance and it is hard to justify $800+ to my wife when she thinks the car is fine the way it is.

Chicks just dont get it . . . . how could it be fine if it could be faster . . . :judge:

:judge: :judge:

:werd::judge: :judge: :judge:

:judge: :judge: :judge: :judge:

Hey, I'm in a similar situation. So if the headers are 304 stainless steel, then there is no need to go with coated, right? Or am I misunderstanding something here?

If they are 304 stainless then they are impervious to rust so you do not need to coat them.
-JOSH

Yeah but how about heat issues?

Why is it that wives just don't understand. I know my house is falling apart and the kids need new clothes, the fridge is bare. But my car needs it's utmost ATTENTION!!!!
It needs MODS, mods and more mods!!!!

304 stainless steel will maintain a constant air temperature inside the header, thus increasing airflow. Stainless will also keep heat from escaping into your engine bay. There are NO issues at all with the ls1's running stainless steel headers over mild steel headers.

- Matt

I have the SLP LT and their coating is holding up great. Its been over a year going on two, and they still look brand new. But to play devil's advocate, my 1991 Mustang 5.0 has had the same pair of uncoated mild steel header on it for over 10 years now. They are not pretty to look at, but they work well.

That's interesting felton.. When we removed my SLP LT's after a year and a half they were rusted and looked like crap. However, SLP swapped a customer's set for a brand new one because he reported to them that his rusted, I probably could have done the same.

However, the performance difference between the SLP's vs. the Kooks is worth the money, imo

- Matt

If you live in the northeast, i would HIGHLY recommend some sort of coating or S.S.
but if you live elsewhere and away from the coast, screw it
my old MAC's were uncoated for at least 2-3 years and all they have is a lil bit of surface rust
I grinded some of it down to check it out, and It barely pitted the steel

I thought ceramic coating mild steel headers inside & out was good for helping the exhaust gases to move faster & keeping under hood temps down as well, not just for rust protection.

True. Whether you get the SS headers or mild steel, coating them will be extremely beneficial in heat retention (of the exhaust gas and not the headers) and performance. As mentioned, SS will keep the temps a little more even, but coating SS headers will show improvements. With a true ceramic coating you cannot beat the underhood temp reduction.
Todd

What about wrapping the headers?