How big of a deal is the coating on headers?
Thread Starter
STF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,486
Likes: 0
From: Greensboro, North Carolina
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?
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
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)
Thread Starter
STF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,486
Likes: 0
From: Greensboro, North Carolina
Originally Posted by stang killer
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)
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,378
Likes: 0
From: Cypress, TX USA
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!!!!
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
- Matt
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,593
Likes: 0
From: TEXAS
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
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
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.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Originally Posted by MM98
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.
Todd