BBK LT's - CHROME or CERAMIC
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 1
From: Skiatook, OK
BBK LT's - CHROME or CERAMIC Ok, so I have been seeing people rave about the quality of the BBK LT's along with their price. I have also heard the Ceramic coating they offer is better than you recieve on Pacesetter's.
What I'm curious about is the 2 coatings offered. Which one will last longer for a year round daily driver?
I have Ceramic coated Pacesetters right now & have had them on for about 4yrs now. They are showing rust & a pretty good spot on the primary right above the collector on the pass. side, so I'm thinking by the end of the year they will need replacing. I guess 4yrs of daily driving isnt that bad for what they cost since they are not Stainless.
I'm curious on the BBK's b/c the Chrome is cheaper than the Ceramic. And we all love to save money where we can on mods, but if the Chrome will rust out in 2-3yrs VS the Ceramic in 4-5yrs, thats my concerns.
Anyone with full length LT's in Chrome that daily drives please chime in with how they are holding up.
What I'm curious about is the 2 coatings offered. Which one will last longer for a year round daily driver?
I have Ceramic coated Pacesetters right now & have had them on for about 4yrs now. They are showing rust & a pretty good spot on the primary right above the collector on the pass. side, so I'm thinking by the end of the year they will need replacing. I guess 4yrs of daily driving isnt that bad for what they cost since they are not Stainless.
I'm curious on the BBK's b/c the Chrome is cheaper than the Ceramic. And we all love to save money where we can on mods, but if the Chrome will rust out in 2-3yrs VS the Ceramic in 4-5yrs, thats my concerns.
Anyone with full length LT's in Chrome that daily drives please chime in with how they are holding up.
The only reason I see the chrome rising is one of 2 ways. 1, you scrap them badly and it damages the coating allowing for corrosion (that's on you). 2, the chrome coating starts to peil allowing them to rust, but o believe they have a warranty to cover it. Can't beat them for the price.
I've had the chrome for about 2 years now and mind you I'm in florida so there is no snow but they have held up great. The chrome is a little blueish on the top and underneathe it has lost its luster but it doesnt really have any rust to speak of when I pull the motor this summer I'll give them a polish and we'll see what we get. My thing is, chrome is used for a lot for exhaust parts, like tips and full motorcycle exhaust and it holds up fine so why not for cars.
^ I would absolutely love to see some pictures of the chrome ones installed on you're car. I'm about to pull the trigger on these myself and would love to see how the chrome looks on these cars.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 1
From: Skiatook, OK
Yea, the price on the Chrome set is awsome so thats why I was leaning that way. But mine is far from a garage kept car. Its driven daily all year in all weather. And my driveway is gravel. I'm just not sure if the Chrome will end up holding up to the abuse of a year round all weather driven vechicle. Part of my brain thinks it'll be fine since like stated above chromed Motorcycle pipes see plenty of heat & they seem to hold up just fine. The bluing & what not dont bother me.
So I guess basically its just what coating is gonna hold up best at the end of the day as far as rusting is concerned. Ceramic or Chrome?
So I guess basically its just what coating is gonna hold up best at the end of the day as far as rusting is concerned. Ceramic or Chrome?
Trending Topics
If you drive your car every day, does it really matter? For $370 who gives a crap if you have to replace them in four years. Hell by then it probably won't be your dd any more and buying a nice set of polished stainless headers may be well within your budget. That's my out look on my situation which is like yours. Mine is also a dd. If your infested in what I'm doing check out my thread.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...rs-y-pipe.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...rs-y-pipe.html
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 1
From: Skiatook, OK
Mine will not lose daily driver status in the next 10yrs if I have my way, LOL. I might pick up a little truck or something to drive when it gets real nasty outside eventually. But if I can get out in the TA thats what I'm driving. I'm not the kind to tuck mine away for nice weather, I wanna enjoy it every day. Its paid off & maintaince is always cheaper than another car payment, LOL
I might just jump on a set of the Chrome when I get the cash cause I agree, if they last me another 4yrs like the Pacesetters did I got my $400 worth for sure. Then I can just test the durability myself between coated & chrome.
I might just jump on a set of the Chrome when I get the cash cause I agree, if they last me another 4yrs like the Pacesetters did I got my $400 worth for sure. Then I can just test the durability myself between coated & chrome.
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Lavista, NE
I have the chrome BBKs, but it was an easy choice. My car never sees precipitation, cold weather or even wet roads if I can help it. From experience with a couple friends who drove their cars year round, anything that is not stainless will rust eventually. Living some place where it snows and there is salt/sand/brine on the roads will accelerate that process. Good news is as long as your motor mounts are ok the BBKs slide right into place, so replacing them in a few years wouldn't be such a big job, provided you use good manifold bolts and gaskets so the old ones come off.
Ive got the ceramic coated ones on my car and its daily driven, no matter the weather. Its seen snow and rain. They look fine from the top engine bay view, lost its shine/lust i guess on the bottom but no signs of rust though. Going on over 2yrs now...
When it comes to the Chrome ones, i think the only problem will be them changing to a blue-ish color over time. If you can live with that, then i say go with them. Either way your getting a great deal on longtubes and y pipe.
Unless your re-using the gaskets & bolts, you'll have to buy a set since they dont come with the longtubes/y-pipe.
When it comes to the Chrome ones, i think the only problem will be them changing to a blue-ish color over time. If you can live with that, then i say go with them. Either way your getting a great deal on longtubes and y pipe.
Unless your re-using the gaskets & bolts, you'll have to buy a set since they dont come with the longtubes/y-pipe.
like i said guys my car has been my dd since they were installed and in florida it rains a lot! lol and i havent had any issues plus they look a lot better than ceramic imo even with the bluing. mine are still in great shape now idk what happens in snow and salt but in that case I know ceramic wont hold up either.
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
Here's my headers. I took them out a couple of weeks ago to have some things welded up and have them re-coated.
They had survived 59,000 miles of service (and beatings) with no problems. There was a tiny bit of rust on the driver side header from where one of the primaries was scraping the suspension, but that's been fixed. The passenger side header had some rust on the collector, apparently from A/C condensation dripping there when I parked the car in the garage after a trip on a hot day.
They've been restored and re-coated ceramic with the latest process available.
Before...
After...
So pretty...
I'm putting them back in the car tomorrow, along with an all-new AC system and a new alternator. I'm pretty much re-doing everything bolted to the long block (except the starter) while I'm in there. Motor mounts, plugs, wires, etc. Even ran a compression and leakdown test to see how the old girl holds up, and after almost 70k of faithful service, the engine itself is still chugging along strong.
They had survived 59,000 miles of service (and beatings) with no problems. There was a tiny bit of rust on the driver side header from where one of the primaries was scraping the suspension, but that's been fixed. The passenger side header had some rust on the collector, apparently from A/C condensation dripping there when I parked the car in the garage after a trip on a hot day.
They've been restored and re-coated ceramic with the latest process available.
Before...
After...
So pretty...
I'm putting them back in the car tomorrow, along with an all-new AC system and a new alternator. I'm pretty much re-doing everything bolted to the long block (except the starter) while I'm in there. Motor mounts, plugs, wires, etc. Even ran a compression and leakdown test to see how the old girl holds up, and after almost 70k of faithful service, the engine itself is still chugging along strong.
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
Ok. I'm glad you knew then because if not that would have been an upset I'm sure. Just wanted to make sure though becuse sometimes people (including myself) don't notice some things until someone else mentiones it.
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
/\ - That's actually pretty common, especially on non-coated headers. The welds where they put the emissions trees are VERY thin, and if they are allowed to rust they'll eventually break off.
Ahh, Grott headers. That brings back some memories. Those were the days when a set of Longtubes cost $1200 without a Ypipe.
Ahh, Grott headers. That brings back some memories. Those were the days when a set of Longtubes cost $1200 without a Ypipe.
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
It was a heck of a shock to open the hood and find this laying on the front suspension:
Well there's yer problem, son!!!
I still have the original y-pipe, believe it or not. It is pathetic, but it's still there with no leaks (right now). It's high on my list of stuff to replace in short order. The spider-webbing of welds from cracking and all the braces I added since are the cost of (A) the notoriously crappy Grot y-pipe and (B) almost 60k miles and a lot of passes at the drag strip.
They cleaned up awesome and the driver's side is back in with all the accoutrements back in place on that side, too. Passenger side is scheduled for tomorrow. Gotta go to work for a little while tonight.
I am dying to drive the car again!