Stainless vs. Coated again!!!
Stainless vs. Coated again!!! Ok I've read 100 posts on the differences but now I'm looking for actually #'s and/or experience
To my understanding after doing some research, coated mild steel will run a cooler that stainless w/o coating. Is the mild steel coated enough of a difference in surface heat radiation to justify purchasing it over stainless headers???
Looking into a Supermaxx system, here's the reasons:
1) quality of materials = longevity
2) stainless surface heat transmission > mild steel surface heat transmission
the question i need answered is:
stainless heat radiation > or = coated mild steel heat radiation???
or
is stainless heat radiation mildly worse off but still worth it???
i'll get em if my engine bay won't be mucho hotter than if i just went with a coated mild steel... anyone with actual temp #'s would be my hero! thanks!
To my understanding after doing some research, coated mild steel will run a cooler that stainless w/o coating. Is the mild steel coated enough of a difference in surface heat radiation to justify purchasing it over stainless headers???
Looking into a Supermaxx system, here's the reasons:
1) quality of materials = longevity
2) stainless surface heat transmission > mild steel surface heat transmission
the question i need answered is:
stainless heat radiation > or = coated mild steel heat radiation???
or
is stainless heat radiation mildly worse off but still worth it???
i'll get em if my engine bay won't be mucho hotter than if i just went with a coated mild steel... anyone with actual temp #'s would be my hero! thanks!
Last edited by txhorns281; Jun 5, 2004 at 12:55 AM.
Originally Posted by 1BADFNZ
well that's what the websites selling the stainless say....
It's already known that stand-still alone, SS keeps heat in better than mild steel. But, when you coat the mild steel, does it then become significantly more protective than the stainless or is it somewhat marginal??? Obviously, you could coat SS and have the top-notch setup, but I don't wanna do that if SS is relatively close to if not better than mild steel coated
Last edited by txhorns281; Jun 5, 2004 at 12:56 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 882
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From: Charleston SC
true true LOL but check out www.quicktimeperformance.com and check it out .
I have their headers and love them
I have their headers and love them
Originally Posted by 1BADFNZ
true true LOL but check out www.quicktimeperformance.com and check it out .
I have their headers and love them
I have their headers and love them
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Stainless has a much lower heat conduction than
mild steel. But, this is not the dominant term in
heat shedding - it's the surface, exhaust-to-steel
and steel-to-air transfer that matters most. The
coating will cut radiative loss on the outside and
cut the steel-air transfer even further. Coated
stainless would be the best of both. Keeping heat
in benefits the O2s a lot. But for the parts of the
header that can't be seen, maybe some of that
header wrap would make more economic sense
and be more effective. I don't buy into all the
"hot gas flows more HP" stuff but I do see a lot
of people having O2 sensor problems after they
put headers on.
mild steel. But, this is not the dominant term in
heat shedding - it's the surface, exhaust-to-steel
and steel-to-air transfer that matters most. The
coating will cut radiative loss on the outside and
cut the steel-air transfer even further. Coated
stainless would be the best of both. Keeping heat
in benefits the O2s a lot. But for the parts of the
header that can't be seen, maybe some of that
header wrap would make more economic sense
and be more effective. I don't buy into all the
"hot gas flows more HP" stuff but I do see a lot
of people having O2 sensor problems after they
put headers on.
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Great answer to my inital question 
Originally Posted by jimmyblue
Stainless has a much lower heat conduction than
mild steel. But, this is not the dominant term in
heat shedding - it's the surface, exhaust-to-steel
and steel-to-air transfer that matters most. The
coating will cut radiative loss on the outside and
cut the steel-air transfer even further. Coated
stainless would be the best of both. Keeping heat
in benefits the O2s a lot. But for the parts of the
header that can't be seen, maybe some of that
header wrap would make more economic sense
and be more effective. I don't buy into all the
"hot gas flows more HP" stuff but I do see a lot
of people having O2 sensor problems after they
put headers on.
mild steel. But, this is not the dominant term in
heat shedding - it's the surface, exhaust-to-steel
and steel-to-air transfer that matters most. The
coating will cut radiative loss on the outside and
cut the steel-air transfer even further. Coated
stainless would be the best of both. Keeping heat
in benefits the O2s a lot. But for the parts of the
header that can't be seen, maybe some of that
header wrap would make more economic sense
and be more effective. I don't buy into all the
"hot gas flows more HP" stuff but I do see a lot
of people having O2 sensor problems after they
put headers on.
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Pasadena, CA
My teperature doesn't run any hotter with stainless steel Kook's LT's, compared to the stock manifolds. If you can afford it, get stainless steel LT's for sure. Stainless steel LT's > Mild steel coated LT's.
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Pasadena, CA
Originally Posted by 1BADFNZ
Well the QTP ypipe may not be stainless but the merge collector is the flowmaster merge collector and it's supposed to flow much better than traditional pipes welded together.
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Posts: 1,400
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From: NY,CT & MA
stainless all the way... i used to have the jethot coated.....they rusted within 7 months or so...
i got the QTP stainless HV Headers and the sexy merge collector Y and i couldnt be happier and no my car is not running any hotter
i got the QTP stainless HV Headers and the sexy merge collector Y and i couldnt be happier
and no my car is not running any hotter
Originally Posted by 1BADFNZ
Well the QTP ypipe may not be stainless but the merge collector is the flowmaster merge collector and it's supposed to flow much better than traditional pipes welded together.
And I think I've posted on you before... you're the guy that "should be" making more power with those mods...