Rusting issues with longtubes
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 55
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From: PA
Rusting issues with longtubes I've asked this over on ls1.com and didn't get too many responses. From my research, I've seen pictures of the JetHots rusting a bit underneath the car around the collectors. I've been told this is only surface rust and they wont rust through any time soon. I'm assuming this is true, therefore it only creates a cosmetic problem. Anyone beg to differ?
I know the hookers are basically the same design, but what I couldn't find out was whether or not people had the same rusting issues with them like the jethots. Whats nice about the jethots is that I dont have to bother making a custom y-pipe with cats cause I can get the whole system shipped for 950.00. The Kooks are my 1st choice if I go stainless, but if most people dont see the need for it, I will save the 400 or so dollars and go with the jethots or hookers. Also, I live up North in Jersey so the winters get pretty nasty sometimes. The car stays covered during the bad weather and is NEVER driven in snow or salt. It is hardly driven in rain either.
Any differing opinions here are welcome. I'm open to anyones suggestions on this. Thanks!
I know the hookers are basically the same design, but what I couldn't find out was whether or not people had the same rusting issues with them like the jethots. Whats nice about the jethots is that I dont have to bother making a custom y-pipe with cats cause I can get the whole system shipped for 950.00. The Kooks are my 1st choice if I go stainless, but if most people dont see the need for it, I will save the 400 or so dollars and go with the jethots or hookers. Also, I live up North in Jersey so the winters get pretty nasty sometimes. The car stays covered during the bad weather and is NEVER driven in snow or salt. It is hardly driven in rain either.
Any differing opinions here are welcome. I'm open to anyones suggestions on this. Thanks!
I had REALLY bad issuses with my Hooker LTs getting surface rust on them. They were only on the car for about 3 months before the coating started to eat through in places that see high heat (ie: toward the block in close to the fire wall). People are right that it won't eat through and is just cosmetic but I went back and had my headers JetHot coated this go around in hopes of not having this happen again.
I think the problem is that when you buy the less exspensive headers (hookers, JetHots, Pacesetters, etc...) already coated, they may not be using the same quality of coating that they would otherwise use if you sent uncoated headers to JetHot and had them coated. The reason I say this is because it cost me $225 to have my headers coated at JetHot (no shipping....I live here in Phoenix so I dropped them off and picked them up) but the difference between uncoated and coated headers seems to be about $125-$150. Looks like they are cutting some corners somewhere.
I think the problem is that when you buy the less exspensive headers (hookers, JetHots, Pacesetters, etc...) already coated, they may not be using the same quality of coating that they would otherwise use if you sent uncoated headers to JetHot and had them coated. The reason I say this is because it cost me $225 to have my headers coated at JetHot (no shipping....I live here in Phoenix so I dropped them off and picked them up) but the difference between uncoated and coated headers seems to be about $125-$150. Looks like they are cutting some corners somewhere.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 174
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From:
Others may say differently.... but no matter if you buy coated headers or not, the headers will outlast the life of the car. It takes a long long time for that rust to go all the way through. There may be some freak cases where it may rust through quicker but 98% of the time it wont. So yes, it is only cosmetic.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 618
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From: Pensacola, FL
Originally Posted by Trans_AmGuy
Others may say differently.... but no matter if you buy coated headers or not, the headers will outlast the life of the car. It takes a long long time for that rust to go all the way through. There may be some freak cases where it may rust through quicker but 98% of the time it wont. So yes, it is only cosmetic.
Coating is snake oil... not needed at all.
The fact is that ALL guys with coated headers are getting rust, not just the less expensive ones.
Stainless is an option, but it still DOES rust and brittles under heat cycling. So your header will not rust as fast, but will crack over time.
I put my first set of headers on a car in 1978. They are still on that car today. Just plain old mild steel Hooker SuperComps. Now that I think of it, SuperComps are thinner tubes and flanges for weight savings... if you buy into all the hype about coating, those things should have been dust by 81. Sure, they have been removed and repainted probably 3 times since new, but that is to be expected.
Another secret... header companies use the absolute cheapest paint and it goes on in a less than perfect environment. You get your header to last far longer if you strip and repaint it right, before you install them the first time.
Dave
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 55
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From: PA
Originally Posted by Trans_AmGuy
Others may say differently.... but no matter if you buy coated headers or not, the headers will outlast the life of the car. It takes a long long time for that rust to go all the way through. There may be some freak cases where it may rust through quicker but 98% of the time it wont. So yes, it is only cosmetic.
Does anyone have any experience with the jethot cats that are now inside the pipe? i saw one thread with some pictures of the cat collapsing!
Originally Posted by ratio411
What he said!
Coating is snake oil... not needed at all.
Coating is snake oil... not needed at all.
...I would have to disagree.....if you get a good coating it will not only keep the headers from rusting (rusted headers look like ****!
) but it will also hold in heat which will keep velocity up and keep underhood temps down......coating being worthless is like saying oil coolers and electric fans are worthless.....
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Originally Posted by 777
you said something about pacesetters being cheap and will rust...i haven't heard of anyone's rusting...but i could be wrong
Here are my 3 year old TTS coated Headers:
www.techcycle.org/jim/headers1.jpg
www.techcycle.org/jim/headers2.jpg
I now have the stainless Kooks:
www.techcycle.org/jim/engine2.jpg
oooooh shiny.
www.techcycle.org/jim/headers1.jpg
www.techcycle.org/jim/headers2.jpg
I now have the stainless Kooks:
www.techcycle.org/jim/engine2.jpg
oooooh shiny.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 55
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From: PA
Originally Posted by PewterSS01
I have read some bad things about the jet-hot catted y-pipe. QTP makes a really nice catted y-pipe for the JetHots though.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 55
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From: PA
Originally Posted by davered00ss
Get the Kooks, you won't be dissapointed.
Mine are coated and I have rust spots too. Less rust than if they hadn't been coated. The costing does help with thermal properties and slightly reduces underhood heat.
I don't think powder coating will last.
I don't think powder coating will last.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 618
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola, FL
If you are only keeping the car a few years, get uncoated headers and put a good BBQ paint on them before install. You will save dough and they won't look terrible in a couple years.
Coating is snake oil.
They tell you your headers will last nearly forever... bs
They increase heat in the header, that is not always a good thing.
Underhood heat is normal, how is that a benefit?
The underhood temp is higher because the headers are dissipating heat... that is one of the header's good points.
Coating is snake oil. Sales gimmick. Commission in the salesman's pocket.
Dave
Coating is snake oil.
They tell you your headers will last nearly forever... bs
They increase heat in the header, that is not always a good thing.
Underhood heat is normal, how is that a benefit?
The underhood temp is higher because the headers are dissipating heat... that is one of the header's good points.
Coating is snake oil. Sales gimmick. Commission in the salesman's pocket.
Dave
What about Header Heat wraping? will that cause the headers to rust faster by holding moisture? If not then u got a nice whiteish wrap that does not rust and keeps heat in if underhood temps are a concern.
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: North Ridgeville, OH
my jet hots are rusting undrneath but I had to drive my car this entire winter (a lot of salt on the roads). My hooker ORY actually rusted less. Of course now I have the new QTP catted y-pipe which looks great