Hi all, those of you running stainless headers non-coated, Have you had any heat problems? Such as starter heat soak? My chevelle has mild steel headers, painted, and they produce A LOT of heat. I went through several starters (solenoids soaking up the heat) until I put a heat sync on the solenoid. How does stainless "act" with heat? Is there a lot produced or what? Thanks all for the help.

 

I don't have stainless headers (or headers at all yet) but I do know that stainless doesn't conduct heat as much as mild steel. I think it is about the same as ceramic coating if I remember correctly (as far as heat given off). Maybe someone with experience with this can chime in and let you know for sure, but I figured I might be able to help a little.

 

True, although I personally still think a coated mild steel header might run just a tad cooler to the touch than a bare stainless steel one, up until the coating rusts/flakes off of course.
A properly coated 304 stainless header now that would kick *** (and wallet ) LOL.

 

Here ya go:
Stainless steel is non-magnetic, a quality that makes them very important in the aerospace industry. Compared to mild steel, stainless steel has superior high temperature characteristics. It is an excellent material for headers and any application where high heat is encountered.

You may have heard talk about maintaining high exhaust velocity and increase scavenging by covering headers with a thermal wrap. In addition, there are companies that coat headers with a thermal barrier, typically some type of ceramic formula, in order to keep the heat inside the exhaust system.

Stainless steel performs this function without the need for add-ons because it has a much lower coefficient of thermal conductivity, thereby keeping more heat inside and transmitting it to the header outlet. Radiated heat is perhaps the most important reason to wrap or ceramic coat the headers to protect the car and the driver from excessive, fatiguing high temperatures.

Typical 1010 carbon (mild) steel conducts 219% more heat per foot than do the types of stainless steel we use in header fabrication. By contrast, quite a bit more heat stays inside the stainless header tubes and does not get passed into the surrounding air. By not allowing the contraction of the cooling gases as they flow down the tubes, more exhaust velocity is retained which promotes better scavenging at the collector.

This retention of velocity increases the overall header efficiency. 304 stainless steel has excellent high temperature fatigue resistance in enclosed application and does a darn good job of living in this hostile environment better than any other material.

These many characteristics, such as superior heat retention properties, high temperature fatigue resistance, and to a lesser extent, the cosmetic value of a non-rusting finish, combine to make stainless steel an ideal choice for headers. Our system will produce more horsepower and last "'til the cows come home"

 

In other words yes, go with stainless steel headers and get the QTPs, great long tubes.

 

Well thank you all very much. I was leaning towards QTP's. I never knew that about stainless, so coated stainless would basically be overkill. I guess no one has had any problems then if they produce as much heat as a coated header? Thanks for the technical info Barry, may be giving you a call in the next few months.

 

Glad i can help out.

 

It's the radiated heat that coatings suppress, like QTP
mentions. Orange-hot headers are like putting your
starter in the broiler. The wall thermal conductivity
is not the limiting factor, it's the emissivity of the
surface (black iron and chrome oxides are very high
emissivity).

I wonder about just putting aluminum A/C tape on
as a wrap, that would knock down the radiant heat
throw by a fair bit (and not that incredibly ugly).