kooks stainless headers question
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 256
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From: Lawrence, Ks
kooks stainless headers question i have read some posts about the stainless headers and they said that you dont need to get them ceramic coated because the stainless steel gets rid of the heat better. im wondering if the high temp coating would be overkill or not. thanks for any input.
robby
robby
you definitely do not need the coating. stainless steel works great, plus it lasts damn near forever. since Kooks charges you about the same for each option, just go with SS. mine should be in the mail 
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: South East PA
i dont know why you would want it coated anyway, the stainless will not rust, and typically thats why people will get them coated, but if you want them to look nice, you prolly can coat them, although Polished stainless steel looks far superior in my opinion, because its shiny and burns into different shades, just make sure you dont get anything on them until they set...
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Originally Posted by Quick 99
although Polished stainless steel looks far superior in my opinion, because its shiny and burns into different shades, just make sure you dont get anything on them until they set...
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Originally Posted by LawmanSS
You don't NEED to ceramic coat your stainless Kooks...but they sure do look sexy if you do!:
They WILL retain heat better and improve performance if you do too
Originally Posted by Cheatin' Chad
They WILL retain heat better and improve performance if you do too
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2004
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Guys, Kook's does not recommend coating of our stainless headers. The material we use is 304 stainless. Typical high temp coatings don't adhere very well to this material. On high performance engines that are pounded on mercilessly, we've seen coating strip away in a matter of month's. It starts on the inside first and then shortly after the outside begins to flake off. This isn't to say that there's no coatings that can be used. Jet Hot and other well known coaters have an ultra high temp coating that's designed to withstand 2000 plus degree temperatures. This process is much more durable than conventional 1300 degree coating but also costs more. We recommend this process on severe road race applications and turbo systems that see an extreme amount of heat. Even with this coating we only recommend external application. BTW these coatings are only available in black or grey. Nick "Kook's Headers"
IF yall also notice the CERAMIC coating eventually breaks off, even normal headers.
if you get stainless, just get stainless. I have ordered the Kooks stainless headers and y-pipe and they are awesome, i can post pictures if you want
if you get stainless, just get stainless. I have ordered the Kooks stainless headers and y-pipe and they are awesome, i can post pictures if you want
We sell a very large amout of Kooks headers, and we have only had a cople of customers request coating. I personaly would just leave them stainless. We have many aplications in stock... Let me know if anyone needs pricing!!
The value of coating on stainless (appearance aside)
is in keeping the O2s "lit" with enough exhaust heat.
I can't convince myself to buy mild steel headers, even
coated, seeing how some people are starting to pop
up with reports of their headers eroding through in
these forums and all so far are mild steel types. An
exterior-only coating won't help that and an interior
coating may not stay put either, given the huge
thermal cycling the near ends of the primaries see.
I think when I do get SS headers I will just wrap the
bits that can't be seen, with a few layers of aluminum
foil tape to cut the surface emissivity, and run the
higher wattage O2 sensors.
I'm just waiting for Edelbrock, or somebody, to come
out with the first mass-production, sub-$500 set of
stainless headers and a matching cheap stainless Y.
is in keeping the O2s "lit" with enough exhaust heat.
I can't convince myself to buy mild steel headers, even
coated, seeing how some people are starting to pop
up with reports of their headers eroding through in
these forums and all so far are mild steel types. An
exterior-only coating won't help that and an interior
coating may not stay put either, given the huge
thermal cycling the near ends of the primaries see.
I think when I do get SS headers I will just wrap the
bits that can't be seen, with a few layers of aluminum
foil tape to cut the surface emissivity, and run the
higher wattage O2 sensors.
I'm just waiting for Edelbrock, or somebody, to come
out with the first mass-production, sub-$500 set of
stainless headers and a matching cheap stainless Y.
What about Kook's catted Y-pipe? It is not stainless steel right? What are they made of and what should be done, if anything, to protect them (like coating)? I am curious because I just ordered Kook's 1 3/4 into 3' stainless steel long tubes and the Kook's catted Y-pipe.
-Sean-
-Sean-