Coated or uncoated?
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Tinley Park
Coated or uncoated? Me and Haus1 were looking at pacesetters LT's. Looking at some prices and what not, we found a bad *** deal on uncoated. 285 shipped for the LS1 and LT1's. Coated goes for about 480 shipped. Lookin at the prices, it is hard to pass up 285 for longtubes, but then again they are uncoated. We are aware that you get what you pay for but 285 for LT's! Is the coating on those speciific headers worth passing up this deal and the extra money? I have heard that the coating just peels off shortly anyway. But then again most people say not to go uncoated.
To be quite honest, I don't see the point in buying them coated. Stainless would be nice looking but looks don't make a difference to either of us. LT's all net the same gains so, the big question is...
Is the pacesetters coating worth the extra money and passing up the deal of 285 uncoated shipped?
To be quite honest, I don't see the point in buying them coated. Stainless would be nice looking but looks don't make a difference to either of us. LT's all net the same gains so, the big question is...
Is the pacesetters coating worth the extra money and passing up the deal of 285 uncoated shipped?
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Northern Va
i got uncoated and i haven't had any rusting problems and i've had them for over a year. the collectors and primaries actually still have the black paint on them some how. I do however when i change my oil (when the car is cool) i wipe em down and dry off the areas i can reach just to get grit and grime off of them. i got them at shop cost so they were a deal "too good to pass" up on as you put it as well. I would have loved to have gotten coated headers myself but it just wasn't in the funds. But i've been pleasantly suprised about how durable these headers have been.
hope that helps ya out some.
Travis
hope that helps ya out some.
Travis
You need the coated ones trust me ive been through lots of uncoated headers on other vehicles they rust very bad over time. The coated ones keeps the underhood temps down and around here ive never seen a set of coated pacesetters peel. You could get the uncoated ones and wrap them but its just a temp fix eventually you will have to buy more.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Tinley Park, IL
Originally Posted by Crazy Man
You need the coated ones trust me ive been through lots of uncoated headers on other vehicles they rust very bad over time. The coated ones keeps the underhood temps down and around here ive never seen a set of coated pacesetters peel. You could get the uncoated ones and wrap them but its just a temp fix eventually you will have to buy more.
i would get the coated, i have them on my car, and you will know where that money went when you pull them out of the box cause they are bling bling 
p.s. - i'm pretty sure you can find 'em cheaper than 480$ shipped! make sure and buy 'em out of state so you dont have to pay sales tax. like in my case, thunder racing is right over the lousiana border from me and shipping is actually closer than from say TSP, plus you dont have to pay tax. i still ordered my whole exaust setup from TSP though
p.s. - i'm pretty sure you can find 'em cheaper than 480$ shipped! make sure and buy 'em out of state so you dont have to pay sales tax. like in my case, thunder racing is right over the lousiana border from me and shipping is actually closer than from say TSP, plus you dont have to pay tax. i still ordered my whole exaust setup from TSP though
I would get coated. Its worth the extra money. Also Texas speed and performance sells them for 374.99. It is a pain to sand down all the shipping paint that comes with uncoated headers to apply some decent high heat paint on them to stop it from rusting.
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I just paid $375 for coated pacesetter's for my 01 from Speed Inc.
Texas Speed has them on sale for the same price you'll have to pay for shipping of course. You should be able to get these for around $400 w/ shipping.
Here's what the coated look like:
http://nick.vettextc.net/Headers/
I believe the coating that peels off in a few days you're referring to is actually paint. I had that on a set of Edelbrocks a long time ago. Actual coating should last alot longer. It's only around $100 extra for the coated pacesetter's, a great deal IMO, it's worth it.
Texas Speed has them on sale for the same price you'll have to pay for shipping of course. You should be able to get these for around $400 w/ shipping.
Here's what the coated look like:
http://nick.vettextc.net/Headers/
I believe the coating that peels off in a few days you're referring to is actually paint. I had that on a set of Edelbrocks a long time ago. Actual coating should last alot longer. It's only around $100 extra for the coated pacesetter's, a great deal IMO, it's worth it.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
While I like the coated, I was pissed to see that mine after 4 months the botom of the header and all around the collector has surface rust already. I guess I am going to have to paint half my headers. I like the coated look from looking under the hood.
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From: Tinley Park
Does surface rust effect performance? Coated will produce less heat in the bay but will uncoated generate more then what you have with stock manifolds?
I see a lot of posts saying to do it just to do it. No one has giving any proof except that "its better" and "worth it". Yet the ones that say don't waste your money have proof. "i have them the coating was gone and surface rust at bottom" ect. ect. My stock manifolds have rust on them and are uncoated and its not effecting performance. I don't see surface rust hurting performance at all. And personally i don't see them producing any extra heat then your getting from stock manifolds. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
Thanks for the replys guys, keep em coming.
I see a lot of posts saying to do it just to do it. No one has giving any proof except that "its better" and "worth it". Yet the ones that say don't waste your money have proof. "i have them the coating was gone and surface rust at bottom" ect. ect. My stock manifolds have rust on them and are uncoated and its not effecting performance. I don't see surface rust hurting performance at all. And personally i don't see them producing any extra heat then your getting from stock manifolds. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
Thanks for the replys guys, keep em coming.
Considering these are made of mild steel and not stainless you're going to end up with more than just surface rust. You also have alot thinner material unlike stock cast manifolds. Your headers will last longer with the coating which will also help keep under hood temps lower.
I don't think it will effect performance since in this case it's outside only, some people will say inside coating actually helps exhaust gases flow better but I don't see it being much of an issue. Really I guess it comes down to appearance for the most part. My car is nice and I plan to keep it that way, I don't want to lift the hood and see a set of rusty old looking parts under there but not everyone is like that.
From the pictures you have there it looks like you have a nice car.
I don't think it will effect performance since in this case it's outside only, some people will say inside coating actually helps exhaust gases flow better but I don't see it being much of an issue. Really I guess it comes down to appearance for the most part. My car is nice and I plan to keep it that way, I don't want to lift the hood and see a set of rusty old looking parts under there but not everyone is like that.
From the pictures you have there it looks like you have a nice car.
Last edited by SLPSS01; Jan 20, 2005 at 11:53 AM.