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Type of headers????

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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 12:23 PM
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Default Type of headers????

hey i wanted to know which type of headers were better...ceramic coated or just plain stainless steel...i heard ceramic was better because of the heat resistance but i see the stainless steal cost more????????
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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 01:19 PM
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Stainless steel is better hands down. Ceramic coating is alot better than the standard black finish, but no where near as nice as stainless.
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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 02:22 PM
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I prefer the stainless over the coating. The coating will eventually begin to flake off exposing the raw metal. Your climate will likely dictate how long it takes until this happens.

As far as heat-retention properties, my understanding is stainless is highly desireable although I'm not sure how it compares to the coatings available today.

IMHO, if you have the $$$ for stainless go that way any you'll likely only have to do it once (assuming you go with a good brand.)
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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 02:39 PM
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Kooks.
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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 04:23 PM
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I talked to my friend and he is going to coat his stainless fender-well headers in his '66 Dart, stroked 440, due to all the heat...
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Old Nov 19, 2007 | 08:50 PM
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if you have the choice between the two and the money for stainless, go stainless
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 12:19 AM
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Do it right the first time. Get stainless. Then if you have the extra money, get them coated.
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 07:11 AM
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Stainless
-Joel
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 05:33 AM
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I just got ARH, stainless, they're expensive but in my opinion are worth it, here is the link with some pics I took last night, good luck
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/818169-american-racing-lt-s-just-arrived.html
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 06:28 AM
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Originally Posted by BriancWS6
Stainless steel is better hands down. Ceramic coating is alot better than the standard black finish, but no where near as nice as stainless.

Agreed

Ive had them all, cheaper, doesnt last longer.

I am very glad I went to stainless over ceramic, my last set of Jet Hot LT's lasted a season at the collector and were a bit better up top, but even being garaged, they just dont last as long.

If it was a show car, thats one thing, my cars are not.

Stick with stainless.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 12:45 PM
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Stainless costs more because the material is more expensive, and stainless is TIG Welded. TIG welding takes more skilled welders (i.e. they make a bit more), and it takes 3 times as long. Steel headers like Pacesetters are MIG welded, which is much quicker, and requires less skill...but also not as strong.

As for coating, we coat all our headers in Jet Hot Extreme Sterling 1700 degree coating. This is the highest temp sterling out there and it will not haze or crack.

If you are looking for a great deal on Kooks, call us at the number in the sig
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 01:00 PM
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I have coated pacesetters and have had them about a year. The coating is starting to come off and they are rusting at the bottom. Do yourself a favor and just get stainless. You can by sleeves for them to help with heat retension. Its better than having to replace the headers every 5 or 6 years.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 01:08 PM
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We produce all our systems using 304 S/S. We do it for 2 reasons,
1. to eliminate the worry of corrosion or rust
2. to eliminate the need for coatings

Contrary to what others preach, we only recommend coating 304 S/S under the most extreme conditions, like turbo or high boost supercharged applications.

Nick
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 01:20 PM
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thnks everyone i was unsure about which way to go.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 01:27 PM
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Pacesetters come coated standard in 1300 Jet Hot on the outside only, which is why it failed. If you bought the Jet Hot coated Pacesetters we sell, they come coated on the inside and outside (kinda like double bagging it), and come with Jet Hots warranty.

Lastly, there is a much bigger reason to coat headers than corrosion prevention, and that is heat. Heat robs power, and makes parts wear quicker. The 1700 extreme sterling coating we sell is the best in business at keeping heat out the engine bay while looking good, and and we have yet to have any warranty issue with it. It is Jet-Hot's most expensive coating, and we sell it for the price of the standard coating. 70% of the headers we sell are coated.

Here is something I posted on another board that explains why coating headers is important regardless of what they are made of-

You don't want the headers to "disperse heat". The more the heat disperses, the less pressurized the exhaust gas in the primaries and collector is, and the slower it travels. Your cast iron manifolds are actually great insulators, and keep a lot of heat out the engine bay and in the manifolds. Stainless steel headers on the other hand are terrible insulators (uncoated). They let a lot of heat in the engine bay, which is bad for several reasons. First off, your intake is gonna be heatsoaked, and sucking that hot air in. Secondly, your IAT sensor is gonna read higher (especially say if you have to idle in the pits at the track more than a few minutes). As your IAT sensor reads higher, it starts pulling spark, and the car runs like garbage.

Lastly, and the biggest reason why coating headers is important is, because an uncoated SS header is like a hose with a million little holes in it. Picture that hose spurting water everywhere out the holes. Your uncoated header is doing the same figureative thing...radiation heat out the header and into the engine bay. If you have a lot of holes in a hose, the end result is that the water travels slower out the end of the hose because it is less pressurized. The same thing happen with a header...as heat is radiated through the stainless steel, it becomes less pressurized, and leaves the car slower. Coating the header is like plugging all those holes. It keeps the heat inside the primaries/collector.. which increases exhaust pressure/velocity leaving the car (since hot air expands). This means the hot exhaust gas leaves the car faster and is not radiated in the engine bay. This pressurized exhaust gas also has a vacum effect, which pulls more air in the cylinder head as it leaves, making your engine breathe better.
Originally Posted by youguessit
I have coated pacesetters and have had them about a year. The coating is starting to come off and they are rusting at the bottom. Do yourself a favor and just get stainless. You can by sleeves for them to help with heat retension. Its better than having to replace the headers every 5 or 6 years.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 02:51 PM
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I thought SS was desirable too because it has high heat-retention properties? I don't know in comparison to coated headers. Isn't that why it's used in aircraft parts and what-not? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 02:54 PM
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Just remember to have a thick flange. It'll help seal it all up.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 03:18 PM
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stainless is the best
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 03:48 PM
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Satinless & Kooks.
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 04:25 PM
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what if you coat stainless steal headers then use header wrap on them ?
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