Are my Kooks headers supposed to rust like this?
Ok i jsut tried the magnetic trick. I used neodymium (or however you spell it) a magnet from an old hard drive. Supposedly it's the most magnetic substance. Wont stick to the header flange, won't stick to the headers, but i cant get it off the X pipe. I was under the impression the X pipes were stianless as well? It's not going to hurt my car if i leave that magnet on there right? Lol i cant get under the car to get enough leverage to pry it off.
Last edited by Shawn MacAnanny; Jan 1, 2006 at 09:46 AM.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 52
From: Charleston, SC
headers Looks like you got shipped a set of their mild steel headers or kooks used the wrong grade of stainless steel. The 304 stainless will not corrode, I do underwater inspections of marine facilities and 304 stainless immersed in salt water or sujected to salt spray for years won't even look like that. If you take the headers off, be really careful. Looking at the condition of the bolts, they may be pretty well frozen into the head and may snap easily. Make sure PB Blaster or something to help loosen them.
Sorry that your having so much bad luck between the headers and valve spring.
Sorry that your having so much bad luck between the headers and valve spring.
Shawn - I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but... You don't have stainless steel headers.
Just look at the facts:
1) Your borla cat-back is made of stainless and it has absolutly no rust on it.
2) Not only do your headers have rust but they have pitting, that rust has been chewing on those headers for a while to get to the pitting stage. There is no way that's going to happen with stainless over such a short period of time.
3) I don't think I've ever seen such a level of rust on any stainless product (304, 309, 321) regardless of the time exposed to use on a car. I challenge anyone to show Shawn a more rusty stainless header.
4) Your headers never developed the "rainbow" when heated.
Unless you park your car on the beach every night... what you got is MILD STEEL HEADERS. Prey you saved your sales slip and give a call to Kook's when they open back up. If you paid for stainless and they screwed up by shipping you mild steel, they should work with you to fix the problem. If your mechanic screwed you, take him to court. Your mechanic should have noticed the difference between stainless and mild steel.
Sorry man, that **** sucks.
Shea
Just look at the facts:
1) Your borla cat-back is made of stainless and it has absolutly no rust on it.
2) Not only do your headers have rust but they have pitting, that rust has been chewing on those headers for a while to get to the pitting stage. There is no way that's going to happen with stainless over such a short period of time.
3) I don't think I've ever seen such a level of rust on any stainless product (304, 309, 321) regardless of the time exposed to use on a car. I challenge anyone to show Shawn a more rusty stainless header.
4) Your headers never developed the "rainbow" when heated.
Unless you park your car on the beach every night... what you got is MILD STEEL HEADERS. Prey you saved your sales slip and give a call to Kook's when they open back up. If you paid for stainless and they screwed up by shipping you mild steel, they should work with you to fix the problem. If your mechanic screwed you, take him to court. Your mechanic should have noticed the difference between stainless and mild steel.
Sorry man, that **** sucks.
Shea
My mom's a lawyer in the state all this happened so court shouldnt be a problem. A magnet wont stick to them though. It will stick to the X pipe. The bolts were the factory bolts, the ones GM used on the stock manifolds. They were removed and installed at the same time the heads and headers were so i dont think they are stuck in the heads. I'm going to wait until i hear back from kooks though, I'm not too happy...
The magnet thing is strange... 
Be nice with the guy's at Kook's and they will be nice back. I've talked with Nick a few times, he was always pleasent.
The best of luck to you.
Shea
Be nice with the guy's at Kook's and they will be nice back. I've talked with Nick a few times, he was always pleasent.
The best of luck to you.
Shea
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Those are headers are stainless. Kooks doesnt make a c5 header in mild steel. Looks like your headers were made from a bad batch of stainless steel. Your mechanic put on the right headers. You should contact kooks on the quality stainless they are using. All stainless is not the same. Expecially if not made well. Good luck with ya.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Down Under
Originally Posted by Shawn MacAnanny
Oh ok thats a relief. They still look like crap IMO lol. So why does the magnet stick to the Xpipe then?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 749
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From: Chandler, Arizona
A magnet will stick to mild steel and even 400 series Stainless, but it won't stick to 300 series. So I think you got 300 series stainless headers. However, the tubing normally goes through a passivation treatment to clean off any material that was left during the manufacturing process for the tubing. It's possible that this batch of tubing did not get passivated.
those suck *****. my stainless QTP headers are simply rainbow and a bit glazed over. not a spec of rust and i drive in the rain almost weekly. i have heard good things about Kooks customer service, so u might be in luck
Being from the midwest and used to concrete floors I park my car on sections of cardboard.It keeps the condensation from doing whats happening to your car.My kooks are a few years old and are brown clored but not rusty.
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From: Vancouver,[KITSILANO].B.C. Canada *WestCoast*
Originally Posted by TJ
DO NOT USE STEEL WOOL on a stainless product.
lil pieces of the wool will be left behind in the metal, no matter how much you clean it.
over time, you will have lil dots of rust on the header.
not in the stainless tube, but on the surface from the wool left.
use bronze wool from a marine/boat shop.
it coest a bit more, but will not leave behind anything to annoy you down the road.
stainless has carbon makeup, so some grades can rust.
good luck.
lil pieces of the wool will be left behind in the metal, no matter how much you clean it.
over time, you will have lil dots of rust on the header.
not in the stainless tube, but on the surface from the wool left.
use bronze wool from a marine/boat shop.
it coest a bit more, but will not leave behind anything to annoy you down the road.
stainless has carbon makeup, so some grades can rust.
good luck.
Lol def not a show car. I havent waxed the thing in the 8 months i've owned it. It was bought for its weight, aerodynamics, and engine. I just dont want my extremely expensive headers rusting out is all.
Originally Posted by NHRAMAN
For 100 years people have been using steel wool on stainless products...may leave some steel behind,but not after wiping... BRONZE WOOL is better,I agree...but..this is not a show car I don't think...
im just a picky boat owner. (saltwater here)
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 151
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From: Statesville NC
Originally Posted by LS1LUNATIC
type 304 stainless is the cheapest version of stainless, none the less, whatever happened to your headers.....I have no clue.....
first just to let you know that 304 s/s is not the cheapest it is one of the most expensive. There are many grades and they follow 403, 409, 436, 439 thats the 4 series wich is the cheapest then comes the 3 series 303, 304l 308, 309, 316l, 321, 347 thats the 3 series just so you know.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 151
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From: Statesville NC
As for the headers WE STAND BEHIND ALL OUR PRODUCT I need to know who ordered them so I can pull the original sales order and look into this please call me at 631 586 9002 ext 308 George R So I can take care of this matter thanks again