Headers: coated vs stainless
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Headers: coated vs stainless
As many of you know, there are group buys going on now for headers. One company is selling stainless headers -- while another is offering coated steel.
While both options have their pros/cons, I wonder what you guys think....
I like the stainless option but worry that I'd need to coat them to avoid heat issues. I like the coated steel option because it appears more economical. I know both options would look good in a couple of years, but what about 5-10 years?
What pros/cons can you think of?
While both options have their pros/cons, I wonder what you guys think....
I like the stainless option but worry that I'd need to coat them to avoid heat issues. I like the coated steel option because it appears more economical. I know both options would look good in a couple of years, but what about 5-10 years?
What pros/cons can you think of?
Pro
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
From: Oslo, Norway
Hi.
The absolute best option is to coat the stainless steel headers. The reason is(I have coated steel myself) that after sometime driving the coating under the car where it is exposed for dirt or sand/small stones the coating will get off and the steel starts to rust. With stainless headers it is not so. The coating is very effective with reagard to getting the heat dissipation down and the temp in the egine room down as well. I am very satisfied with the headers butam a bit anxious for the coating where the headers are exposed for sand and alike.
The absolute best option is to coat the stainless steel headers. The reason is(I have coated steel myself) that after sometime driving the coating under the car where it is exposed for dirt or sand/small stones the coating will get off and the steel starts to rust. With stainless headers it is not so. The coating is very effective with reagard to getting the heat dissipation down and the temp in the egine room down as well. I am very satisfied with the headers butam a bit anxious for the coating where the headers are exposed for sand and alike.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
Stainless:
- in long run might crack (work hardening)
- heavy
+ durable, wont rust
+ will always look good
+ dont necessarily need coating, ss keeps heat inside tubes fine
Mild Steel with ceramic coating:
- low quality and/or thin walled tubes might also crack
- big differences in coating quality, some will last 6 months, some years
- coating will fail in the long run
+ salvageable if failure of coating noticed and set recoated in time
+ light
+ pretty durable
+ coating also keeps heat inside nicely
I see no clear winner here. If they were about the same price I would choose stainless, no coating to worry about. They both might crack so no issue there and they can be repaired if problems arise. I can see no heat problems with either. So in the end I think the ss is a winner, less manufacturers available though.
- in long run might crack (work hardening)
- heavy
+ durable, wont rust
+ will always look good
+ dont necessarily need coating, ss keeps heat inside tubes fine
Mild Steel with ceramic coating:
- low quality and/or thin walled tubes might also crack
- big differences in coating quality, some will last 6 months, some years
- coating will fail in the long run
+ salvageable if failure of coating noticed and set recoated in time
+ light
+ pretty durable
+ coating also keeps heat inside nicely
I see no clear winner here. If they were about the same price I would choose stainless, no coating to worry about. They both might crack so no issue there and they can be repaired if problems arise. I can see no heat problems with either. So in the end I think the ss is a winner, less manufacturers available though.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,295
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From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by vader86
buy a set of uncoated headers, and send them to JetHot for their stainless coating.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Can't really disagree with Toni. But, as you know, there's different qualities of steel, stainless and otherwise, and different qualities of coatings. Not to mention some mfrs. of headers are/use better materials than others. Not necessarily a one to one, but you sometimes do get what you pay for.
Even with the weight differential, if it were me and I had the extra dough (assuming the stainless headers cost more than the others, which they sometimes/usually do), I'd go stainless, leave them uncoated, try it out for a summer season, see if I could live with/or the heat is not baking everything, and then make a decision as to whether to coat them or not. Then, if I needed coating/painting, I'd seriously investigate who's got the best stuff, that lasts the longest, at the best price. It wouldn't surprise me if there are cost-effective alternatives to the big name, JetHot, in coatings (but I also wouldn't be surprised to find out that they're still considered one of the best).
Even with the weight differential, if it were me and I had the extra dough (assuming the stainless headers cost more than the others, which they sometimes/usually do), I'd go stainless, leave them uncoated, try it out for a summer season, see if I could live with/or the heat is not baking everything, and then make a decision as to whether to coat them or not. Then, if I needed coating/painting, I'd seriously investigate who's got the best stuff, that lasts the longest, at the best price. It wouldn't surprise me if there are cost-effective alternatives to the big name, JetHot, in coatings (but I also wouldn't be surprised to find out that they're still considered one of the best).
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,918
Likes: 51
From: Angier nc
i have been unsatisfied with jet hot's coating on three different sets of steel headers.same goes for hooker's ceramic coating.they have all peeled and rusted in less than 2 years.1 even did it after jet hot re coating it for free.i just put stainless works headers on my 96.they fit great and look beautiful.as far as weight goes they are a lot lighter than the manifolds and converters that came off the car.maybe having stainless coated is the ideal way to go,however i am happy just like they are. 
i hope to be grinning bigger tomorrow when i test drive it for the first time!
i hope to be grinning bigger tomorrow when i test drive it for the first time!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Edmonton AB
Stainless transfers heat much less readily than mild steel. I have
no information about how it compares with steels that are coated
but my vote is that it beats painted headers hands down.
I went with a local coating vendor to protect a special set of pipes
for the NEP on a 'temporary' basis. The supposed high-temp coating
burned back in the first ten minutes of operation.
My Stainlessworks headers are light, even with the A.I.R. fittings.
.
no information about how it compares with steels that are coated
but my vote is that it beats painted headers hands down.
I went with a local coating vendor to protect a special set of pipes
for the NEP on a 'temporary' basis. The supposed high-temp coating
burned back in the first ten minutes of operation.
My Stainlessworks headers are light, even with the A.I.R. fittings.
.
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
The stainless headers have about a hundred degree lower surface temperature than uncoated mild steel headers. They are very friendly to the engine compartment.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
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Originally Posted by VictorRussell'92
Never heard of that......