I just did some searching (yes, I actually used the search feature before posting so I wouldn't get the ). Most posts were back in 2002 when FLP released their ceramic coated headers. There was some discussion in July of this year. I see several systems sold in the FS section over the last 2 years. I know Patches had a good writeup with some pics. I didn't see any dyno postings that proved anything except on heavily modded cars. Recently on the header posts, they are not even mentioned as a contender. What happened with these headers? They are still available but since they aren't SS are they rusting? Did the ceramic coating not do their thing? Why so few posts about them? They seemed like an easy install with easy swap between ORP and CATS. Thanks for any info you can shed on these. I know the old link doesn't work but there is an FLP sponsor that lists these headers on their site. It looks like they are a full performance shop now. Hey FLP, are you out there and do you have any comments about your headers?

 

Welcome to the Flavor-of-the-month club. Actually, the FLP's are still sold - in fact, I think a vendor recently offered a GP on them. I am still very satisfied with mine after 2-1/2 years with them from both the quality and performance standpoints. They look almost new and I've had no problems with them. I did upgrade to the more robust clamps (not necessary) and I modified the x-pipe to accept a set of cutouts. Also, since my install, I've had the opportunity to help several buddies with C5's install and work on different brands of headers including Kooks, LGM and Stainless Works. All those are excellent systems but I've never felt the need to replace mine with one of them. The modularity and configurability of the FLP's is still the best, IMO, and they make the car easier to work on because of the ease of removing just the portions you need to.

I have seen a few other systems where owners have had bell housing tabs crack or break and some where where an unusual amount of corrosion was present. Tab breakage was usually due to frequent impacts on daily drivers or isolated manufacturing defect. Corrosion was very localized and I feel was primarily a ceramic coating issue.

Take into account mine is a weekend driver, that it has rarely seen inclement weather and I am careful to not bottom the system out. Then again, I've seen some other systems the past few years that have had similar or other issues including cracking, discoloration, corrosion, etc. All-in-all I'm satisfied with my FLP's.

The passenger header when I first received the system.


You can see the condition of the primaries during my recent PCV mod.


The downstream section during my cutout mod in May of this year.


Looking into the collectors during my recent tunnel plate mod.

 

The coating failed on the inside of my FLP's and I was unable to even get FLP to return my phone call to discuss this issue with them. My X-pipe rusted badly on the inside and chunks of oxidized metal come out of the exhaust at times. I will be replacing them when my forged motor goes in the car in a couple of months with some SS Kooks or LG Pro's. Do yourself a favor and get stainless steel from the beginning. In my experience the FLP product is poor (mine had less than 5K miles on them) and their customer sevice is severely lacking. For those of you that want to point the finger at the coater and not FLP, great. The fact remains that it is a product of FLP's, not the coater, and FLP should be the one to step in and do something about it. Do you take your case to Delco when your fuel injectors on your new Vette fail, or do you take it back to the Chevy dealer where you bought the car? The dealer...that's what I thought.




--Sean

 

While I do agree with you that FLP should step up and take care of their customer, I have had great luck with my FLP headers over the past 1 1/2 years.

Your headers are just plain ugly, I know this was caused at Jet-hot but FLP needs to swap out your headers and then deal with their vendor