FNBADAZ06

I read quite a bit on this forum and others regarding the various thermal coatings you can have applied to your exhaust manifolds/headers. I'm more interested in the thermal rejection qualities than the aethetics or anti-corrosion aspects. My car is N/A and I will be adding some stainless steel headers purchased from a member here.

Has anyone ever put a laser thermometer or any other temp measuring device to conclusively show how much, if any, a ceramic thermal coating from any of the the various vendors will cut down on the heat radiating from the headers and how much it helps in underhood temps ?

Is it a worthwhile investment ?

RyanT

I've been wondering the same thing.

1.8t

I ran coated headers on my old LS3 Coupe and after driving the car for some time and shutting it down, I could touch the headers without burning myself well before I could touch the uncoated portion of the exhaust further downstream. Very informal test, but it does go to show that the coating definitely works. Also, where the steering rack connects to the steering shaft, that plastic coupling melts on headered cars quite visibly. Mine had very little visible melting which I attributed to the coating.

FNBADAZ06

Thanks for that insight

FNBADAZ06

Any other thoughts ?

BSSN

If nothing else it will keep them looking nice.

BobJ

BobJ

FNBADAZ06

You DOG !!!! I know, I missed another great weekend and drive.
Did you and Jack, Oli mix it up with the CTS-V ?

extents

There are members with uncoated headers who have gone through starters because the heat from the headers burns out the solenoid. That alone is enough reason to go coated, unless you purchase a starter heat shield/bag.

You have wires/trans cooler lines that can be more affected from uncoated headers as well. It's pretty tight in there.

robertaj

if you purchase SS headers that are quality (thick) then you dont need to worryt o much about heat. I also wondered this question on my old trans am. Everyone else got coated pacesetters and not only did the coating flake off and the headers rusted .. .but were also very hot.. My SS non-coated QTP's were solid no rust and was comparable to their coated headers as far as heat coming out.

FNBADAZ06

They are Billy Boat stainless steel headers, so the quality is there.
Good points on heat saturation on the starter and ancellary (sp?) coolant/oil lines.

Vette5.5

I've used Jet Hot coated carbon steel header's on several car's with very good luck, but really more for rust prevention, which isn't a problem with SS. If deciding to go this route, maybe have the seller ship the part's directly to Jet Hot, saving extra hassel and shipping. Some guy's like to test fit the part's first, for possible tweaking before coating, but probably ok if they've already been mounted on a like vehicle.

mwatowing

Are the stockers coated?

40YRW8

What header coating are you referring to. Most guys are familiar with the shiny silver Jet-Hot coating which, if you grill Jet-Hot, isn't a heat barrier. They claim some thermal blocking but in reality it isn't much better than a good thick coat of Hi-temp paint.

40YRW8

Victor,
The heat given off by a set of stainless headers isn't nearly as bad as the old mild steel headers. Stainless actually transfers heat much slower than carbon steels. I have the B&B headers and I just finished a banzai round trip to Dallas and I see absolutely no heat related effects. If you delete the cats (the B&Bs bolt directly to the mid-pipe) or mount a set of cats (which I am planning to do) in the mid-pipe past the header flanges, your trans tunnel should be a lot cooler. Mine is.
Gary

twinger01

is that victor hiding behind that tree?

tjwong

I can't begin to tell you how many sets of headers I have sold and installed in my shop in the last seven years. And I can happily report that there has been no instances of starter problems in any C4, 5 or 6 generation cars. I have a set of ARH headers in my personal Z06 which have been in the car for the last 4 years and no hint of a starter issue.

As far as coatings go, I don't feel its necessary, however I did coat my headers but strictly for asthetics and no other reason. I just like the look of them. I had the coating facility coat the headers with a titanium coating which is sprayed on, then baked for a couple hours at 450 degs. The final cure is when they are on the engine and is ran for an hour at normal operating conditions. The coating looks as good now as it did nearly 4 years ago when they were brand new.

FL KEYS ON

I've had a new set of headers sent up to swain tech in the past. It was a long time ago and they may have cost a little more then hot jet back then. Anyway, I remember when getting them back how impressed I was with such a first rate job. Very functional (never had any heating problems on my corvette) and they looked great with an off white ' ish small crinkle finish coating. Swain did a great job for me. Throwing it out there as an option in your choices.

http://www.swaintech.com/


and yes it was well worth it.

Vette5.5

No. The stock shorty's are SS with heat shield's around them. Should be fine, and what I'm staying with. Actually toured the Wixom, MI build center, and these thing's are feather weight. Dam "Bob", what's with the pic's of the grill, as gonna be a familiar sight in a few day's. Guess who's picking up the tab on the rib eyes for this one.