Does anyone recommend coating my Kooks LTs? If yes, please recommend a vendor and your experience.

Thanks.

 

jet hot. pain free experience.

 

Swain Tech in SW NY. Their coating is a better thermal barrier than Jet Coat. As a matter of fact, I just had my new Kooks done there too.

 

I definitely recommend ceramic coating. I just had my complete American racing header system done by Jet Hot, pipes and all. They look gorgeous. Jet Hot did a very nice job and was easy to work with.

 

I'd like to hear someone from the LG, Kooks ARH or any other Header manufacturers tell us why we would or wouldn't want to coat Stainless Steel headers.

 

I asked Nick at AR about the coating when I was ordering the headers. He told me the coating is strictly for appearance purposes, and that it has no effect on heat. Which is contrary to what Jet hot says, but that's another topic . . .

Whether the heat issue is accurate ot not, I went with the coating for appearance. For me it was worth the extra money.

 

In my opinion, Jet Hot is an absolute necessity for carbon steel headers, but is not needed for 300 series stainless headers. The stainless will not rust and the thermal conductivity of 300 series is a lot lower than carbon steel (113 versus 360 btu/sq ft//hr/F/in).

I've even heard of a tuner here on the board that says if you coat stainless that it will retain so much heat that it causes detonation and they have to pull timing out of the engine.

 

I heard that too

 

Yep, heard that too.

 

I did not know that, good post

 

It may be a good post, but I'm just repeating someone else's statement. However, it does sound plausible.

To tell you the truth, Jet Hot looks fantastic, it's a beautiful coating. I had some MAC mid-length headers Jet Hotted on my 94 Z28. I gave that car to my son and a few years later he then sold it to a good friend and the coating still looks good 4 years later.

However, if I'm going to spring the extra cash to get a 300 series stainless header, I'm going to show them off! That means, do not coat them, let them turn straw/blue color and let people know you bought the best headers out there.

As far as Corvette headers, I think all the stainless ones are 300 series, but beware. SLP makes a Camaro header that is made from 400 series stainless steel. 400 series will still corrode and it also has a much higher thermal conductivity. 400 Series stainless flatware is also very cheap and will rust. I used to carry a magnet around with me (I was and still am a nerd, but it was required at a job I had back in the 70's) and I would use it to check the flatware at restaurants. 400 series is magnetic, 300 series is not (unless it's been cold worked a lot).

Enough trivia, I'm sure I put everyone to sleep!

Thanks,
Glenn

 

Well sorry guys I don't buy the det theory. Headers coated or not will run much cooler than cast iron and we don't see detonation with cast unless you are running real lean.

 

Dunno about you, but pretty interesting to me.

 

After hearing many of the purported pros and cons of coating, I opted to have my LGM long tubes coated. It caused no adverse detonation or timing adjustments that I'm aware of. IMO if for no other reason than appearance....it's worth it.

 

 

 

Yes, I'm skeptical too. Seems that heat downstream of a closing exhaust valve should not affect the compressed air fuel mixture lighting off early. So, in truth, the real reason to coat is for appearance. The reasons I did not coat in order of importance:

1) I'm extremely frugal (i.e. cheap as he11)
2) I like the looks of stainless steel

 

And with a header system you are moving air at a much faster velocity. But I think the biggest advantage would be in Cat operation, at least that is my thinking. OF course I could just drop the cats but I would hate the smell.