Ceramic or Stainless Steel??

[AnGeLoBBoy]

I'm about to buy some new headers for my 97 Accord. There are many people who feel Stainless is better and Ceramic is better. I simply do street racing and am not sure which would be better. Another question is, would it be worth buying headers for an automatic?? My car has a sebring exhaust with 2.5" piping from downpipe to exhaust and an AEM cold air intake. Not much yet, but I've finally saved from money for headers and am sticking with DC Sport. But which does everyone prefer Stainless or Ceramic?? and Why ???

[civickiller]

well i like ceramic better because it doesnt discolor and it is cheaper
steel will discolor on first start up and it more expensive

[delsolsi]

Here's a few quotes from the December issue of Turbo magazine.

"Stainless steel has a better high-temperature strength than mild steel. In a normal header situation you can go to lighter gauge stainless then mild steel so you can save weight."

"The other good deal with stainless is you have a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity so it tends to insulate, whereas mild steel tends to let the heat travel through the metal quickly. Also, alot of people will use a ceramic coating to reduce the heat transfer but stainless does this inherently."

"There may be long term durability problems with some coatings. As a matter of fact, one of the main drawbacks with carbon steel is that once it's overheated, it will start to flake and fall into the turbo. The same goes with the coating. This will also flake. I would say coating isn't useless but if you want to lower your radiant temperature, then stainless is the way to go. It can reach the same surface temperature as mild steel, but stainless will stay hotter on the inside and transfter the heat."

[RockChalk]

stainless > ceramic

A lot stronger and its cool when it discolors

[Prelewd]

So say if you get stainless, what could you cover it with so you don't have to see that "cool" discoloration.. I want black.

Also, what brands of header are recommended? If it makes any difference, which I don't think it would, I am installing a thermal R&D stealth system with it.

Oh yea.. Do some headers come with cats preinstalled? I keep seeing pictures of headers with a cat looking thing on the end of the collecter.

Thanks.

[Self]

Originally posted by Prelewd
So say if you get stainless, what could you cover it with so you don't have to see that "cool" discoloration.. I want black.

Also, what brands of header are recommended? If it makes any difference, which I don't think it would, I am installing a thermal R&D stealth system with it.

Oh yea.. Do some headers come with cats preinstalled? I keep seeing pictures of headers with a cat looking thing on the end of the collecter.

Thanks.

You cover your steel headers with...Ceramic of course. Ceramic coating keeps your headers looking fresh and polished, but not quite as "cool" as the discolored ones. There are places that do this, one of them being http://www.jet-hot.com . Excellent place to do business with. EXCELLENT coating, and excellent prices. I am a frequent customer and stand by their work 100%. Also, their coatings are available in sterling, black, grey, and blue. They'll coat almost anything! If you can take it off and send it, they'll coat it.