Chrome vs Stainless vs Ceramic headers : which is better?

[jakester888]

Looking at Jegs, LMR & eBay for some shorty headers for my 302 roadster build.

Heard that stainless is better for rust resistance and strength whereas ceramic coated is better for heat dissipation and better fitment. Chrome just looks good but is the worst choice.

My opinion : go with stainless.

What do you use & recommend?

5095
CHROME BBK-1515 $189

5094
STAINLESS TopStreetKing $79

5093
CERAMIC BBK-15150 $299

[tjmotter]

I have all three:

Chrome will develop rust (my brand new heat shields have rust spots all over them already).

My sidepipes are stainless and they have already started to turn brown/blue due to heat.

My headers are ceramic coated and look exactly the same as they day they arrived.

YMMV

HTH
Todd

[Jeff Kleiner]

A better question to ask might be "What brand fits?" Remember these get turned around backwards and when doing so some shorties have issues with contacting motor mounts and such. I used 4 into 4s on both builds so can't advise on specific shorty brands but want you to know that they aren't all created equal when it comes to fit & clearance. After you know what will work then you'll know what your choices of finish are (personally, I'm not much for bling and would use ceramic but that's just me ;)).

Good luck,
Jeff

[jakester888]

I have all three:

My headers are ceramic coated and look exactly the same as they day they arrived.



What brand & model did you buy for the ceramic headers and did you have any fitment issues in reverse position?

[3kcarbon]

Stainless rocks... Yes it turns but doesn't chip or rust.

[efnfast]

ceramic coat, no question - I can drive for 30minutes, stop, and touch my pipes and not get burnt.

I've stood by people's cars who've chromed or powdercoated them and could feel the heat radiating off them when I'm 8feet away.

[tjmotter]

The headers came from FFR (BBK I believe). Note that I have the 4 into 4 big pipes (not the shorty's).


What brand & model did you buy for the ceramic headers and did you have any fitment issues in reverse position?

[patpur]

I've got the ceramic BBK's on mine and they clean up nice. Got some ceramic header cleaner from JEGS. I had the sidepipes done in late winter and so far so good. They are done the same as the headers and j pipe, ceramic chrome silver.

[Raceral]

Ceramic will stay looking the same for way longer. I would do ceramic headers and stainless side pipes, but if you are going with shorties, you may have to go with chrome side pipes .

[Raceral]

That must be a type.. I doubt if you can get a stainless shortie for 79 dollar
Also, look at the flanges.. something looks funny about the street kings... looks like the bolts will be a pain to get on and off. Look at how the others have rectangle tubing where it mates with the flanges. Much easier to work with

[dsblk93gt]

I have owned JBA, BBK, MAC and more. FRPP stainless shorty are the best for the $$, more $$ yes but the best fitment. JBA are nice too but $$. Same with Bassani. BBK ceramic are ok, but I'd get FRPP 1st. PLUS the design of the FRPP makes header bolt install easier.

[Jeff Kleiner]

The Ford Racing shorties may work well in Mustangs but have one of the worst reputations for fit when reversed for use in our cars. Here are two of many discussions regarding fitment issues:

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/248813-ford-racing-shorty-headers-not-fitting.html

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/272825-302-shorty-header-question.html

Cheers,
Jeff

[jakester888]

I went with BBK ceramic shorties.

Thanks for the tips guys.

[Bob Cowan]

Performance wise, ceramic is best. A good header will pull the exhaust gasses out of the chamber by created sort of a negative pressure zone. That negative pressure zone depends a hot exhaust pulse in the collecter from the other pipes. The hotter the pulse, the greater the efficiency.

Ceramic heat barriers keep that heat inside the pipes, and should increase efficiency, which should increase power. That's the theory, anyway.

Also, by keeping the heat inside the pipe, that should help decrease under hood temps.

A good ceramic coating is done on both sides of the metal. In theory it is a solid coating with no breaks or cracks. That keeps a lot of the heat and all of the moisture off of the base metal. It should last a lot longer than bare steel.

People use SS and chrome simply for looks. Of the two, I think SS is the better choice. Chrome expands and contracts at a differant rate than the base metal. Eventually, the chrome will crack, and seperate from the pipe. That allows water and air to contact the base metal, and rust will develop. But, considering that most people drive their Roadsters <5K miles a year, that's probably not much of a problem.

The side pipes are another deal altogether. Ceramic coating retains the heat inside the muffler and pipes. That's not exactly a good thing. SInce all that heat is in constant contact wih the muffler materials, they may not last as long (again that 5K miles a year may make this a moot point). Ideally, you would want the gasses in the side pipes behind the collecter to cool rapidly. As the gasses cool, they contract, and are easier to expel. In theory.

[Raceral]

Don't think for one minute that you won't leave some meat on the ceramic pipe if you touch it... It is cooler.. but you can still get that fresh cooked bacon smell if you lay a leg on it.

[efnfast]

Don't think for one minute that you won't leave some meat on the ceramic pipe if you touch it... It is cooler.. but you can still get that fresh cooked bacon smell if you lay a leg on it.

Disagree.

I can drive my car for 30minutes, oil temps 200, water temps 190, stop, get out, and touch the pipes. Heck, I even hold my hand on them for several seconds w/o fear.

Once I even started playing w/ my air filter after a drive, completely forgetting my leg was touching the 4into4 headers exiting the body .... with my leg touching them it took me like 4 or 5 seconds to even realize it, and no burn mark or anything.

I don't have a super secret ceramic coating or anything on it; just regular jet hot coating done on the inside and out.

[discbrakesrus]

Hi
use mothers mag & aluminum polish on ceramic chrome to keep your headers or side pipes in new condition we find it works the best

[Quatro007]

Disagree.

I can drive my car for 30minutes, oil temps 200, water temps 190, stop, get out, and touch the pipes. Heck, I even hold my hand on them for several seconds w/o fear.

Once I even started playing w/ my air filter after a drive, completely forgetting my leg was touching the 4into4 headers exiting the body .... with my leg touching them it took me like 4 or 5 seconds to even realize it, and no burn mark or anything.

I don't have a super secret ceramic coating or anything on it; just regular jet hot coating done on the inside and out.

Interesting! I have the Jet Hot coating as well and a few people have gotten snake bit on them and that was on the tip. You can however slap them and not get burned. The only coating I've ever experienced being able to directly touch and not get burned was fiberglass header wrap.

[riptide motorsport]

My ceramic chrome will cook you sure as a stanless.

[Jeff Kleiner]

A split second against ceramic at the collector:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/100_2714.jpg

It was kinda' cool that it really did sizzle like bacon (well, before the pain started that is) ;)

Jeff

[dallas_]

There do seem to be differences in ceramic coatings, so if you go the ceramic coating route do your homework.

[efnfast]

Interesting! I have the Jet Hot coating as well and a few people have gotten snake bit on them and that was on the tip. You can however slap them and not get burned. The only coating I've ever experienced being able to directly touch and not get burned was fiberglass header wrap.

Was it done on the inside and outside?

[WAYNES WORLD]

I went with the ceramic headers for the reduced under hood temps and the stainless side pipes for the polished look. It will better match my stainless roll bars.
Wayne

[Todd Buttrick]

ceramic coat, no question - I can drive for 30minutes, stop, and touch my pipes and not get burnt.

I want to see the video. :) Seriously though, I think ceramic is the best choice although I don't think they look as good in silver as does stainless or chrome. If you're going flat black, then ceramic is a no brainer. My Breeze quiet pipes were ceramic coated silver and eventually painted over with BBQ paint to make them back.