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Stainless Steel Headers - It's where it's at

CSVT#49

CSVT#49

Addicted CEG'er
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
6,771
Location
Andover, MN
So for those of you questioning what happens to stainless steel headers over time...

Here is my... what... 3+ year old WeaponR headers? The front header left untouched, the rear header... well I cleaned her up a bit to let her beauty shine again. However there is NO rust. And yes they have seen a MN winter.

Used and abused
weaponrheaderused.jpg


Pretty and clean
weaponrheaderrevived.jpg


Comparison
headercomparison.jpg
 
+1 on the no rust Weapon R's. I gave my y-pipe a quick cleaning last year during an oil change and it came out spotless.
 
Any which way you slice it Mike, the surface oxides on your headers that have developed over time before you clean them is still rust. You did a nice job on cleaning them up, but the rust that will inhabit a SS part is different from the rust that will inhabit a mild steel part. For one, it's much less corrosive which is why the likelihood of getting massive pitting or rusted through spots is very slim, but in the end, its still rust. :cool:
 
CrazyTalkSVT said:
Any which way you slice it Mike, the surface oxides on your headers that have developed over time before you clean them is still rust. You did a nice job on cleaning them up, but the rust that will inhabit a SS part is different from the rust that will inhabit a mild steel part. For one, it's much less corrosive which is why the likelihood of getting massive pitting or rusted through spots is very slim, but in the end, its still rust. :cool:
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OK OK OK... so it's technically 'rust' when you break it down. However stainless steel, because of it's high chromium content prevents oxidation (rust) from working it's way through to the internal metal structure. So yes I still take stainless steel headers over mild steel headers, which will rust all the way through... do you want to see my Camaro headers? :laugh:

Good read for those of you interested... stainless steel rust? - Engineering paper to explain
 
I figured you knew that, was more just a clarification than anything else.

In the past I've blasted a few sets of rusted long tube steel headers for random customers...long story short, if I get a call these days, I usually tell them to buy new ones. I think I have a pretty good mental picture of what your camaro headers might look like so I don't think I need to see them. :laugh:
 
"When his Stainless steel headers need cleaned and polished, he doesn't send the car out for detailing, he removes the headers and cleans them himself. He is... The Most Interesting Man in the World."
 
gmorrell said:
"When his Stainless steel headers need cleaned and polished, he doesn't send the car out for detailing, he removes the headers and cleans them himself. He is... The Most Interesting Man in the World."
Click to expand...

oh I got a good laugh out of that. Although they wouldn't have been removed if it wasn't for my engine being swapped. Those things are a major PITA to install... actually I think I even did a How-To write up on it back in the day.
 
Yep! I just ran across it when I was considering getting a set for my car! :)
Those do clean up pretty nice. I just wish MSDS would make some SS headers with all the bungs and with their current design at an affordable price. Is that too much to ask? :)
Erick --
 
Interesting. Good job cleaning those babies up...

On a side note - I can totally see why MSDS went after Weapon R. Those are mirror copies of the MSDS headers... Wow... :eek:
 
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