stainless steel verus ceramic

[rsylvstr]

I know this is more or less a preference thing...but is it worth the extra $170 for the ceramic coated JBA headers?
I'm lookin at the 1679S ($373.95) or the 1679SJS ($540.95) from autoanything, doesn't look like anyone can beat their prices.t

Also, i've asked before, but how is the hardware and gaskets that comes with JBA??? Should i be looking at other brands of those?

[bad96]

just my experience--
i have cer. coat headers (about 1.5 yrs old)and rust is comin thru, they may have seen 2000 miles since installed (not a dd) and it is stored inside

ill never pay for these again--ill go stainless

[Franken-Truck]

I was always lead to believe that the ceramic coating was for heat retention IN the exhaust stream. . .the inside isn't treated and can/will rust through. Especially if you don't drive it. When it sits moisture collects and just sits inside the headers and rusts them out. Starting it up regularly clears out the moisture and the carbon coating the exhaust leaves might even help prevent rust damage
Speculation on my part, I really don't know

But I'd say Stainless for longevity, and ceramic coat them to keep under hood temps down

[ghunt]

My experience-

My brother (accidentally) got ceramic coated Dynomax headers for his F150. After less than a year the ceramic coating was falling off the lower part of the headers.

Also, I bought a log manifold for my Thunderbird when I was building the engine and paid $100 extra for ceramic coating (and it was coated inside & out). It started to rust after less than a year also, now I've had it for 3 or 4 years and it's got rust all over it.

I haven't been very impressed.

[rsylvstr]

thanks gents. sounds like saving $170 and gaining longevity to boot.

[Bear River]

Well, the ceramic coating does help keep the heat down, but remember, stainless steel is a very poor conductor of heat itself. Which is probably part of the reason the stainless steel is uncoated.

[kens64]

Ceramic is easier to clean, and will help keep underhood temps down compared to stainless.

The key with coatings is to keep from scratching it. The slightest scratch can let in moisture and rust and make the whole part look bad.
Im not talking about little scratches, I mean bumping the part against something during install or some kind of hard hit and not noticing the coating came off.
Of course there is always the quality of the coater/coating to be aware of also.

I have experience with ceramic coatings and would not hesitate to buy it again.

[Bear River]

You could always have the stainless ones ceramic coated.

[dkf]

I have never saw a set of ceramic coated headers that will not eventually rust, peel or look crappy eventually. I would get the stainless headers. You can always get a can of Duplicolor or similar 1200 deg ceramic header paint and paint the headers with it. Prep the headers good and scuff up with an abrasive pad like Norton Beartex. I use the Duplicolor paint to keep after my Thorley headers. My Thorley header are a high dollar set of headers with a good cermaic coating and they still get specs of rust in short order. The header paint works good and is cheap and it has some ceramic in it. A ceramic coating is just a glorified paint.

[graden]

Ceramic coating should be on the inside and outside for best wear..quality job....I have a set of headers that have lasted for 15 years now....you do lose the shine after a while from the heat...but still better then paint or bare metal.....just my two cents

[flowriteexhaust]

If you have the coating done by Jet Hot it's guaranteed as long as you own it, if it comes off, they will redo it for free