Davis step headers

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by dragracerray

I don't have stainless headers but I saw Jon Kasse on YT I think saying that he has seen rust particles on top of the throttle blades! His assumption is that there is enough pulsation to move a rust particle from the header to the carb. I could see a backfire doing it. Here in the rust belt every first start of the season leaves lots of rust on the floor. He actually suggests a starting sequence where you get to 3000-4000 rpm as fast as you can after the engine lights. In my mind this adds an important reason to go stainless. I just curious are they building with 300 series stainless or 400? Ray

Look into Electroless Nickel Plating!

[1320racer]

The only reason to go with stainless is weight savings but don?t expect the weight savings of stainless headers over mild steel to show anything on the time slip.

[Mark Ugrich]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

The only reason to go with stainless is weight savings but don?t expect the weight savings of stainless headers over mild steel to show anything on the time slip.

There are more reasons than weight savings to use a stainless header.

[1320racer]

There is not. Stainless also looks like shyt when it heat cycles and is prone to cracking.

[Jim Kaekel]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

There is not. Stainless also looks like shyt when it heat cycles and is prone to cracking.

Gee, I've had the same set for the past 15 yrs. and they haven't cracked. It's also really nice to crawl under the car and not worry about getting rust in my eyes from mild steel headers. Easy to take apart as well as the collectors don't get rusted on. Once you go stainless...you won't go back.

[1320racer]

I’ve never had any any of your issues with mild steel, ceramic coated headers and mine still look as the day I installed them. Yours look like shyt!

FYI, the original set on my Firebird were 18 years old before I replaced them.

[dragracerray]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

I?ve never had any any of your issues with mild steel, ceramic coated headers and mine still look as the day I installed them. Yours look like shyt!

FYI, the original set on my Firebird were 18 years old before I replaced them.

Ed,
I have never been happy with ceramic coating. Looks great new but eventually looks like a rusty header. Who coats the header that lasted 18 years? Merry Christmas, Ray

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

I?ve never had any any of your issues with mild steel, ceramic coated headers and mine still look as the day I installed them. Yours look like shyt!

FYI, the original set on my Firebird were 18 years old before I replaced them.

Frankly, I like the appearance of a set of stainless headers that have been run and obtained that light bronzeish tint. If not, they can be restored to new with some elbow grease.

The heat transfer differences in the two metals are also supposed to favor stainless with under hood temps and gas flow. Although I don't see that mentioned in conversations as much as I have in the past.

Ceramic coated mild steel pipes can stay nice for a long time, if it was a quality job and they are taken care of. The problem is on the inside, where it matters, and where it's hard to get the coating right. I've seen plenty of ceramic headers that still look nice, but when you start the thing after sitting for awhile, the rust and crap blows out of the pipes as if they were bare inside.

That stuff gets back up into the engine too. No way around it.

[dragracerray]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Look into Electroless Nickel Plating!

Billy I never thought of that. Does the plating flake or discolor? I would think this would be a method to brand new headers and not used headers?
Merry Christmas, Ray

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by dragracerray

Billy I never thought of that. Does the plating flake or discolor? I would think this would be a method to brand new headers and not used headers?
Merry Christmas, Ray

The people who I deal with will only do new headers. I don't know about other outfits. It doesn't flake but it does discolor just like a stainless header. IMHO, much better than any ceramic coatings that I've dealt with. Not saying that all ceramic coatings are bad.