What do you guys think? Would polish out 304 stainless headers, or ceramic coat them?

No You are wasting your money to coat the stainless headers.

I have Borla stainless (not sure the grade though) headers on my car. They will last forever but they did turn varying shades of gold and brown in different areas. I took them off and sent them to Jet-Hot for coating. They look great now. There is also the heat retension issue. I noticed my underhood temps are way down now that my headers are coated.

Jon

I had mine (SLP) coated.

"Looks" isn't the reason why.

The coating is an insulation; keeps the heat inside the headers.

This accomplishes 2 things: (1) helps keep velocity in the tubes as high as possible (since the hot gas isn't cooling and shrinking), which makes them evacuate the cylinders better, and therefore make more power and use less fuel; and (2) keep underhood temps down. I have no problems with burning up plug wires or starters, or my hoses and wiring all turning to dust, like typical engine compartments with headers do.

I'm glad I had it done. I will NEVER install another set of headers again, without it.

If you already have stainless and don't want to keep cleaning them, do it - but note that not all coatings insulate - some are mostly for show. Jet Hot, which is more expensive, is one of the best insulating.

If you don't have headers yet, buy them already coated and skip the stainless steel - they last "forever" if coated inside and out.

If you already have stainless and don't want to keep cleaning them, do it - but note that not all coatings insulate - some are mostly for show. Jet Hot, which is more expensive, is one of the best insulating.

If you don't have headers yet, buy them already coated and skip the stainless steel - they last "forever" if coated inside and out.

Not necessarily true. My Dads headers on his 55 are mild steel and coated in and out from Jet Hot and they rusted down by the collectors over the past five years. And the car has never seen any weather. Now, they're not rusted through but bad enough to look like chit...

Maybe the coating is more advanced today that it was 5-6 yrs ago?...idk

what does somthing like this cost to get done?
im really wanting to get my painted headers done.

thanks.

aaron

My headers are ceramic coated (my first experience with them) and I'll NEVER buy headers again without ceramic coating. They look great all the time, not to mention all the other benefits already brought up.

I paid 173.00 to get mine ceramic coated in Joplin,Mo. last year. Now I get to buy a new set and get it done again :clonk:

Have you guys heard of anyone running nitroplate? My neighbor had both sets of his dynatech headers on his dragsters Nitroplated. Reminded me of HPC coating but more shine to it. Stuff appeared to hold up really well. But heck its a dragster. Does'nt see much abuse either other than the methanol he ran through it.