Header quality check - M2

jumbosrule

jumbosrule

Fully FX Invested
Premium
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Car
2003 FX35T
Name
Brad
http://www.m2performance.net/product/productdetail.asp?productid=5948 They come with new gaskets and attachment hardware.

Found these stainless steel headers. I had never planned to get headers, but these are so inexpensive I thought I might just try them out. If I don't like them I can just put my exhaust manifolds back on. I've tried things out before just for the heck of it. Doesn't bother me if I don't like it and end up selling them used in a few weeks.

What makes headers good/bad quality? If they need to be coated for heat - is that something I could do?

Would they be worth trying out if I modified them:
1) Send out to get ceramic coated ($$$)
2) heat wrapped with silicone seal ($$)
3) ceramic engine enamel/caliper paint ($)

I have the Stillen dual exhaust and stock cats. I don't really care what the headers end up looking like, but I don't want my car to be too loud. Just looking for a "header education".
 
Last edited:
I would try to find out how they were manufactured. I remember a couple years ago on the mitsu forums where some super cheap headers worked well, but wouldn't last long because they were made of thin steel and welded poorly. This resulted in cracking at the welds and warping of the flanges.

That being said, I say deffinitely try them out, hard to be for that cheap! It would be good to see a dyno difference with them too! I suggest getting the ceramic (hot-jet) coating on them, as I've also seen problems with "budget" headers and heat wrap. It probably shouldn't cost more that $60-80 for coating.
 
Materials, design, and welds are mostly what separates good headers from bad. Cheap headers often use lower grades of stainless that will rust. Also, often times they use a thinner material that is more prone to cracking. Also, the design is usually not given much consideration. All the stuff that people worry about on expensive headers - tubing diameter, merge design, etc. are not considered. They figure out the cheapest way to put it together and do that. I've seen eBay headers (I know these officially aren't sold on eBay, but it's the exact same ones just rebranded) not gain a single hp over stock. Finally, the welds are going to be suspect on cheaper headers. They look pretty on the outside because they're robotic welded just like the expensive ones, but a lot of times the penetration will by iffy. Also, if you check on the inside you'll usually see a lot of crap from the welds.

Having said that, I used an eBay turbo manifold on my old Integra that worked out great. But in that case, design wasn't as important as headers on a N/A car. If you've got the time to put them on, why not try it. But if you have to pay for labor to put them on, maybe spend a little more on nice ones that are proven to make power? It would be annoying to put them on and have them crack shortly down the road, then have to pay to take them off.

I would Jet Hot coat it. That stuff works and it actually looks nice. I'm not a fan of heat wrapping just because moisture can build up and corrode the tubes. Ceramic engine paint does work; but it's the least durable of the 3 choices. I painted the uppipe and downpipe on my old turbo setup and it started burning off probably 3-4 months after. It was the highest temp rated paint I could find, but it's just not designed for sustained levels of that type of heat.

jumbosrule said:
http://www.m2performance.net/product/productdetail.asp?productid=5948 They come with new gaskets and attachment hardware.

Found these stainless steel headers. I had never planned to get headers, but these are so inexpensive I thought I might just try them out. If I don't like them I can just put my exhaust manifolds back on. I've tried things out before just for the heck of it. Doesn't bother me if I don't like it and end up selling them used in a few weeks.

What makes headers good/bad quality? If they need to be coated for heat - is that something I could do?

Would they be worth trying out if I modified them:
1) Send out to get ceramic coated ($$$)
2) heat wrapped with silicone seal ($$)
3) ceramic engine enamel/caliper paint ($)

I have the Stillen dual exhaust and stock cats. I don't really care what the headers end up looking like, but I don't want my car to be too loud. Just looking for a "header education".
Click to expand...
 
theMerchant said:
ebay has them cheaper...:embarrassed:
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=35...op=15&_ssov=1&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282
Click to expand...

Actually - the website I linked is the eBay headers. I just followed the store link. Shipping is $45, so if you can get them for less than $60 on eBay, then yes they are cheaper.

I'd do the work myself, since I have already taken off the exhaust manifolds twice. Having the headers crack wouldn't be the end of the world - unless they harm my engine. It just means another half saturday gone to swap back in the manifolds.

I'm not really sold on the idea - just looking for projects that help teach me details you can only learn from doing.
 
I think it would be fun project for research, and you could get lucky and love them. As long as you know there's a chance something could go wrong, and you don't mind giving up the couple hundred dollars, and time.
 
tchuck said:
Isn't burning an exhaust valve a concern if the header cracks enough?
Click to expand...

I don't understand how this would happen? The valves are in the engine, so why would the exaust have any effect on the valves burning?

FWIW after searching it looks like most aftermarket headers come in under $400. It might be worth it to buy a "nicer" set to get better quality materials, you might even be able to find a set that has a hi-heat coating.


Just to reassure myself...

Are 350z/g35 headers direct bolt-ons for our fx35's?
 
Theoretically, and I've never seen or heard of this happening, a crack in the headers close enough to the exhaust valves could allow air to flow back into the valve area. This would cause the air/fuel mixture to go really lean and burn a valve. But in reality, I think the flow of exhaust out of the engine would keep any air from flowing back up to the valve area.

herostar said:
I don't understand how this would happen? The valves are in the engine, so why would the exaust have any effect on the valves burning?

FWIW after searching it looks like most aftermarket headers come in under $400. It might be worth it to buy a "nicer" set to get better quality materials, you might even be able to find a set that has a hi-heat coating.


Just to reassure myself...

Are 350z/g35 headers direct bolt-ons for our fx35's?
Click to expand...
 
shadow191 said:
Theoretically, and I've never seen or heard of this happening, a crack in the headers close enough to the exhaust valves could allow air to flow back into the valve area. This would cause the air/fuel mixture to go really lean and burn a valve. But in reality, I think the flow of exhaust out of the engine would keep any air from flowing back up to the valve area.
Click to expand...


This is exactly what I was talking about. I guess I've never actually seen it happen either, but I know it to be a concern in regard to exhaust (header) gasket failures, and a crack in the weld joining the pipe to the flange on the engine side would be strikingly similar to a gasket failure. Other possibilities (albeit remote) are cracked/warped heads, burnt spark plugs, and detonation due to the increased temperatures relating to the leaner mixture. You're basically looking at a really low likelihood of something really bad happening. FWIW...
 
I'm considering trying Megans...a lot of guys run their header, downpipe, and catback on Evo IXs and had great luck with them...only $249 shipped on ebay
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top