Matthew91-Z28

I own a 91 Z28 and am about to do an exhaust mod. I'm not trying to go all out with competition long tube headers; I'm thinking about just gettign the Hooker shorty headers. But I don't know if I have AIR in my car and I don't know whether to get coated or uncoated.

COuld anyone offer some advice?

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Definetly coat them, they'll last, look better, better for power, and will run cooler.

brodyscamaro

stock your car came with AIR

highhat

If ya don't have emissions testing lose the A.I.R setup. No noticeable power but really cleans up the engine bay.

kfoley

Get rid of the air pump, and definitely get them coated. Then your underhood temps will be much lower.

Beefy89

For $180 I'll take mine off every 3 years and paint them..Heat's not a problem for me because my car rarely runs over 190*....

Ricktpi

It's more like every 6 months here on the east coast. Go for the coated. Lose the AIR if you don't have E tests where you are.

tpi_roc

Keep in mind that coating headers can be a $200 "magic air" experience. First time you get them headers nice and hot and all that coating is gone and doesn't do you a bit of good.

Dont run rich, dont run lean, and keep your timing PLENTY advanced.

Matthew91-Z28

you've got to be kidding! The coating does not last? Are we talking powder or ceramic?

tpi_roc

I'm talking ceramic coating.

If you get your headers super hot (say a cam break in) the coating is gone.


Granted they have to get pretty hot, but the first time you do it you lose your $200

Matthew91-Z28

So...I guess you don't recommend coated headers. I'm guessingyou have headers in your car that were once coated but aren't anymore. Are you satisfied with how they perform?

cort351w

We have this great feature at thirdgen.org called search. It allows you to search the message boards past and present. Chances are that your question has been asked and answered before. Try a search or two before posting common questions. You'll have an answer sooner and everyone else will have a week in which that question wasn't posted! The search button is in the upper-righthand region of the page.



Not trying to be a dick, but this question comes up every week or so, along with "Can I put dual exhaust on a thirdgen?" and "Can I put fourth gen seats/console in my thirdgen?"

In answer to your question, this is one of the rare ones out of the sea of "should I coat my headers?" threads in that the answer is usually almost a unanimous "Yes, get them coated."

My answer is to not buy SLP because they won't fit. (I'm not sure what percentage of people on here have the problem, but A LOT of people have to move the steering column to accomodate SLP headers.) If I were doing it again, I'd get coated Hooker Supercomps or coated Hooker LT's.

TPI Guy

I bought a pair of Hooker Super Comps and they were ceramic Coated. It was never driven in the salt, and the damn things are rusting ... my friend had the exact same problem with his montecarlo TES headers that he had coated. It doesn't seem to work well

Matthew91-Z28

Albeit, headers are a common topic (1178 pages on them), and there are 50 pages of topics with "coating" and "headers" in the subject line, I don't have much time (not sure about anyone else) to sift through them all to find my particular question answered. Also, new members sign up everyday and posting a new topic may draw some new opinions.

The last thing I want to do is waste anybody's time. Believe me, medical school leaves scant time to do much (i'm lucky if i can relax and take a crap at the same time .

So, wear were we? Is there any company that makes a long-lasting coating? And maybe if we are lucky a nice warranty to go with them?

tpi_roc

You got it....

In fact I have pictures of them installed (all shiny and new, looking beeeeutifull) then pictures a day or two later after the engine ran and most of the ceramic being gone.

The perform well, fit like chit, and the ceramic was a gimmick, The only plus is they're stainless so supposedly they'll last.

Matthew91-Z28

Well, more than likely whatI'll do is hunt for some stainless steel shorty headers and see how it works. By the way, I'm looking at the shorty's because of clearance concerns. Is ths a worthwhile concern? Also, how do you like the sound your car makes now with the headers? I've heard some loud annoying ones and some loud, deep, mean sounding ones.

tpi_roc

The "Deepness" Comes from the pipe diameter and the muffler chosen.


I love the sound of my car, but after its capped off it isnt' necissarily due to the headers.


When its running open headers Its pretty damn mean sounding.

Matthew91-Z28

well, my set up has a 3in wide pipe and a flowmaster. At this point with the 305, a Dodge neon prob sounds louder. So the sound is something I am looking forward too. i love the sound of that rumble when you start it. The best is when you are driving in a parking garage and you set off car alarms with the vibrations.:lala:


I've got these great tips picked out too. You know how you see most 3rd gens with those 3in round tips extending a few inches behind? I figured the car's body is more square and angled than any other camaro body so I found these tips that reflect that. They are square shape with an angled cut; I've only found the sinlge tips for each pipe, but woul love to find somethign similar with dual outlets for each pipe. I think I saw them at thunderracing.com. Verrry nice. Damn can't wait.

I'm in school right now and am waiting on an "educational" loan to get all this work done. Complete drivetrain overhaul and suspension overhaul as well. She'll be a completely different beast.

George

I have Hedmans, Hooker Catback and some kind of high flow cat all of which were installed last summer.

The original y-pipe that came off my car was 18 years old and in too good condition to throw out although I don't know what I'm going to do with it.

I painted the headers before installing them and I expect they will last at least half as long as the factory exhaust by which time they will owe me nothing.

Do I care about coated headers?

By the way, maybe you should have gone to law school it's lot less work than meds.

rezinn

I've never heard of ceramic coating coming off. I've had mine for two years and it still looks perfect except for some small parts of the air tubes(which are not coated anyway). Methinks you got some crappy coating, tpi_roc. Where were they coated?

Matthew91-Z28

Law school? Yeah true...much less work, but everyone hates lawyers, especially doctors. I'm in this for the long haul. Another year of book science, 2 years of rotation, then internship and residency. I'm 27 now and won;t be done until I'm 33. Crazy.

Yeah, about the coating; perhaps it has something to do with who manufactures them. What type of headers do you guys have? I really wanted to go with Hooker shorty's. What the hell is on the manifold? Someone should just coat them with teflon or something.

George

Yeah well that is the stereotype and I can understand it because you sure wouldn't want me barking up your face if you left a set of forceps inside someone.

But anyway, for what it's worth I'd say get the shorties unless you plan on doing a lot of racing. As you know, the problem with the stock systems is that they are extremely restrictive. Short tube headers increase flow and they are an adequate solution for most applications. They are also a relatively easy install. Long tubes will make more power, particularly at high rpm, but they are a difficult install and have clearence problems.

If you are referring to what coating is on the stock manifold it is usually just a thin layer of rust as the manifold is cast iron and for the most part bullet proof.

Get Hookers or Hedmans. They are affordable and even uncoated they will probably outlast your interest in the car. When you begin to practice and if you're still into it you can put what you want on there.