Jump to content

Stainless Headers


Heckeng

Recommended Posts

Has anybody out there used any stainless headers on their cars? I'm wondering if they will be prone to galvanic corrosion where you connect the stainless pieces to the carbon, like at the block, or at the collector if you have carbon steel exhaust after the headers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

The bolts are not isolated though, so you will still have the stainless to carbon interaction. I'm guessing nobody has the stainless headers on the forum yet. If I had some $$ to waste, I'd get a set, just because they wouldn't rust or peel paint!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why not cover the threaded ends of the bolts with locktite or an anti seize compound using stainless self locking type bolts from ARP. that should eliminate/reduce the problem of electrolisis occuring.

 

just a thought but someone else can chime in on this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

is it just me or is this way over thinking..... only time there should be much of a problem is if there is current flow across the parts. So unless your exhaust is your ground strap no worries. also consider that stainless is much less likely to erode than most other things. another thing to consider is that in some cases its hard to find a header for a newer car that isnt stainless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It probably is overthinking, but you will have potential for galvanic corrosion any time that two dissimilar metals are in contact with an electrolytic fluid, current is generated by the two different metals. Condensation in the exhaust would instigate corrosion, as well as if you had driven it outside and it was wet out. I suppose except for startup and when the car wasn't running, the exhaust would be ot enough that any water would evaporate which would make it a moot point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my 97 vette it has factory stainless exhaust manifolds, (almost a header by design) anyways the heads are aluminum and the bolts and stainless manifolds look like the day they came off the assembly line 9 years ago... wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Check out this site for interaction between metals in salt water./www.corrosion-doctors.org/Definitions/galvanic-series.htm I don't believe there should be much concern with interaction between different metals in an exhaust system. I would be more concerned with aluminium heads and a cast iron block with bad anitfreeze or no corrosion protrction at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw Trucks and they were talikng about using a new cast header tha looked a lot like the stock exhaust manifold but is supposed to perfomr better. Anybody seen or used them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...