Ceramic vs chrome headers

[Slatco]

Is the upgrade to ceramic headers worth anything performance wise or is it strictly visual? Is it worth the $ to buy ceramic?

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Is the upgrade to ceramic headers worth anything performance wise or is it strictly visual? Is it worth the $ to buy ceramic?

yup ceramics keep the headers like, 50 degrees cooler

 

[Tanus]

drops underhood temps a ton.

Im sure they'd gain HP on a turbo set-up

 

[281pony]

i just prefer them for longevity over chrome ones.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Chrome will rust too eventually and look like chit

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I've even seen ceramic coating rust if not kept clean. The big deal is that it keeps heat inside the headers, which hype says promotes some kind of magical thing that could maybe make 1hp more. The "worth it" is that they'll last longer and look good longer and keep under hood temps lower. If you shell out the cash for true Jethot coated headers, they're coated inside and out and will last a long time (especially if the headers are stainless to begin with before being coated).

 

[ineeda5.0]

sry to thread jack but im in the same situation, my header gasket went out on my 5.0 ho with stock headers so might as well go performance, I am plannign to get ceramic headers as well cause they keep the engine bay a little cooler, Does anyone know if summit racing makes good headers??? Im plannign to order a pair of shorty ceramic headers from them

 

[Shakerhood]

I've even seen ceramic coating rust if not kept clean. The big deal is that it keeps heat inside the headers, which hype says promotes some kind of magical thing that could maybe make 1hp more. The "worth it" is that they'll last longer and look good longer and keep under hood temps lower. If you shell out the cash for true Jethot coated headers, they're coated inside and out and will last a long time (especially if the headers are stainless to begin with before being coated).

My Ford Racing ones have rust pits on them, the Jethot held up a little while.

 

[wythors]

I had FRPP stainless headers on my white car for 7 years and they started rusting within a year. By the time I took them off, they looked really ratty. Just surface stuff, but still... I replaced them three years ago with FRPP JetHot coated ones and they still look like the day I installed them. If you get them, inspect the coating for damage. Any little chip will invite rust to get a foot hold. The first set Summit sent me had a big chip in the coating. They immediately replaced them for me without any questions and the next set arrived perfect.

 

[tmoss]

my Jet-Hot coated MAC P headers are 6 years old and other than getting a little "milky" in color, they still look great.

 

[oz]

I have MAC equal length shorties in chrome and after 9 years, they still look great. No rust.

Ceramic are great - as long as you don't scratch or nick the surface while installing them.

 

[ineeda5.0]

would anyone recommend summit racing headerS?

 

[Shakerhood]

I had FRPP stainless headers on my white car for 7 years and they started rusting within a year. By the time I took them off, they looked really ratty. Just surface stuff, but still... I replaced them three years ago with FRPP JetHot coated ones and they still look like the day I installed them. If you get them, inspect the coating for damage. Any little chip will invite rust to get a foot hold. The first set Summit sent me had a big chip in the coating. They immediately replaced them for me without any questions and the next set arrived perfect.

They were perfect out of the box, but discolored a little after 1st using them and then the rust pits started within a year.

 

[NIKwoaC]

My chrome BBK equal length shorties have been nothing but a headache. In the future I'll go ceramic unequal length or ceramic long tubes. Chrome goes to **** real quick, and equal length headers cause all sorts of clearance issues. I also believe that chrome headers might cause more under hood heat than the stock black painted ones did, but that just might be me.