Aftermarket High Flow Headers "Cheap"

[Lextreme II]

I got this latest email today. Its sad to say China is killing everyone with clones. I can not disclose who it is made by or how they got a hold of these headers (not from me), but its happening.

Here is SS headers for $599 for mild steel with coating


Here is the China Made mild steel flanges with stainless pipes.


They look pretty much identical.

 

[ToranaJudd]

MMM They look sexy!!

They are not the TT one tho, their for N/A right?

Judd

 

[Lextreme II]

By the way, the China headers only $150 per set.

 

[JustenGT8]

Done!! I'll take a set David How do we order?

 

[Lextreme II]

LOL... I dont sell them and I don't plan to. Its a very sensitive product and dont want to get involve with legal stuff.

WARNING: These headers (China) might have fitment problems with SC400 or LS400. These headers are not tested or installed. So don't get too excited yet.

 

[Toysrme]

Looks good. Plus its small enough to not need extra bracing that some manifolds tend to need.

Kewlness.

 

[zidaro]

David,
Would you consider the SS Headers to be "block huggers" -as I am in need of as much room as possible.
Also, and maybe most importantly, are they CA (CARB) legal and certified?
aaron

 

[Lextreme II]

Honestly last time I read the SS headers were made for the GS400 not for the earlier model 1uzfe. Matter of fact I think the knock offs are the same too and I dont think they will bolt onto the SC or LS and they were not made with EGR also.

 

[Chase]

These seem to be a direct copy. It is sad that people copy other's products for little to no profit. It kills the companies that really work hard and spend the time to make these products in the first place.

If it was up to me, i would take legal action, its been done before.

 

[Chase]

I got this latest email today. Its sad to say China is killing everyone with clones. I can not disclose who it is made by or how they got a hold of these headers (not from me), but its happening.

Here is SS headers for $599 for mild steel with coating


Here is the China Made mild steel flanges with stainless pipes.


They look pretty much identical.

Are you sure those are stainless steel? They look powder coated to me. I sell stainless steel products all day long and these look a little dull in comparison. Do the magnet test to find out if they are really stainless steel. Also if you notice the weld spots, they are coated, otherwise they would have a more goldish color to them.

 

[Death By Bass]

this is my 304 stainless manifold for my 2JZGTE...

made in China...

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1015/manifold1rf0.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7118/manifold2tv8.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6606/manifold3vs1.jpg

cost $AU300... ($US250)

anyhoo!!!

just showing what stainless should look like... lol

 

[Chase]

this is my 304 stainless manifold for my 2JZGTE...

made in China...

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1015/manifold1rf0.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7118/manifold2tv8.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6606/manifold3vs1.jpg

cost $AU300... ($US250)

anyhoo!!!

just showing what stainless should look like... lol

Yep, thats what is should look like unless those are stainless steel and then ceramic/powder coated for some strange reason. I know of companies that try to claim their products are stainless and then ceramic coated which is usually an indicator of false advertising. I would stay away from "ceramic coated stainless steel headers."

 

[puredrifter]

did anyone ever find out if these were real SS or powdercoated mild steel?

 

[puredrifter]

bump ?

 

[Chase]

did anyone ever find out if these were real SS or powdercoated mild steel?

By looking at the picture alone, it is ceramic coated 100%, no question about it. If it was stainless steel there wouldnt be a reason to get it coated so i am only to assume that they are made out of mild steel.

 

[cjsupra90]

By looking at the picture alone, it is ceramic coated 100%, no question about it. If it was stainless steel there wouldnt be a reason to get it coated so i am only to assume that they are made out of mild steel.

I agree 100% that they are coated. Now whether or not it is actual ceramic is another question in itself.

as for ceramic coating stainless, It is done and has been proven to benefit in some cases. Yes, stainless does have a relitively low thermal conductivity rate and therefor benefits in exhaust scavaging and helping to lower underhood temps, but by adding ceramic coating, the thermal conductivity rate is reduced even further. My neighbor did it on his LS6 camaro (yes, motor swap) and there was about 175*F rise in EGT across the board when monitored at the collector and a noticible drop in underhood temps too. How much of a benefit this really has is still questionable in my opinion. I could see this process being of benefit when using large tube headers to bring back some of the low end torque that you would have lost or didn't get with the large tube units. My other fear with doing this is that I'd think that the likelyhood of cracking is increased due to more heat retained and therefor more thermal expansion.

 

[Chase]

I agree 100% that they are coated. Now whether or not it is actual ceramic is another question in itself.

as for ceramic coating stainless, It is done and has been proven to benefit in some cases. Yes, stainless does have a relitively low thermal conductivity rate and therefor benefits in exhaust scavaging and helping to lower underhood temps, but by adding ceramic coating, the thermal conductivity rate is reduced even further. My neighbor did it on his LS6 camaro (yes, motor swap) and there was about 175*F rise in EGT across the board when monitored at the collector and a noticible drop in underhood temps too. How much of a benefit this really has is still questionable in my opinion. I could see this process being of benefit when using large tube headers to bring back some of the low end torque that you would have lost or didn't get with the large tube units. My other fear with doing this is that I'd think that the likelyhood of cracking is increased due to more heat retained and therefor more thermal expansion.

Ceramic coating will help even on stainless steel however, it will increase the risk of cracking. It is still a good idea for race cars, for those who need the most they can get during one race. For daily driving on a normal car i would not coat anything stainless. The main reason companies ceramic coat mild steel headers is mainly for esthetic reasons due to the fact that mild steel looks ugly uncoated and after a few runs looks even worse, not to mention will rust fairly quick if it doesn't have any coating to protect it.

Again, i wouldn't coat any stainless steel products that are meant to last.

 

[Red Supra]

As long as they are coated they should last a long time even if they are not 100% stainless. But as always you get what you pay for. Millions of people everyday buy products manufactured in China and are happy with them. China doesn't always mean bad, Cheap and China means bad!

 

[JBrady]

See my slave labor post in the EKT thread.

 

[cjsupra90]

Ceramic coating will help even on stainless steel however, it will increase the risk of cracking..........

Yeah I know that and stated that in the last sentance of my post that that would be my biggest fear due to more thermal expansion because of that higher heat retension within the tubes.