Polish your stainless headers prior to install

[christianchevell]

Just a note to let you all know I am very pleased with the results from polishing my headers prior to their install next week. The stainless power headers I got from Maryland speed for $712 with high flow cats came as many stainless may come with just regular unpolished finish on them and I wanted to dress them up having worked with sheet metal and welding for my job's over the years.

I spent about 15-20$ at harbor freight and got a green stick for polishing the stainless and a couple flat round rag end buffing pads and a cone cotton pad for my drill and went at it. A couple hours later after cleaning off the excess I am very pleased with the results to make the headers not dull but more comparable with chrome or ceramic finish and look forward to their heating and looking a nice shiny champagne color.

It does not take much buffing to get great results and thought I would share this tip, I know this is worthless without pics, so I will put some on here after my wife wakes up....lol And after next week when they are installed with my cam I will try to do my first u tube video of my TSP 639/623 cam with 7.425 rods and dyno tune. Good luck and have a great day. P.s. My drill has a supposed 3000 limit though I doubt it as it was a harbor freight buy just in case I over worked it, a cheap $20 deal, and polishing is best done at high rpm below 4500 rpm. I am very pleased with the quality of the stainless power headers, their thick gauge and welds and the merge collector spike, and the collector its self is brushed stainless and needed no polishing like the tubes which are basically stainless pipe.


Ok the pics...... the stainless Power come without polishing to the pipes so this is nice for them, I could have spent longer but bye I wanted to do it fast as this is a fairly neglected area that gets dirty a lot on a engine, And I know polishing will help smooth the surface and help keep dirt off. I also know other brands that cost more come pre polished, or with out a merge collector and spike that make these headers nice compared to some others that just dump four into one. Have a nice day.

[IH8OPEC]

[Deke736]

Definitely need some pics of this!

[2011WhiteSS]

Thanks for posting. Subscribed for pics.

[cadyshac]

I looked all over the Maryland Speed site for those headers/cats at that price and couldn't find anything, do you have a part #?

And yes, pic's please!

[christianchevell]

Bump for the pics....... Wish I had taken some close up before to show the stock streaking from the tube bending that this totally removes.


Here is the link.......... http://marylandspeed.com/stainless-p...st-p-3616.html




Stainless Power Long Tube Headers (1 7/8" x 3") with Catted Connection Pipes - 2010-2012 Camaro SS 6.2L V8

Part # SPCA11HDRCATST Sale Price: $711.95 you save $188.00! Retail Price: $899.95 Shipping: Free
Quantity: Product Info



These headers are Stainless Works headers made overseas. They come with a two year warranty instead of the standard lifetime warranty American made SW headers carry. For more info, click HERE! This PT# is for Headers with High Flow Catted Connection Pipes!
Stainless Works introduces our new brand of value-line header and exhaust products made for the high-quality market, yet specially priced for the cost conscious consumer. Stainless Power is a brand name line of exhaust products that has been designed and manufactured to the exacting standards made famous by Stainless Works. These products are exclusively made and inspected to our exact specifications and made from the highest quality 304L Stainless Steel.
Features:

• • 304L Stainless Steel construction
• • Mandrel bent smooth primaries
• • Fully Tig Welded
• • 3/8" thick 304 stainless steel header flanges

• • NEW Formed Merge Collectors
• • Welded-in Merge Spikes
• • O2 Bungs welded in place

• • All necessary O2 extensions included for front O2s
• • Install-Ready: Includes Header Bolts, RTV Hi Temp Silicon and necessary clamps
• • 24-Month Guarantee

And please use stock gm. metal exhaust gaskets not the silicone though it may work it is highly probable to blow out leaving a exhaust leak over time as headers like to flex.

[Deke736]

That's a great price! I got mine from JRE about weeks ago and paid the regular price! Those headers also look great. Nice job on the polishing!

[ackeight]

I don't want to pee in your Cheerios but I think once they are used and get heated up you won't be able to tell they are polished. I may be wrong, I hope I am for your sake and hard work, but ceramic coating may be the only way to keep them looking good long term. They do look good though.

[sscamaro]

Originally Posted by ackeight

I don't want to pee in your Cheerios but I think once they are used and get heated up you won't be able to tell they are polished. I may be wrong, I hope I am for your sake and hard work, but ceramic coating may be the only way to keep them looking good long term. They do look good though.

I agree with you. All 304SS will turn purple after their heated up a few times. I did the same thing on my LT headers for my C6 Corvette. It was a waste of time, they turned purple later.

[JCunningham]

if they turned purple they were really heated correct?. On my truck mine turned gold.

[axis]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

if they turned purple they were really heated correct?. On my truck mine turned gold.

They mostly turn gold, as in your case but the hot spots will turn purplish.

As others have posted, the ONLY way to keep them looking polished is to have them coated. My coated Kooks look almost exactly like they did the day I installed them.

[JCunningham]

i like the gold

[axis]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

i like the gold

I hear ya. Some do, some prefer them looking shiny and new. Either way, performance isn't helped or hindered.

OP, what's up with these tubes? Looks like someone beat the hell out of the ends. It doesn't appear that any of them are flush with the merge section.

[Hicompression]

Originally Posted by axis

OP, what's up with these tubes? Looks like someone beat the hell out of the ends. It doesn't appear that any of them are flush with the merge section.

My OBX collectors looked waaaaay better than that.