355 headers NEEDED!!!

Many thanks to Dave Helms and Dave Ferraridriver for adding your experience; I agree, I'm going coated now...just need to find a good supplier. I'm hoping to find a local source so I can drive them over and talk to the guys who will do it. Personally I'm leaning away from coating the inside, even though these are new. On the outside the coating really just has to deal with heat. On the inside it will be blasted with high speed exhaust gas with all kinds of combustion products including moisture. Over time I bet moisture will seep into microcracks and eventually loosen up the coating. Or worse yet in the winter it may freeze and expand. On straight pipes this is no big deal, but with cats I'm not running the risk.

 

So, you are running bypass pipes up top and what down below?
My headers too were working apparantly well at 22,369 miles, (your 36,000 km), and did not fail until 32,000 miles.

-Billy

(Hey, my Mom, Sis, and Bro, all live in Mississauga, and I'm originally from Calgary)

 

Ditto, yes thanks guys for the input.

-Billy

 

This is the site I used to buy heat shielding

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/heat_shield.php

The aluminum Reflect-a Shield is more than adequate for the alternator, and the Reflect-a-Sleeve is good for hoses and wire looms.

I used stainless Inferno Shield under the headers, in some places they are actually in contact.

It’s important to use a reflective material because you are trying to shield from radiant heat, not ambient heat.

There is not much to be done about ambient heat except keep hoses and wires as far away as possible. I re-routed the spark plug looms, maybe I can post a pic later.

 

I came across this while searching for something else, but I just couldn't let it go...

Removal, or wiring open, of the exhaust bypass valve does next to nothing for performance or longevity of the rest of the exhaust, but my wife will thank you.

Not only does doing this upset the Motronic no end, it often leads to such significant wear on the engine that a complete rebuild is required. A full set of pistons, liners and rings is almost 9K. Head rebuild maybe 4K, and then there's the labor. So, my wife is thankful for EBV's being wired open as it puts money in her spa-day account

 

Just had a conversation with someone who knows a lot about these cars and this post came up. I guess I need to qualify my statement by saying that this does NOT apply to cars that are driven primarily at WOT - e.g. race cars, track-day-only cars. The damage gets done when the car is running around in traffic, or just cruising on the freeway. I.e. at those times the EBV would normally be closed.

Dave

 

Try to get Tubi if you can-that's what I had to do eventually.
But whatever you do don't get a set of S!#@ro manifolds-I went through two sets(leaky!).....
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Good post; what's going on there, did a weld fail?

 

I had a really bad experience with these-twice!!
Yes you can see they leaked where the black soot is. You
don't always get what you pay for-$5,000 for these... Mark

 

The weld on the inside failed I guess-there should be a bead
on the outside too, don't you think? But I don't see one. M.

 

I'll help you say the word---STEBRO!!! Stay away!!! I to have had bad personal experience with them...terrible company...

 

I could say a lot of bad things about them, but it's all water under the bridge right!
I have Tubi on there now-best thing I ever did! Quality
and fitment are top notch. Mark

 

Was the 'leak' audible?

 

Yes it was just starting to be audible-ever so slight. After about two months of use
these began to leak... Mark

 

That is bad..... very bad..........., their stuff is very ugly to begin with. So if they don't even stay together then its just a complete waste of metal, time and energy !!

 

You can imagine my dissappointment! Frustration, aggravation etc. ... Mark

 

Mark, I am sorry to hear about your troubles but you have done a great service by sharing this here so thank you for that.

 

I'm glad I could help. I have had some bad luck with my car
but I finally got it squared away.
I have learned a lot from other members here, so it
was time for me to add something. Mark