TransAm525

After only being on my Corvette for four months, my sidepipes and collectors look like total crap. I am not happy at all with the Jet Hot Sterling coating which costed me over $600. The areas under the hood like brand new, but any part exposed to the elements outside look like crap. They have rust-type stains on them that take an hour to polish off, and the areas between the primary pipes which lead into the collector are rust stained for good. I am considering sending them back to Jet Hot to have the outsides (keeping the internal coating) stripped and sent back so I can have them chrome plated. Do any of you who have chrome headers or sidepipes have any serious rust problems? What other coatings might you suggest. After spending almost $2000 for the headers, pipes, and stainless JCL baffles, this should not happen.

MikeC

From what I hear chrome is less durable than the jet hot coatings. I have seen a few sets of the chrome headers that weren't taken care of that well and where the 4 primaries go into the collector were rusted all to hell.

I have no experience with Jet Hot coatings, so take my opionion with a grain of salt. Keep the coated ones, and give them a shine once a week. I paint may black ones, once a month at least.

rainman69

I would suggest contacting Jet-Hot. I would think that they would do a re-coat for you at no cost, since they didn't do a good job the first time. This is the first complaint I've heard from anyone that got theirs coated...

So, I'd say see what they were willing to do for you as "the customer is always right" (although I don't see that around a lot any more). Good luck! :smash:

0Mike69@ECS

I'm with rainman.... I bet they will make it right. This is the first time I have heard a complaint about Jet Hot as well - In fact I was considering sending my Chrome Sidepipes to them to have them Sterling Coated.

I'll be watching...

BTW do you have some pics???

69classchass

I put 500-1000miles a month on my car.I have chrome hookers sidepipes. Under the car, I dont even bother with that area of the primaries. The headers to heads, have yellowed and blued..I expected that, no big deal, I keep them clean there and they look fine to me. But ouside, where the primaries go into the collector, I polish everyweek or when they get crappy from road debris..whichever comes first. The sidepipes almost doubled my cosmetic maintenence time on my car. :smash:
But they were worth it too me.
Tom :seeya

Wrencher

After various bikes and cars with chrome or coated pipes, I tried a set of painted ones and like the result. I have to give 'em a quick sand and re-paint every few months, but the black-gray into dark black look gives it a "run hard" look I really like.

Hans

ddn

Chrome is much less durable than Jet Hot. This is the only bad thing I have ever heard about Jet Hot. It's supposed to be indestructable.

Send them back, maybe they werent prepared correctly. My guess is they will gladly make it right.

Alwyn678

For 2,000 bucks they should be gold with Diamonds Encrusted..I would send them back for sure

James

I have a number of different exhaust componets cermic coated by a company called High Performance Coatings out of Salt lake. http://www.hpcoatings.com/
I have had there aluminum colored ceramic coating on a set of headers in my 68 Rally Sport Camaro for over 5 years and they still look very nice.
I just purchased a complete Big Block Hooker side exhaust system from them and this time I had them ceramic coat them in there black ceramic coating.
I will have to see how the black holds up but they look real nice.
They give a very nice gaurantee with all of there coated products.
I would give the guys at Jet Hot a call I bet they will make things right.

1yy07

Give them a call thet WILL make it right! I have used them for a long time,they will help you.sorry that happend! :smash:

MassVette

The Hooker ceramic coating on my system turned to crap after a couple of months! But I thought Jet-Hot was supposed to be a lot better. Good thing I used the chrome side tubes, I guess! SEND 'EM BACK!
:yesnod: :chevy :chevy :yesnod:

TransAm525

Jet Hot said they will recoat the headers and sidepipes. They have an lifetime rust through warranty. The only part I am not happy with is the fact that I will have to spend an entire weekend taking all of it back off, then spend a fortune in shipping, only to have them done like they should have been done in the first place. As it sounds, the chrome plating is not the way to go (even more rust problems). I think living near the beach in Florida has a lot to do with the problem. I am taking the car back to California this summer for good, now that I am in my last semester of college. I plan to take the car to a detail shop in the next couple weeks to have the paint buffed. I will see if they can maybe buff the sidepipes too and remove some of the stains.

bence13_33

Mike:
You say you paint your black ones at least once a month? What kind of spray paint do you use (I used 1200* Ceramic Paint). I have a set of black hooker header side pipes that I will be using on the big block. You don't paint them while on the car do you? What causes them to go to crap so quickly? I don't plan on driving my car in the rain at all so it should somewhat prolong the life of the paint(you would think). Thanks.

MikeC

I use satin black Header paint from Canadian Tire..... Not that you know what canadian tire is but its is a great store, but doesn't probably have the best quality header paint.

The sidepipes are great, the only reason I paint them is from stone chips. The headers and collector grey a little bit from the heat. most people wouldn't notice it but I do.

I paint them on the car.....I am just careful and use a large piece of Cardboard to block of areas to prevent overspray. I'll see if I have any pics where you can see the greying.

MikeC

The valve covers are painted with the same paint for comparison



*edit* i don't paint the underhood headers too often, just the sidepipes to where the headers are no longer affected by stuff coming up from the tire


[Modified by MikeC, 1:41 PM 2/8/2002]