Century Performance Center, Inc. :: Sanderson Header Coatings

When you go to purchase a set of Sanderson Headers you will be presented with a couple choices. One of these choices is the type of finish you want on your new headers.

The standard finish on your new set of Sanderson headers is plain steel, and we do mean plain. There is no paint, sealer, anything. This allows you to paint, powder coat, chrome or ceramic coat your headers at a later date. You may need to make modifications to your headers before they are sealed to protect the header material, and then installed. Having a plain steel header saves you from the costs associated with stripping off the low quality paint that other manufacturers apply.

In years past when you purchased a set of headers you usually received a couple scratched up chunks of tube steel (your headers) that had been quickly sprayed with a 'supposedly' high heat black paint. Other manufacturers may have claimed to use a baking process to better adhere the pain to your headers. But no matter which method used, when you removed the headers from their packaging the first impression was usually not to your expectations.

I remember taking my new sets of headers straight to the blast cabinet after initial test fitting (once I forgot in my haste to get a car running), stripping off all the cheap paint and thoroughly cleaning the tubes from all grease, finger prints, everything. Then I would take new rubber gloves or clean towels and carefully find a warm, dry place to hang the headers on wire coat hangers. I'd let them get hot in the sunlight and then carefully paint them, which ended up in a time-consuming 5-7 coats of the best high heat header paint I could find. I'd plastic warp them and even try to install them into the various vehicles with the plastic still in place. It would never fail that I'd tear the plastic, scratch or chip the paint, or dent them. My frustration would start to show and my patience would fade. Then I'd probably end up spilling a bit of oil on them during break-in (I used to like a clean white header) and it would immediately stain the header. For the final act, the paint was usually falling off on its own after a few weeks no matter how careful I was making sure the engine was tuned properly.

Header manufacturers and engine builders have learned quite a bit since then. We have seen thermal tapes (header wraps), of which are a certain killer of your headers (read our article in the Tech Zone on header wraps), become popular for a time, then stainless steel materials for looks and durability. Currently you will still find mostly mild steel headers, but stainless steel as a base material is becoming more popular. But it is the thermal coatings that have made the biggest improvement to modern header technology.

Thermal barrier coatings are also known as a Ceramic Coating, Thermal Ceramic Coating, Aluminized Ceramic Coating, Heat Coating, and probably a few more. It is this author's opinion that you should not be without a good multi-layer inside and outside coating on your headers. As you continue to read below I will explain as to why I feel so strongly.

If you look at many modern technologies you will find that most were developed within or for the aerospace or marine industries. Opportunistic engine builders and race teams have long watched these two industries closely for anything that could be applied in their own quest for power and reliability. The application of thermal barrier coatings is a good example as to how space age technologies can work on your race car, street vehicle, and RV.

Chrome plating has enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in engine and chassis detailing, and it still has an appeal to some builders and enthusiasts. But, good chrome has become much more expensive. The raw materials have become scarce, especially in the higher grades that are used in plating processes. Industrial and environmental laws have become increasingly strict, even forcing many plating companies out of business. What all this means is that show quality chrome is now costing a great deal more to produce.

Chrome plating your headers only serves two purposes. The first is that it seals the header material, but anyone that has owned chromed headers knows that if a small chip occurs that the header is doomed to rust and fail. The second purpose is looks, giving that mirror finish. But, to contradict again we all know that headers will turn blue at or around the exhaust ports and down the tubes, turning our shiny headers into a blue and purple disaster.

Thermal barrier coatings on the other hand have given us an alternative that not only looks great, but offers performance advantages too. A thermal coating keeps its appearance for the long term, needs less maintenance, extends the life of your headers, and offers substantial performance gains and financial savings over time.

Advantages of Sanderson's Ceramic Coated Headers

Exceptional Corrosion Resistance - Sanderson Headers coat their headers inside and out, and utilize a multi-layer process. Some companies only use a single coat and it is only on the outside of the header.

Temperature Fatigue Protection - Unlike chrome, a ceramic coated header does not cause hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement can be described as (SCC) or stress corrosion cracking. Various metals, most importantly steel, become brittle and crack following exposure to hydrogen.

Low Heat Transfer - A thermal barrier keeps the heat in your header where it belongs. It is commonly known that a coated header can reduce under hood temperatures by as much as 200°f. That means that your expensive plug wires, valve cover gaskets, plastic parts, hoses and lines, wiring, or anything else that is affected by radiant heat lasts longer.

Performance Advantage - When you keep the expanding exhaust gasses in the header you are actually improving the scavenging of the cylinders. Exhaust velocity stays higher for a longer period of time which benefits performance.

Superior Appearance - A ceramic coating is actually more durable than chrome and protects against chipping, abrasion, and discoloration. The great-looking high-luster silver is a great addition to a detailed engine compartment.

Reduced Maintenance - Throw away the chrome polish, and all the snake oil claims to remove bluing. All you need to do to clean up your coated headers is wash them, then use a typical aluminum polish if you wish to bring out the luster.

Sanderson is one of the few header companies that coat their headers in-house. Quality prep, cleaning, materials used, and the overall application of the coating is completed with pride. By coating their headers themselves they can maintain high quality control and fast turnaround. The skilled staff at Sanderson understands that we want a quality product at a great price, and they offer it to us daily, with every completed header.

For further reading, please take a look at our more detailed article on header wraps and coatings in the Tech Zone.