Hi all,
Aesthetics aside, the choice between whether to install a mild steel or a
stainless steel exhaust system is pretty simple, really. But, in some
respects it's a bit counter-intuitive.
It depends upon how you use the car.
If your's is a fair-weather car, sits in the garage most of the time, is
driven only for short distances and goes for days without being driven, or is
carefully stored over winter, it might be wise to invest in a stainless steel
exhaust. Especially if you live in a higher humidity area, condensation that
will form inside it can quite rapidly ruin a mild steel system. In these
conditions, a mild steel system will rust from the inside out. Stainless will
hold up
for years and years.
On the other hand, if you drive your car daily or nearly so, stainless
might be overkill and a waste of money. Mild steel will hold up very well
because
the system is heated up, dried out and purged of moisture on a very regular
basis. A key exception to this would be cars that are often driven in either a
salty-sea-air or winter-road-salt environment, in which cases a mild steel
system will rust from the outside in and stainless steel might be a better
choice.
Another exception relates to headers and not the rest of the exhaust
system. Wrapping can be used keep underhood temps under control. Stainless
steel is
better for wrapping, mild steel won't hold up very long under the wrap
(ceramic coat it instead.)
Cheers!
Alan Myers
AMfoto1@aol.com
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
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