So I know this question has probably been asked to death but I need some reviews on headers...if you guys could just post some reviews, and names of your headers...please thanks I just dont know which one to buy

Pacesetter ceramic coated > all others

I c....and im not saying your wrong, but i read some other post and some ppl were saying that the tsudo was a little better even though it was a cheap ebay brand

I have a pacesetter 4-1 header. It's one of the cheaper ones, the paint burned of it the second I started the car. All that aside, it's been on the car for a year with no problems and it works great. Although if I ever get a new one, I'd get the same one ceramic coated (chrome stores too much heat).

I've owned 2 non coated headers from pacesetter. The first one lasted all of 8 months and was headerwrapped......the pipes rotted out under the wrap. The 2nd one in not wraped and has been on for a little over a year no problems.

I haven't purchased anther manufactures header for the cav so I cant comment on that. I've got Flowtech headers on my 86 caprice no problems.

Thats a common mistake people make. You don't wan't to wrap your headers, it traps heat and causes warping and deterioration. You should only use header wrap in small spots where you really need it to keep something from burning/melting

so from what im reading.... I should just go with the pacesetters then?

definately pacesetter 4-1 keeps the torque in there while scavenging out all the old mixture pulses by sound waves of the cylinders ( basically best overall performance enhancer as far as piping for the manifold)


Drive Fast Take Chances

Even though I've got the Painted PaceSetter Header, I definitely recommend the PaceSetter Armor (ceramic) Coat Header. The paint that comes on the header from the factory is normal paint, only used to prevent rusting till it gets to the buyer, it will burn off the first time you start the engine. If you must go with the painted header, strip all the paint off, Prep-Sol the bare metal and paint it with VHT's FlameProof Coating, then cure it according to the directions. The VHT, properly applied, has lasted me two + years of daily driving, without any flaking nor rust. The first time I painted and cured the header, with Dupli-Color High Temp Paint, all the paint flaked off the first time I started the car.

MadJack wrote:Even though I've got the Painted PaceSetter Header, I definitely recommend the PaceSetter Armor (ceramic) Coat Header. The paint that comes on the header from the factory is normal paint, only used to prevent rusting till it gets to the buyer, it will burn off the first time you start the engine. If you must go with the painted header, strip all the paint off, Prep-Sol the bare metal and paint it with VHT's FlameProof Coating, then cure it according to the directions. The VHT, properly applied, has lasted me two + years of daily driving, without any flaking nor rust. The first time I painted and cured the header, with Dupli-Color High Temp Paint, all the paint flaked off the first time I started the car.

could you use that paint OVER ceramic coating? both of my rk ceramic headers have dulled and ive tried a ton of products to bring the luster back out, even tried a buffer and nothing-still dull.

it would really be awesome to paint them and have the shine last. do they make a 'ceramic coat' looking paint? lol

also, what did you use to cure the paint? idk if a conventional oven would be large enough...


Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, June 10, 2007 5:16 PM

I don't know about painting over ceramic coating. I would presume you can scuff the coating and paint over it. As for a shine, the VHT isn't the least bit shiny, just flat. In fact my header was painted with the black, which is now more like charcoal grey, but no rust and no flaking.

As for curing the paint, as long as the header and down pipe aren't assembled, they fit in a conventional household oven. For the last curing step, instead of 650* for 30 minutes, I did it at the oven's max temp (600*/BROIL) for 45 minutes. With an electric oven, it takes most of a day to do, but VHT does recommend you do the curing procedure slowly.

i have the weapon R 4-2-1 on my eco. i hear nothing but good things about the pacesetter armor coated. i know people have problems with the ball and socket leaking.

if you got the eco get the lsj header, more gains from them over j-body headers.



I want to share something with you - the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, 'cover for me', Number two, 'oh, good idea, boss', Number three, 'it was like that when I got here.'

Angel Garcia wrote:So I know this question has probably been asked to death but I need some reviews on headers...if you guys could just post some reviews, and names of your headers...please thanks I just dont know which one to buy

You should fill out your registry so when you ask vague questions we can at least see what you're driving to make recommendations.

Header wrap also traps moisture between the wrap and the steel. That will void the Pacesetter warranty and accelerate deterioration. Coated is the ONLY way to go with Pacesetter.

I'm gonna assume you have an eco.
http://www.gravanatuning.com/applications/2003_Chevrolet_Cavalier_Coupe_2.2_16v.aspx/19/1876/_Pacesetter_72C1279_Armor_Coat_4_into_1_Header