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Ceramic Long tube headers ??

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So I've really been mauling over getting a set of Kooks 1 7/8 long tube headers and kooks off road H-pipe. The car sounds great stock with the baffles out. But I want it to sound better and pick up a little more power. I have a 2 small dilemmas though.

First the car has the red key tune. I didn't pay for it, as the car came used with it already installed. But I know getting the new setup ill need a re-tune on the motor to get everything out of it. I think it'll be possible to have them do a red key like tune that ford had done with the stock set-up. I want to take it to the track and run a few laps. I live in Md and am 10 mins away from JPC racing that I'd probably have do the work. Do you guys think that'll be possible? I don't see why not.

The second dilemma is ceramic vs. non-ceramic coated headers. what is really the difference here? Should I get the ceramic coated tubes if I plan on tracking the car every once in a while?
 
I have the exact same setup. You can run it on the red key but you'll get a CEL for cat efficiency.....tuning won't make a significant difference in hp/tq numbers from what we've seen on different cars. That said, you'll likely want it tuned so you don't have the CEL. You can expect rwhp/rwtq in the 430-440/370-380 range on a DynoJet.

I had my headers coated by Swaintech. That said I was told by FR that it's not necessary. I bought mine through Justin Starkey at VMP Tuning and he wanted to try the Swaintech coating on his so we sent them in at the same time. His hope was that they would "quiet" them down a bit versus a heat transfer benefit. You will want to upgrade to a stainless steel clutch line versus the plastic stock line to protect it from heat.

All that said, they are loud, but they sound amazing according to most people that comment on them 8) Unfortunately the worst part about a great sounding exhaust is that you don't get to hear it from outside the car as the driver. ;D
 
I'd say coat them to keep engine bay temps down, but I would check first to see if that will really matter at all.
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
I have ARH stainless long tubes and off road x pipe. un coated. I would suggest to wrap the headers in something like DEI header wrap vs ceramic coating or doing both if you are trying to keep heat down in the engine bay.

as far as the tune. they cant tune the two keys to have diff tunes on them. you would tune the car using the silverkey and then both keys will be the tune you have loaded. you will still get the message from the redkey on start up if you use it but it wont be actually there.

I would contact Shaun at AED for a tune. thats who I am running and I love his tunes. Currently running E85 tunes from him. Since our cars have wideband sensors from the factory tuning the car remotely is possible and good results can be had.
 
I would without a doubt have them ceramic coated if you are going to track it at all. I would even have it done if it were street driven only. I am contemplating this set up for my '12 Boss (street driven only)as well. The ceramic coating will aid in keeping the heat in the exhaust system. This makes the exhaust flow better/faster...this is what you want it aids in the scavenging of the exhaust. Think hot, molecules moving faster etc...
A side benefit will be cooler underhood temps....however small the gains it is still a positive to have them coated. It also protects them from rusting/corrosion and they will last longer. If you have spent any time at a dragstrip/roadcourses you will notice that this is a detail that serious racers use. Whether it is header wrap or a ceramic coating the theory is a proven one!
Don't take my word for it, do more research and you will find this to be all correct. Good Luck!
 

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