mild or stainless?

[A PSYCHO]

Im looking at getting a complete exhaust in the next week or two hopefully for my VX R8. Ive been told by a few people that stainless will be worth the extra money over the mild system. But at over $3K for the full stainless system with extractors, im finding it hard to justify. Anyone care to explain the key factors that make the stainless system worth the extra coin?

Ive heard mixed responses in regards to, if it will have a good note or not. Most people have told me the stainless will give a very nice note, but a certain very well known S/E QLD exhaust shop said stainless will perform better, but sound worse than mild.

So for those with aftermarket systems on their LS1's (90% of the forum? haha) what did you go with and are you happy with it, be it mild or stainless?

[justin_d]

In a nutshell stainless lasts longer compared to mild (roughly around 5 years compared to 10 I've heard). Only had my cat back in mild for a month or so and I'm very happy with it and will do the full system soon. From reading the forums it seems that the general consensus is mild steel sounds better than stainless. I may be wrong in saying this but Pacemaker only make their headers in mild steel but you can get them ceramic coated. A quick search should help as it'd probably be the most common thread and I'm sure the moderators will close the thread soon. Either way, meet up with a few people and listen to their systems to get a good understanding of what sounds like what and what you like.

[A PSYCHO]

I done a search and only got members rides and for sale ads. If there is a detailed thread compairing the two systems someone please throw me the link.

[justin_d]

Also, how long are you looking at keeping the car for and what mods? A LS1 that's got a cai or otrcai, tune and mild cam would be fine with a 2.5 inch. Bigger may drone and lose power. If you want to sell it or can see yourself probably selling it within 5 years go mild steel.

[185iboy]

What system are you looking at? Mild steel sounds better, I've compared mild and s/s systems side by side. Performance wise I'm not sure but they won't be worth the extra money for a kw here or there. A stainless system will outlast a mild one but there are mild steel systems out there 5+ years old still going strong.

[A PSYCHO]

For starters mods will be cam, valve springs, pushrods, OTR, tune and the exhaust. However in about 12 months or so it will be getting an LSX and some boost no doubt. So ive been recommended a twin 3 inch and some ceramic coated 1 7/8 extractors.

[justin_d]

For starters mods will be cam, valve springs, pushrods, OTR, tune and the exhaust. However in about 12 months or so it will be getting an LSX and some boost no doubt. So ive been recommended a twin 3 inch and some ceramic coated 1 7/8 extractors.

Haven't you just answered your own question to the thread then? With those mods you'll need a 3 inch system and going by the fact that you're spending that amount of coin, a/. You're going to keep the car for a while and b/. What's the extra few hundred dollars for the durability?

[A PSYCHO]

Well i never knew one lasted longer than the other, but now i do. ALso i thought the price difference was more than just a couple of hundred.

[OMR346]

Ive told you already that stainless will last longer then mild steel.

You have heard mine, and been in mine. I have mild steel 3" X-Force, stainless 100cpi cats, and 1 5/8" (yea, there to small lol) 4-1 Pacies.

For referance, the system he is looking at getting is 1 7/8" ceramic coated Pacies, 100cpi stainless cats, and stainless 3" X-Force.

[A PSYCHO]

thats 'one of' the systems im looking at yes :1peek: . I dont remember you saying it lasted longer mick, but oh well i know now for sure. On one hand i rekon yours sounds awsome, but your saying dont get it. I really need to hear a s/s system i think...

[xshore]

Are the durability of exhausts really such an issue as some make out? I've had 9 old cars now and am yet to replace an exhaust, I doubt new cars come with s/s exhausts. I think out of everyone I've ever known my whole life I've only heard twice of a new exhaust being needed.

[Wonky]

I doubt new cars come with s/s exhausts.

Commodores have had full stainless exhausts since about VY!!

[Wonky]

I done a search and only got members rides and for sale ads. If there is a detailed thread compairing the two systems someone please throw me the link.

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=128682
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=126245
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=107668
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=93935
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=87435
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=80412

[justin_d]

Lol thanks Wonky. I got tired of Mr Troll and went to bed. :)

:feedtroll: :closed:

[ebbett21]

Ive had both stainless and mild twin 3'' systems i thought stainless sounds better. A twin 3'' system depending on what you buy can be boomey and some are all noise and no note

[VTSSDUDE]

I have owned cars with mild, had cars up to 5 years including my VT SS no problems (yet.) :)

[Wonky]

The mild steel system on the Patrol we've had from virtually new (demo car) has just died. Car was built in June 1991 and has done 350,000+km.

[amckiwi]

What type of driving do you do

Lots of short trips without the car and the whole exhaust getting warmed up and cooking out condensation etc can mean even stainless will not last long.

My dad had a taxi.

The original system lasted until he upgraded it the new system got new mufflers on it once because the fiberglass blew out of them eventually

That car was sold to his nephew with 700,000k's on the clock and was still going strong a year later when the car was stolen.

Stu

[smokin_LS1]

If you do short trips in your car it will shorten the life of your exhaust system because:

When you shut down your engine- water vapor is in the pipes, it condenses and turns back into a liquid. On a short trip the water never has a chance to get hot enough to turn back into water vapor and just stays in the system and rusts away the pipes.
If you drive for short distances I suggest you purcase a stainless steel exhaust system. A mild steel exhaust will usally corrode/rust out before a stainless one.

If you don't plan to keep/own your car for very long or you travel long distances nearly every time you drive your car a mild steel exhaust should be fine.

Also Note stainless steel exhausts systems resonate differently compared to mild steel.

I personally prefer the sound of a stainless exhaust system. :)

[Jamolad]

If you do short trips that are going to lead to water sitting in the exhaust when you turn it off, maybe drill some small holes along the bottom of the exhaust and mufflers to let the water out.

[it was a joke] :jester:

On a serious note, is it mostly the catback and maybe cats that are vulnerable to rusting out from short trips (due to being horizontal so water stands in them and also being further from the engine so take longer to heat up), whereas headers don't have that much of a problem as they would get hotter quicker and also any water would run down out of the headers into the cats/exhaust?

[vr5speedv6]

If you're getting a custom system made up get it in aluminised pipe, will last alot longer than painted mild steel and not much more expensive ;)

[smokey777]

stainless can sound a bit more "tinny" as well but its all personal preferance...

[A PSYCHO]

Lol thanks Wonky. I got tired of Mr Troll and went to bed. :)

:feedtroll: :closed:

haha i honestly hope you're joking and not really that (to be nice) silly.

thanks for the links and comments everyone else. The car currently has a 2.5" mild steel cat back on it and im not real keen on the note.(could just come down to the lack of mods so far). 90% sure im going with the s/s.

[SV8TUFF]

well i got a vy ls1 with stainless difilippo header and stainless difilippo cats but from cat back is twin 2.5 mild steel sounds awsome been told by few people how good it sounds and sounds tuff as withe the converter etc.. cant wait to put the cam in

[danny333]

I have full 2.5" stainless steel system, sounds great, deep note. I went this way as my car is not a daily driver and used only on weekends, on one of my old cars had mild steel driven only weekends,exhaust rusted out in two years and pay the extra 3 hundred to have ceramic coated done on headers.My ceramic coated headers look as they have just been put on, like new after over 10000 klms and under bonnet temp is half what it used to be

[Cosmo SS 11]

the best way to figure out how to help you is to no how much you want to spend because when it comes down to it , it is always about the money and how much you want or are willing to spend

[Cmycv8]

the best way to figure out how to help you is to no how much you want to spend because when it comes down to it , it is always about the money and how much you want or are willing to spend

R have to spend when things go bang.