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Aluminum or Stainless Steel?

T

Tracedyahxy

CEG'er
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
103
Location
Somerset, WI
I'm thinking of putting a system in my car, but am not sure if I should go with aluminum or stainless steel. What's the difference? I know the metals' basic properties, but how do they affect sound and performance in an exhaust application?

Also, one of the first times I was on the site I found a company that seemed to make ready-made systems with your choice of mufflers and the inclusion (or not) of a resonator. I remember they had flowmaster, borla, and one other muffler manufacturer listed. Unfortunately I forgot to bookmark it and now I can't find it. The pictures on that site were similar to (if not the same as) the ones on the TruBendz site, but the site layout was significantly different. Are they one and the same? Are they different? Am I an idiot?

Please be gentle :rolleyes:

Brian
 
Tracedyahxy said:
I'm thinking of putting a system in my car, but am not sure if I should go with aluminum or stainless steel. What's the difference? I know the metals' basic properties, but how do they affect sound and performance in an exhaust application?

Also, one of the first times I was on the site I found a company that seemed to make ready-made systems with your choice of mufflers and the inclusion (or not) of a resonator. I remember they had flowmaster, borla, and one other muffler manufacturer listed. Unfortunately I forgot to bookmark it and now I can't find it. The pictures on that site were similar to (if not the same as) the ones on the TruBendz site, but the site layout was significantly different. Are they one and the same? Are they different? Am I an idiot?

Please be gentle :rolleyes:

Brian
Click to expand...

Seeing you live in AZ. I would say alum because its way cheaper and obviously won't rust in AZ for a long time.

You might be confused but trubendz has always been the only company to offer multiple style mufflers with their cat back systems.
 
TruBendz has changed their name somewhat.

The website now says Mandrel Exhasust Systems.

From the 'About Us' section on mandrelexhaustsystems.com...

"Mandrel Exhaust Systems is owned by the parent company, TruBendz Technology Inc., who manufactures completed exhaust systems for a variety of cars. Tubing products became high in demand over the past few years and the spin off company Mandrel Exhaust Systems was developed. TruBendz Technology Inc has been in business since the mid-90's making exhaust systems in a niche market for particular cars in a variety of combinations."

http://www.mandrelexhaustsystems.com/servlet/the-template/about/Page

http://www.mandrelexhaustsystems.com/

http://www.trubendz.com/home.asp
 
ive never seen an actual aluminum exhaust. they are all steel. what you are refering to is aluminized steel vs. stainless steel. aluminized steel as some corrosion resistance but not as much as stainless steel.

I have always used aluminized steel for my exhaust. its cheap, and it lasts plenty long. the exhaust that was on my turbo Zetec still looked perfect after 3 years, including winters (one of which was a Chicago winter). seeing as you basically live in Pheonix, aluminized will do just fine and should last you a good long while.
 
For exhaust, you'll go with either mild steel or stainless steel. I've never heard of anyone, ever, using aluminum. I would wager the heat of the exhaust would be the main reason you shouldn't use aluminum.
 
Swazo said:
For exhaust, you'll go with either mild steel or stainless steel. I've never heard of anyone, ever, using aluminum. I would wager the heat of the exhaust would be the main reason you shouldn't use aluminum.
Click to expand...

Like striker said.... it is not really aluminum, it is aluminized steel. Basically the same thing as a galvanized coating on the steel.

And to the OP. Your car came from the factory with aluminized exhaust. Even in an area like this, I figure aluminized exhaust will last at least 5 years without really rusting, except a bit around the welds if they arent good. In your area..... The only reason to get stainless steel is for looks.
 
FIND said:
Like striker said.... it is not really aluminum, it is aluminized steel. Basically the same thing as a galvanized coating on the steel.

And to the OP. Your car came from the factory with aluminized exhaust. Even in an area like this, I figure aluminized exhaust will last at least 5 years without really rusting, except a bit around the welds if they arent good. In your area..... The only reason to get stainless steel is for looks.
Click to expand...

Ford produced all contours with SS exhaust from the factory.

I honestly assumed he meant aluminized steel when he mentioned aluminum exhaust. :crazy:
 
Harrry said:
Ford produced all contours with SS exhaust from the factory.

I honestly assumed he meant aluminized steel when he mentioned aluminum exhaust. :crazy:
Click to expand...

really? Wow, I really didnt know that. I could have sworn they were just aluminized pipes and mufflers. You would think I would be smarter by now.:crazy:

ok then.... I guess I should rephrase. Most cars before the mid to late 90s were produced with aluminized exhaust. Almost all aftermarket OE replacement exhaust is aluminized.

well..... either way, my contour currently has aluminized pipe and mufflers :D
 
FIND said:
really? Wow, I really didnt know that. I could have sworn they were just aluminized pipes and mufflers. You would think I would be smarter by now.:crazy:

ok then.... I guess I should rephrase. Most cars before the mid to late 90s were produced with aluminized exhaust. Almost all aftermarket OE replacement exhaust is aluminized.

well..... either way, my contour currently has aluminized pipe and mufflers :D
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Yea they did...but you prob new that...just slipped your mind. Plus i'd blame it all on the those paint fumes...you took in...when you were painting your car :crazy:

Hows the exhaust holding up in ND though?
 
Harrry said:
Yea they did...but you prob new that...just slipped your mind. Plus i'd blame it all on the those paint fumes...you took in...when you were painting your car :crazy:

Hows the exhaust holding up in ND though?
Click to expand...

Im in south dakota now.... Have been for a year and a half.

Exhaust is 2 and a half years old, no rust.

Headers are a year and a half old. No rust. NPG must use good coatings. I have installed the same ones on my car on 2 different occasions.

you know... funny story, I have a respirator that is in brand new condition. Still in the original packaging. Bought it a couple years ago. Im thinking in a few years it may be worth some money as a collectible. Though that may just be the fumes from painting all the farm equipment.

Im going to get some kinda cancer some day that will get me in some kinda record book......

I should start smoking again, I really dont think I can possibly kill myself faster than I already am.
 
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Uh, to the person above, Ford most definitely did NOT make Contour systems out of stainless. They rust out like anything else albeit slowly.
 
amc49 said:
Uh, to the person above, Ford most definitely did NOT make Contour systems out of stainless. They rust out like anything else albeit slowly.
Click to expand...

Uh...to the person who just posted. Please post material that is accurate.
Thanks. :rolleyes:
 
FIND said:
Im in south dakota now.... Have been for a year and a half.

Exhaust is 2 and a half years old, no rust.

Headers are a year and a half old. No rust. NPG must use good coatings. I have installed the same ones on my car on 2 different occasions.

you know... funny story, I have a respirator that is in brand new condition. Still in the original packaging. Bought it a couple years ago. Im thinking in a few years it may be worth some money as a collectible. Though that may just be the fumes from painting all the farm equipment.

Im going to get some kinda cancer some day that will get me in some kinda record book......

I should start smoking again, I really dont think I can possibly kill myself faster than I already am.
Click to expand...

Hey it's a trait you and i can spread across the board :laugh:(off topic threads)
Respirator..:laugh: Why not use it...:crazy:

Oh my headers stayed rust free. But my y-pipe (msds) even with the double x-treme coating rusted in 3 months of MI weather. :blackeye:

Now you getting cancer?? bah....our contours take the cake on that.
 
amc49 said:
Uh, to the person above, Ford most definitely did NOT make Contour systems out of stainless. They rust out like anything else albeit slowly.
Click to expand...

Yes they rust, but stainless steel can rust, especially lower grade stainless steel after being cycled through heat cycles over a decade.

Harrry said:
Hey it's a trait you and i can spread across the board :laugh:(off topic threads)
Respirator..:laugh: Why not use it...:crazy:

Oh my headers stayed rust free. But my y-pipe (msds) even with the double x-treme coating rusted in 3 months of MI weather. :blackeye:

Now you getting cancer?? bah....our contours take the cake on that.
Click to expand...

I dont know why I dont use it... I always forget about it, or figure Bah, there is plenty of ventilation and I am only painting for a couple minutes. That or it will be a really hot sweaty day and I just say to hell with it.

Not getting cancer yet.... I dont know if the contour is taking care of it, cause I am moving to troll status with these escorts.

Yeah thats right I get rid of cheap 12 year old cars in favor of cheap 19 year old cars.

080609143358.jpg


so.... it needs a little body work
 
just because they are stainless doesnt mean they wont rust, its all dependent on the exact composition of the stainless and how much nickle there really is in the metal. clearly, the stock system was not 304 stainless
 
FIND said:
Yes they rust, but stainless steel can rust, especially lower grade stainless steel after being cycled through heat cycles over a decade.



I dont know why I dont use it... I always forget about it, or figure Bah, there is plenty of ventilation and I am only painting for a couple minutes. That or it will be a really hot sweaty day and I just say to hell with it.

Not getting cancer yet.... I dont know if the contour is taking care of it, cause I am moving to troll status with these escorts.

Yeah thats right I get rid of cheap 12 year old cars in favor of cheap 19 year old cars.

so.... it needs a little body work
Click to expand...

Oh man that car brings back memories...91 escort gt FTW :laugh: I ran mine 17.04's bone stock :laugh: First 2nd and 3rd gear was a blast.

what do you have planed for the car?
 
Harrry said:
Oh man that car brings back memories...91 escort gt FTW :laugh: I ran mine 17.04's bone stock :laugh: First 2nd and 3rd gear was a blast.

what do you have planed for the car?
Click to expand...

I already have a set of Eibachs and Tokiko S/R struts. I had to take the shifter since the plate dropped, so I welded an extension onto it to make a short shifter then replaced the bushings with urethane. As soon as I finish selling stuff I will have all urethane for the suspension too. I've got some replacement endlinks. The sway bars I am leaving as the OE GT bars, since they are more than stiff enough once I go with urethane. I am leaving the GT body kit on it, since it is all there and in perfect shape, plus I love the look of it. I have a VJ-20 manifold off a 323 GTX, but I might get headers and keep it N/A since those cars a nimble enough with just a few bolt-ons and I kinda want to have a car with that great milage. Besides, I dont want to go crazy with the car and dont have any turbos that I could bolt to it anyhow. I changed the timing belt and waterpump last weekend and put on adjustable cam gears.

Only thing though is..... there arent really many options left for them with exhaust anymore. Sure there is the pacesetter header and exhaust.... but that's it. I mean, the pacesetter header is good enough, but I think I will have to make my own catback. I cant find good intake pipes anymore for it, but luckily it seems that now days K&N makes a FIPK for it. But I think I will swap it to the RX7 VAF anyways and an intake pipe for them isnt hard to make. It is just a couple 45s in it.

I am not 100% what I want to do about brakes though.... I seem to recall there was a big brake kit for something that fit escorts, but it has been a long time since I have thought of that stuff. It will have to wait untill I can afford new wheels anyways.

Besides, I have a buncha body work to do yet, so I am not gonna get going to crazy on the performance stuff. I wont do much more than what I have done and the suspension untill I have finished body work, since it has a buncha rust, some dents, and got a little crumpled up on the drivers side fender and the rocker panel on the drivers side is a little smashed.

Runs like a top though, and the sunroof doesnt leak, so I cant complain about it. Im going to keep it mostly stock looking though, and try and only do repairs or modification that are like stock or look like they could have been stock from a performance division of ford or something like that..... Which is of course why I have so far only really planned stuff done to the later ZX2 S/R.

Though, knowing me, I will lose self control and find a VJ-20 that is to good a deal to pass up.
 
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