Quote:

BTW - bare SS (it isn't coated right?) definitely does not retain as much heat as coated mild steel. That equates to hotter underhood temps, hotter oil temps, and more exhaust energy lost...



Actually, since SS is a poorer conductor than mild steel, wouldn't it help the underhood temps issue? Why do you think All-clad sandwiches aluminum between SS sheets for its pots and pans, but makes the handles out of solid SS?

I might be worried that SS is more brittle, but the heat management issue should take care of itself. And since the MSDS units have been prone to rust for some people, it seems that even an unimproved SS knockoff would be, well, an improvement.

Function before fashion. '96 Contour SE "Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998