321 Sched 40 stainless Header Material

[Rx1M5]

I'm rounding up the materials necessary to build a custom header for a project I'm starting. I've sourced the bends reasonably at the place in the link below. The 321 straight pipe is the tricky part. I've found a place that will sell a short length but its almost just as cheap to buy a full 20 footer (4 feet or 20 feet same price). I was wondering if there would be any interest from anyone in buying some 321 straight. It would end up in the $20.00/ foot range. Your basic header would need abiout 2 feet. You would then need the flanges and bends. I bought a 1/2" 304 T25 off Ebay for under $6.00. Total cost to do a header would be under $200.00.

FYI this is the same material Impulse uses its a full .14"(3mm) thick and the 321 is good to 900 degrees celcius which is why they don't crack. The really crappy headers out there (Insert name here) are 16G 304 which is not spec'd for turbo applications and is only 0.065" or less depending on whose 16G it is. Some companies are using 321 in 16G which is better but you get the picture.

Shoot me a PM if you think you might want a chunk of pipe for futrure use or whatever. I bought a header from Paul at Impulse (great guy to deal with BTW)made this way and it was a pretty stout part. I'd buy another but he doesn't make what I want. It won't be the lightest one out there but it will be strong.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... MEWAX%3AIT


Rx1M5

 

[dirk_03]

Pipe

If you get a pc I will take 6 ft at $20 a ft.

 

[Rx1M5]

Sounds good. I plan to keep about 8 feet for myself so that would leave 6 more feet available to someone. Anybody??

Rx1M5

 

[nate007]

The 321 is the material we use in all of our header fabrications, pm me or call me and I may be able to help? I don't keep alot of it around due to cost, but I can see what I can do?
(319)545-2137. Ask for Nate, or try my cell at (319)930-1931.
I may have enough resources to help with a header as well, we do quite a bit of header/exhaust fab work.

 

[Mountaintech]

On Impulse's site it says that the wall thickness of the header is 3/16" (.1875")...schedule 80.

http://www.impulseturbo.com/nytroturbo.html

 

[dirk_03]

Overkill

After building a header out of .140 thick 321 I will tell you that schedule 40 is more than thick enough. I can't imagine that he is building them out of schedule 80. I would venture to guess that 3/16 is just what he wrote. heck .140 is more than twice 16 ga that some other header builders use. I think actually for strength and weight schedule 10 or 20 would probally be enough with the proper bracing of the turbo.

 

[Mountaintech]

Just repeating what I read on his website. I don't imagine he would say 3/16" if he wasn't using it. I think he may have gone thicker after having some cracking issues but I may be wrong on that. Everyone has their own experiences as to what they think is adequate. There are mild steel schedule 80 headers out there that are holding up quite well. They are very economical to build ($75 in materials) and at that price you could change it every season if you wanted to.

 

[dirk_03]

Schedule 80

I would also think that if it ws schedule 80 he would have said .190 thick not 3/16. Haha,

Either way they are thick. Even 304 would be far cheaper in schedule 80. And far easier to buy.

To each is there own. Its all fun.

 

[RED]

I have an Impulse header, it is what Paul has listed for info on his website.

 

[nate007]

Most headers made of stainless for a sled application arent made of the 321, and they should be. 321 is an alloy that contains titanium, and is one of the best alloys short of inconel that is suited for the abusive conditions that exist in any turbo header, let alone one that is subjected to sub-zero temps.
That being said, The only reason most headers are overbuilt like that is to actually support the weight of the turbo itself, and which is why many people are plauged with the constant repairs from stress and heat cracks. Its not always possible, but for the best life cycle of the header, the actual turbo unit should be supported via the chassis or other sturcture, and teh header should be connected via turbo couplers to allow for twist and vibration. Thats alot of force to subject any high temperature material to when a sled lands a hard jump with a turbo hanging off the pipe!