Stainless Coolant Tubes

Hey Bob, I used the stainless ones, I would be concerned about ceramic coating a fluid container, I had my coolant tanks ceramic coated and they rusted through from the inside. The ceramic looked great and the metal behind it was gone! I am using stainless tanks also.

Gary

I had that happen with a set of headers once. The headers themselves weren't coated, but I wrapped them with that fiberglass reinforced insulating tape meant to keep heat in the header. They worked beautifully, but the header was disintegrating from the inside and all but fell apart when I went to change them!

Michael

I have put much thought into stainless steel tubes replacing the Steel Tubes. Although another related issue concerns me. The amount of hose used on a Pantera. I guess my efforst will be to try to limit the amount used except where absolutely possible for vibration purposes.
Anyone have any ideas.

I had planned on only doing the two 5' tubes that run under the car. (yea, the ones that are rusting/ed away). The plan is to make a 2' and 3' so I can remove and install w/o any interference from either the oilpan or radiator. (thinking that 5' won't slide out, without removing something. (plus I just installed a Fluidyne and new Edelbrock waterpump and with this done the system should be much cleaner)

Bob

I have the stainless radiator pipes from Hall Pantera, I guess these are 5' long.
The previous owner fitted them so I can't tell you how difficult it was. But they have been on several years and they still look good and have caused no problems at all.

I replaced my steel ones with stainless steel 4 years ago. They still look and work as they did the day I put them on. Stainless steel is the only way to go. No corrosion anywhere in the system at all.

Why would you ceramic coat your tubes? You want them to dissipate heat as coolant moves through. If you are concerned with heat from the tubes where they pass under the cockpit area you can line the underside of the floorboards with insulation, or under your interior carpeting, or both.

Thin reflective insulation (looks like tin foil), when applied to the tunnel where the tubes run under the car would do a great job of reflecting heat from the tubes downward and away from the cabin.

Michael

Cybo..(and others)..... good point. Think I will 86 the idea on coating the tubes. (They came yesterday, ID@.049 which is quite nice, and in 3' lengths. (So I will use a 3 and a 2 on each side for ease of install and join with the marine grade VersaFlex hose.....Its like "Super" Green Stripe at 1/2 the cost and more durable). The pipe was $65each for 3'sections.

I got the stuff local to Atlanta area from McMaster-Carr.

Has anyone ever used aluminum tubing, and if there would be any problems ?
Dennis

Mine are copper pipes. I always just assumed they were meant to be copper pipes.