Cracked Ceramic Coated Header

[pike1181]

Hi guys,

 

I've had my check engine light go on a few weeks ago and the code mentioned that the O2 sensors were running in limp mode causing the car to run rich.

 

After taking her into the shop they informed me they found a crack in my headers before sensor 1

and before the cats bank 2.

 

I've got a set of GMS Ceramic Coated Headers (Can be seen here: http://www.greenmotorsport.us/servlet/the-241/GMS-987-Cayman-fdsh-Boxster-fdsh-S-Sport/Detail )

 

The headers and cats are 1 piece and purchased 2 years ago.

 

What do you guys suggest I do?

 

1. Have GMS replace the headers under some sort of warranty?

2. Wrap the headers?

3. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers/cats, have the crack tig welded and put them back on?

4. Have the ceramic coating only grinded off where the crack is, have the crack tig welded, and put the headers back on?

5. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers, have the crack tig welded, have the headers wrapped, and then put them back on?

6. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the headers, have the crack tig welded and put them back on without any heat protection?

7. Have the ceramic coated grinded, have the cats cut off and eliminated, tig weld the crack and add an extension to the FVD exhaust.

8. Any other ideas?

 

Keep in mind this is my daily driver.

 

Thank you

Edited July 21, 2014 by pike1181

[JFP in PA]

Hi guys,

 

I've had my check engine light go on a few weeks ago and the code mentioned that the O2 sensors were running in limp mode causing the car to run rich.

 

After taking her into the shop they informed me they found a crack in my headers before sensor 1

and before the cats bank 2.

 

I've got a set of GMS Ceramic Coated Headers (Can be seen here: http://www.greenmotorsport.us/servlet/the-241/GMS-987-Cayman-fdsh-Boxster-fdsh-S-Sport/Detail )

 

The headers and cats are 1 piece and purchased 2 years ago.

 

What do you guys suggest I do?

 

1. Have GMS replace the headers under some sort of warranty?

2. Wrap the headers?

3. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers/cats, have the crack tig welded and put them back on?

4. Have the ceramic coating only grinded off where the crack is, have the crack tig welded, and put the headers back on?

5. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers, have the crack tig welded, have the headers wrapped, and then put them back on?

6. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the headers, have the crack tig welded and put them back on without any heat protection?

7. Have the ceramic coated grinded, have the cats cut off and eliminated, tig weld the crack and add an extension to the FVD exhaust.

8. Any other ideas?

 

Keep in mind this is my daily driver.

 

Thank you

 

If they will replace the headers under warranty, that would be your cheapest and easiest option.

 

If the cracks have to be welded, you will need to pull the headers, strip the coating off to find all the cracks (there are probably more if you already have found some), get them welded, then have the headers recoated.  This is going to take both time and money, and the car will be laid up for some time.

[pike1181]

 

Hi guys,

 

I've had my check engine light go on a few weeks ago and the code mentioned that the O2 sensors were running in limp mode causing the car to run rich.

 

After taking her into the shop they informed me they found a crack in my headers before sensor 1

and before the cats bank 2.

 

I've got a set of GMS Ceramic Coated Headers (Can be seen here: http://www.greenmotorsport.us/servlet/the-241/GMS-987-Cayman-fdsh-Boxster-fdsh-S-Sport/Detail )

 

The headers and cats are 1 piece and purchased 2 years ago.

 

What do you guys suggest I do?

 

1. Have GMS replace the headers under some sort of warranty?

2. Wrap the headers?

3. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers/cats, have the crack tig welded and put them back on?

4. Have the ceramic coating only grinded off where the crack is, have the crack tig welded, and put the headers back on?

5. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers, have the crack tig welded, have the headers wrapped, and then put them back on?

6. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the headers, have the crack tig welded and put them back on without any heat protection?

7. Have the ceramic coated grinded, have the cats cut off and eliminated, tig weld the crack and add an extension to the FVD exhaust.

8. Any other ideas?

 

Keep in mind this is my daily driver.

 

Thank you

 

If they will replace the headers under warranty, that would be your cheapest and easiest option.

 

If the cracks have to be welded, you will need to pull the headers, strip the coating off to find all the cracks (there are probably more if you already have found some), get them welded, then have the headers recoated.  This is going to take both time and money, and the car will be laid up for some time.

 

Hey JFP,

 

I'm waiting on a response back from the GMS to see if they will honor a replacement. 

I'm quite doubtful, however it is wishful thinking.

 

I did find a shop in the area willing to pull the headers, grind the coating off, weld the crack(s), and mount the headers for about $150. This plan does not consist of re-coating the headers. Is this an okay plan? 

 

How about wrapping the headers with heat-wrap rather than re-coating them for a quicker solution and an alternative?

 

I have run the car about 3500 Miles so far with the Check Engine light on as it originally came on during a road trip down and up the coast. Could I cause any damage if I keep running the car like this (other than a performance lag) for another 1,000 or 2,000 KM ?

 

Any input on whether or not I should have the cats sawed off and replaced by an extension tube?

 

Thanks!

[pike1181]

Update: So I spoke with the manufcaturer (GMS) of the headers and they will not do a replacement or trade since it has been 2 years. They offered me a set of headers without cats for 50% off retail. 

British Columbia is eliminating emissions testing as of the end of the year.

Would you suggest I purchase the catless headers, purchase another set of headers with the 200 cell racing cats, or simply have my headers repaired and the ceramic coating eliminated?

From reading deeper into some of the forums I am concerned that they will crack again. 

What are your thoughts?

[JFP in PA]

 

 

Hi guys,

 

I've had my check engine light go on a few weeks ago and the code mentioned that the O2 sensors were running in limp mode causing the car to run rich.

 

After taking her into the shop they informed me they found a crack in my headers before sensor 1

and before the cats bank 2.

 

I've got a set of GMS Ceramic Coated Headers (Can be seen here: http://www.greenmotorsport.us/servlet/the-241/GMS-987-Cayman-fdsh-Boxster-fdsh-S-Sport/Detail )

 

The headers and cats are 1 piece and purchased 2 years ago.

 

What do you guys suggest I do?

 

1. Have GMS replace the headers under some sort of warranty?

2. Wrap the headers?

3. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers/cats, have the crack tig welded and put them back on?

4. Have the ceramic coating only grinded off where the crack is, have the crack tig welded, and put the headers back on?

5. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the whole headers, have the crack tig welded, have the headers wrapped, and then put them back on?

6. Have the ceramic coating grinded off the headers, have the crack tig welded and put them back on without any heat protection?

7. Have the ceramic coated grinded, have the cats cut off and eliminated, tig weld the crack and add an extension to the FVD exhaust.

8. Any other ideas?

 

Keep in mind this is my daily driver.

 

Thank you

 

If they will replace the headers under warranty, that would be your cheapest and easiest option.

 

If the cracks have to be welded, you will need to pull the headers, strip the coating off to find all the cracks (there are probably more if you already have found some), get them welded, then have the headers recoated.  This is going to take both time and money, and the car will be laid up for some time.

 

Hey JFP,

 

I'm waiting on a response back from the GMS to see if they will honor a replacement. 

I'm quite doubtful, however it is wishful thinking.

 

I did find a shop in the area willing to pull the headers, grind the coating off, weld the crack(s), and mount the headers for about $150. This plan does not consist of re-coating the headers. Is this an okay plan? 

 

How about wrapping the headers with heat-wrap rather than re-coating them for a quicker solution and an alternative?

 

I have run the car about 3500 Miles so far with the Check Engine light on as it originally came on during a road trip down and up the coast. Could I cause any damage if I keep running the car like this (other than a performance lag) for another 1,000 or 2,000 KM ?

 

Any input on whether or not I should have the cats sawed off and replaced by an extension tube?

 

Thanks!

 

 

If they cracked once, they will most likely crack again, and probably already have but not shown through the coating yet.  Spot fixing the existing cracks, with or without using an extra wrap, will probably only prolong the inevitable; which is more cracking. 

 

We have customers that have been running stainless steel headers for several years, with no indication of any cracking, so I am not convinced of the quality of the headers you already have.

 

The decision about removing or not removing the cats is totally up to you; cats really do not pull down the performance of the engine all that much, and having an emissions compliant car makes it more saleable to a larger audience.