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- Joined
- Aug 7, 2007
- Messages
- 1,794
- City
- Costa Mesa, CA
- State - Country
- CA - USA
- Other
- 2004 Bronco Badlands
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Drive
- 4WD
- Engine
- 4.0 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 1.5"
- Tire Size
- 33"
I would be careful about using titanium as a header material. It may work for a street vehicle but I tried it as an exhaust pipe after the header collector on a race car and it eventually cracked right under my seat resulting in some 3rd degree burns on my rear. What I used was a Ti alloy not commercially pure but I know Titanium forms an oxide at a little over 1200 degrees F that is called alpha-case. This oxide is a crack initiator and greatly reduces the fatigue life of Ti.
Those rainbow patterns on Ti are varying thicknesses of a non-harmful oxide on the Ti. Stainless steel can form these colors also but not as nice as Ti does. A street vehicle probably would not see high enough temperatures on the headers to form alpha case but if there are areas that go beyond the rainbow colors, you might want to keep and eye on it.
Those rainbow patterns on Ti are varying thicknesses of a non-harmful oxide on the Ti. Stainless steel can form these colors also but not as nice as Ti does. A street vehicle probably would not see high enough temperatures on the headers to form alpha case but if there are areas that go beyond the rainbow colors, you might want to keep and eye on it.
