Tompen

How do you guys go about treating your Stainless manifolds after welding?
I have seen alot of pics where they have just been left as they are but doesnt Stainless rust if not passivated after welding?

MidwestAutoWorks

STAIN less
less - no

no stain

TheBandit

Generally stainless will hold up just fine as is in the engine bay. It tends to turn pretty colors too.
-Michael-
Just an FYI, just because it is stainless, doesn't mean it is stainproof. Stainless can rust in certain situations.

anusol

stainless will rust if you polish it or prep it with a mild steel contaminated wire wheel. alos ive seen some 304 stainless rust as well.

RCautoworks

Stainless will rust if it gets past a certain heating point.

k24em2

If you don't clean the HAZ after welding (the rainbow colors) it can rust there.

dave@passenger

304 doesn't seem to be the best at corrosion resistance, I personally use mild steel for manifolds and downpipes, and i just get everything ceramic coated after.

Tompen

Sweet, so no need to worry for manifolds then?

GeeGee

It does take a while for ss manifold to rust, the owner usually got rid of the car/manifold by then.

Tompen

Cheers guys,
Ive got a 304 mug I made about 6 months ago thats starting to develop some surface rust already

beepy

I use a stainless steel wire brush to brush all the stainless welding I do. Taking the "pretty colors" off of the welds seems to keep rust from forming.

Also stainless will rust anywhere you touch it with your fingers. I wear gloves on the final install of any parts.