shorty header options

[magimerlin]

Just thought of another needed plus..... need to be able to change the plugs with out having to remove the header or be a contortionist to do so...

sent from what use to be a great country...

 

[5spd Z71]

I can't wait to get rid of the pacesetters that I have. Started rusting after only 1 year, had to make my own tool to remove the rear plugs. Had to cut the flanges to clear all the plug wire clips/temp sensor clip/oil dipstick clip. Not to mention they have leaked since day 1.

I'm looking at trying the JBA stainless steel headers next. I can't see anything being worse than the pacesetter headers.

 

[Tech-GeeK1500]

Any suggestions from anyone on stainless shorties of good quality that don't run 400+ dollars? I love name brand, high build stuff, but some of these companies like Gibson, Borla, Magnaflow, etc. need to get real on their pricing. At the end of the day they're bent metal tubes, R+D was done decades a go for what works well on these engines. I'd love to spend a maximum of about $250.

 

[df2x4]

I can't wait to get rid of the pacesetters that I have. Started rusting after only 1 year, had to make my own tool to remove the rear plugs. Had to cut the flanges to clear all the plug wire clips/temp sensor clip/oil dipstick clip. Not to mention they have leaked since day 1.

I'm looking at trying the JBA stainless steel headers next. I can't see anything being worse than the pacesetter headers.

Well for one thing, what finish are your Pacesetters? Raw painted steel headers will rust, almost immediately. Just the nature of things.

Unfortunate that you've had all those other issues with them, my V6 models have been almost 100% problem-free.

Any suggestions from anyone on stainless shorties of good quality that don't run 400+ dollars? I love name brand, high build stuff, but some of these companies like Gibson, Borla, Magnaflow, etc. need to get real on their pricing. At the end of the day they're bent metal tubes, R+D was done decades a go for what works well on these engines. I'd love to spend a maximum of about $250.

Hate to say it but... Good luck with that. That price range isn't going to get you anything "quality" and "stainless." At least not that I've ever seen.

 

[kennythewelder]

Summit shortys,,, been on the truck a few years. Perfect fit. Direct fit, but had to relocate the dip stick.

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[dave_erald]

I had a pair of Flowtech mid length headers on my truck, not shorties I know but I will way in anyways. They were a cheaper set of headers, the flanges were a cheap welded mess and the collectors being just the standard 3" 3 bolt flange were garbage.

Bolts always loosened off and gaskets always leaked. Rubbish

I wish I knew what a old friend used for shorties on his project, the bolts always kept coming loose on it, so rule 1 is getting locking header bolts. 2 both styles were actually fairly easy to do spark plugs on.

I would do ceramic too, and maybe someone has run Gibson or JBA headers? Pricey...

 

[magimerlin]

Well at 12:30 am on Saturday morning....lol... I ordered some summit shorties... we'll see what happens..

sent from what use to be a great country...

 

[Dylan1991_1500]

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[5spd Z71]

Well for one thing, what finish are your Pacesetters? Raw painted steel headers will rust, almost immediately. Just the nature of things.

Unfortunate that you've had all those other issues with them, my V6 models have been almost 100% problem-free.

I don't know if I got the 5 o'clock special or what. But these have been nothing but trouble.

 

[kennythewelder]

Well at 12:30 am on Saturday morning....lol... I ordered some summit shorties... we'll see what happens..

sent from what use to be a great country...

I have been happy with mine, but you may want to strip the paint and repaint them with some VHT (very high temp) header paint, before you install them. This paint is the bomb. The Summit paint won't last any time at all. It will burn off in a week or so, but the VHT paint will last a long time. I haven't repainted mine in at least a year or so. They still look good, but I will repaint them maybe this summer. I won't remove them, as chicken **** as that is, but everything around them is black so overspray will not be an issue.I also installed felpro gaskets, and not the cheepo ones that came with the headers. And also be careful not to ding up the tapered flange that fits into the exhaust pipe. I did have issues with mine there, but it was my own fault. I ended up bending mine up and installing a metal donut gasket there. No more issues after that.You loose a little gas millage, but the truck wakes up from idle to 4000 RPMs. One last thing, I know I said this before, but you will need to relocate the dip stick. I had to remove the mounting bracket, and move it to the rear spark plug holder on the rear side of the block. I matched the holder up with the S P bracket, got some good marks, removed it and welded it in place, then reinstalled. Hope you are as happy with yours as I am with mine.