Budget headers

[_rgk]

Stock exhaust, would like to upgrade to headers on a budget. What should I look for on Craigslist and Marketplace? I am not seeing any headers coming out of a pickup, so how do I know which ones will fit?

Also, what’s the difference between short tube and long tube headers, performance-wise?

 

[Erik the Awful]

There are a handful of different headers for our trucks based on 4wd vs 2wd, etc. You're not likely to find the right headers in good shape used.

Shorties are better than stock manifolds and bolt right in place, but they're a performance compromise. Long tubes are the best performance-wise, but will require custom exhaust work. If you have a welder, you can build a full exhaust fairly cheap.

If you want the headers to look good and last long-term, you'll want ceramic coated. That adds $300 to the price. If you get "un-coated" headers, they come coated in cheap paint to prevent you from putting good header paint on them. You'll have to media blast them just to paint or coat them.

 

[_rgk]

Where do you shop for these?

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Where do you shop for these?

Summit, Jegs, Amazon or your local speed shop should be able to help. I have a set of Hedman long tubes, been on the truck 20yrs. Although it's not a daily anymore.

 

[Schurkey]

Perhaps a moderator will move this thread to the Exhaust sub-forum.

 

[RichLo]

Where do you shop for these?

Agree'd with the Summit or Jegs comment above. They have a good search by vehicle feature that you can narrow down exactly what you need. And they are big enough to stand by their search feature if you happen to get something that is wrong.

I would avoid Amazon, Ebay, facebook, craigslist, etc though because they can list items without actually knowing what they fit. Amazon looks like it knows but I've seen some goofy stuff pop up under their vehicle search feature.

 

[GrimsterGMC]

Agree'd with the Summit or Jegs comment above. They have a good search by vehicle feature that you can narrow down exactly what you need. And they are big enough to stand by their search feature if you happen to get something that is wrong.

I would avoid Amazon, Ebay, facebook, craigslist, etc though because they can list items without actually knowing what they fit. Amazon looks like it knows but I've seen some goofy stuff pop up under their vehicle search feature.

Once you find the one you want always go to the manufacturers site to double check the fitment as I have found there to be conflicting information and I would work off the manufacturer specs.

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

I have bought 3 sets of shorties from eBay over the last 15 years or so and I'm pleased with them: stainless steel, thick 3/8 flanges at the engine, no need for the faulty graphite gaskets and janky stud & springbolt at the y-pipe.

As @Eric the Awful stated, they are a compromise, but as a bolt-in, they're better than the restrictive manifolds. Seeing as I've installed them on daily drivers that doesn't see over 4500 rpms, (actually it's rare for me to run it over 4k) they're very cost effective. Where longtubes shine is 4000-7000 and the TBI is well, not a screamer? Hell, my Vortec 5.7 orange zones at 5k...

As per emissions (for those in States that require emissions), they leave the O2 sensor and catalyst in the stock location. Though now that they're more than 25 years old, mine might not have the converter anymore.

Anyway, I happen have a new unused set for a V8 TBI, but since you haven't stated what vehicle you're planning to modify, I'll wait to offer them to you for the $106 that I paid, (plus shipping to you)

 

[Erik the Awful]

Where longtubes shine is 4000-7000 and the TBI is well, not a screamer?

That's old-school thinking, i.e. "you need restriction to make torque", and it's wrong. Long tubes shine everywhere. More correct would be to say that shorties are crippled above 4000 rpm. That said, yeah, you probably wouldn't notice the difference between shorties and long tubes on a TBI under 4000 rpm.

My whole line of thinking is that it's silly to stick to shorties just because they fit in the stock location because there's no point in keeping the stock, restrictive exhaust. You really need to replace the whole exhaust, so why not just go with long tubes from the start? Of course, I'm cheap and I have a welder so I have a bad case of "I can fix that!"

I can only see two reasons to go with shorties. The first reason is if you don't have a welder and can source and afford an entire bolt-together system. The second reason is if you have to meet strict emissions rules that allow shorties but not long tubes.

 

[jd33173]

Agree'd with the Summit or Jegs comment above. They have a good search by vehicle feature that you can narrow down exactly what you need. And they are big enough to stand by their search feature if you happen to get something that is wrong.

I would avoid Amazon, Ebay, facebook, craigslist, etc though because they can list items without actually knowing what they fit. Amazon looks like it knows but I've seen some goofy stuff pop up under their vehicle search feature.

Chinese garbage is not your friend, agree on summit and jegs