Downsides to headers?

[borahshadow]

oh my mistake I was thinking everybody was talking about the bolts that go to the flange that connects the headers to the exhaust pipes... Not the bolts that go into the block... Now I see why special locking bolts (not nuts lol) are required... Why don't the stock manifolds come loose?

Ps Droppedasachhild... I don't normally like cowl hoods for appearance. I really like you're truck though. The black color with the nice chrome grill and wheels looks really clean.

 

[Sully]

ever try to remove a stock manifold from a SBC? they make special pry tools that spread them out so they can be taken off the studs

 

[borahshadow]

ever try to remove a stock manifold from a SBC? they make special pry tools that spread them out so they can be taken off the studs

Nope I haven't haha. My auto mechanic experience is limited at best...

 

[Sully]

they wouldnt come loose if there were no bolts

 

[Swims350]

well they are cheap, compared to new manifolds which are like $50 a piece and up.

I bought a set of stainless steel ones for my 88 on ebay shipped for like $125 or so. Stainless doesn't rust, the cheap black ones do, ceramic is very expensive, and it can discolor or come off. stainless is the only way to go IMO, and mine bolt right in place of manifolds so no exhaust work. The main downside IMO is the exhaust work, cutting, welding, pipe bending. Bolts I've never had a problem with, I just check them if I got time and I'm under the hood. Use good gaskets up top, copper or alum. I use the perforated manifold gaskets they are cheap and work great.

Get the ball socket ends on them or buy the summit header buddies that way there's no gasket on the bottom.

Long tubes are better for long end torque, but in lowered 2wd's they can cause ground cleanrance issues.

Heat underhood, never had a problem, they cool down alot faster then manifolds too.

Getting to plugsa is tough sometimes, you need a short socket made for them or an offset or reg. wrench to use on them. Plug wires get close sometimes or burn, they make boots and sleeves to help stop it though. I got one laying on a tube right now on a daily driver and it hasn't burned yet.

 

[Mean Green]

well they are cheap, compared to new manifolds which are like $50 a piece and up.

I bought a set of stainless steel ones for my 88 on ebay shipped for like $125 or so. Stainless doesn't rust, the cheap black ones do, ceramic is very expensive, and it can discolor or come off. stainless is the only way to go IMO, and mine bolt right in place of manifolds so no exhaust work. The main downside IMO is the exhaust work, cutting, welding, pipe bending. Bolts I've never had a problem with, I just check them if I got time and I'm under the hood. Use good gaskets up top, copper or alum. I use the perforated manifold gaskets they are cheap and work great.

Get the ball socket ends on them or buy the summit header buddies that way there's no gasket on the bottom.

Long tubes are better for long end torque, but in lowered 2wd's they can cause ground cleanrance issues.

Heat underhood, never had a problem, they cool down alot faster then manifolds too.

Getting to plugsa is tough sometimes, you need a short socket made for them or an offset or reg. wrench to use on them. Plug wires get close sometimes or burn, they make boots and sleeves to help stop it though. I got one laying on a tube right now on a daily driver and it hasn't burned yet.

Very well put chris. I had a set of Hooker longtubes on my Camaro, Personally i hated the damn things. The flanges on the collectors leaked like a stuck pig, even after replacing the gaskets several times. It seems like people either love or hate headers. But if your going with headers, DEFFINATLY go wit ball style ends! And also if you can, go with stainless steel, much better alternative. As far as performance, i doubt that you'll notice a whole lot HP gain, you'll get a better sound with longtubes. But it may feel a little more responsive on the low end aslo with the headers. Personally i'll stick with my Ram Horn style manifolds

 

[FastOrange]

Heres a Tip, coat your gaskets in copper silicone, it makes a mess but seals them up tight.

 

[Mean Green]

I tried some different sealants and didn't have any luck. Them things just hated me i think lol

 

[FastOrange]

I tried some different sealants and didn't have any luck. Them things just hated me i think lol

you really gotta goob it on, always has worked for me.

 

[Aloicious]

I use stage 8 locking header bolts too. never had any problems with them loosening at all since I put them on.

as for gaskets, I've done TONS of different gaskets with and without the silicone, and head gasket sealant, etc. tried the soft aluminum ones, copper ones, stock ones, 'carbon' ones, fiber ones...etc, EVERYTHING had some leaking to some extent. probably the best I found was the stock manifold gaskets with some sealant on them. but it still didn't seal up perfectly....I ended up trying some remflex ones, they sealed perfectly, I've had them on for over a year, with no leaks whatsoever, so as far as I'm concerned, thats all I'll ever run anymore.
here's a thread with the links to the remflex ones I used. http://forum.gmtruckcentral.com/showthread.php/76-Header-Gaskets.....-whats-the-best

I'd also suggest the ball and socket collectors, I've never had a collector leak since using them. but I don't like the donut gasket ones.

you'll have to do some fabrication on the exhaust to use long tubes, but the gain is better. I had some ceramic shorties on for a while, and they did fine, but when I put my cam/heads/blower on....it blew out both header gaskets, both collector gaskets, and the Y pipe gasket, as well as cracked a weld on the drivers side header...needless to say they didn't do too well with the forced induction. I put long tubes on and full dual 3" exhaust all the way back and it's been great since.