Headers Vs. Manifolds

[2003Xtreme]

Well.. kind of had a dilemma this weekend.. I was driving over a parking lot wood post thing today in my truck.. well long story short it caught my y pipe/ header pipe what ever the pipe is called that is hooked to your manifolds.. well it hit on that pipe and caused it to start leaking at the donut gasket on the manifolds. well I would just replace the donut gasket, but there is NO taking the nuts off the studs on the manifolds.. the bolt is so far gone past the threads that the bolts are really thin on both the manifolds. So in order to fix my leak I will have to get the studs out of the manifolds... I know how fun it is to try and pull these studs out of the manifolds.. soo I would be paying an exhaust shop to try and pull the studs hoping they don't break em off in the manifold and have to drill em out and tap em.. SOOO I was thinking about the price I would get charged to put new studs/donut gaskets in.. versus maybe bolting on some headers and doing away with all the smog/ AIR pump stuff on my manifolds. The headers are 135 bucks.. the cheapest ones they make from flowtech. I would have to get some custom piping welded on for these headers.. just curious on whether I would be better off down the road to just buy headers and bolt them on and have someone hook the rest of the exhaust up?? So I am kinda curious about what your opinions are on what you think I should do?? Here are the headers I am looking at>
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BIG-11504FLT/
I am going to call the exhaust shop tommorow to see if he will give me an estimate on what it would cost to put new studs in.. I am just seeing what you guys think I should do??

 

[2003Xtreme]

Just found these on ebay.. not a fan of buying stuff like this on there, but for about the same price as the flowtechs.. I think these here from ebay will bolt up to my factory y pipe from the looks of em>>
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-S...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35bb15ac1e&vxp=mtr
What ya think of these?

 

[am92]

Any shorty headers will bolt up to your stock y-pipe and a lot of the have provisions for EGR and AIR. It sounds like you're on a budget so that is what I would recommend.

 

[LoudnLifted88]

did you damage your y-pipe because if you did the headers will leak also so you may need to get the y-pipe fixed or replaced

 

[Swims350]

No not ANY shorties bolt up, they MUST have the ball end flange or else you have to cut the y-pipe flange and use the reducers with the headers.

The ones you posted I have on mine, they were from tuning pros though and they are great, never pay the same price for cheapo black ones that rust get the stainless you'll love em. I do.

 

[94_C/1500]

The studs aren't pressed in, they have threads. And if you spray them with good oil for a ling enough time, most will work loose. Or they will break and you have to drill them. It's not a fun process but a shop isn't required. When replacing the studs, do yourself a favor and use regular bolts with washers and nuts. Use grade 2 so they'll break easy if they ever have to be removed.

 

[dropped93]

The studs aren't pressed in, they have threads. And if you spray them with good oil for a ling enough time, most will work loose. Or they will break and you have to drill them. It's not a fun process but a shop isn't required. When replacing the studs, do yourself a favor and use regular bolts with washers and nuts. Use grade 2 so they'll break easy if they ever have to be removed.

I've done this 3 times, after awhile it becomes a pain in the ass. The reason I switched to shorties (pacesetters from summit) and had true duals run, tucked above the frame. No more catching y pipe.

 

[2003Xtreme]

I know the studs are threaded in just know how big of a pain in the ass they can be to remove.. I am sorta on a budget.. Haha. Anyways it didnt bend the y pipe.. I crawled under it last night looking for a dent mark but no signs. I think what it did was bump it enough to let the rotted donut gasket move around so it leaks. Chris are them headers about the same price as what i posted? I am going to try n find them headers from that company here in a bit. Sounds like everyone recommends going with headers versus replace studs.. You guys think i should keep the egr and air on it too and get the provisioned headers for it?

 

[dropped93]

The studs are a huge pain, they're usually rusted solid ad they're hardened bolts so it takes a while. Like mentioned above, if you can manage to drill through, just put a bolt and but back through, not the stud..

 

[2003Xtreme]

Chris it doesnt look like tuning pros sell those headers with air provisions or anytjing. Just the oxygen sensor port.