Can I drive 20 miles with open headers?

[chevydan3]

97 vortec 350. I bought some midlength headers and need to take the truck to the shop to get the pipes refitted. My plan was to install the headers with the forward o2 sensors and egr hooked up and drive it down to the shop to get the headers replumbed to the cats. I realize it will be loud, but I do not want to pay labor rates for installing headers that I can do myself, and if I could I would weld up the exhaust myself but that is just not in my skill set right now. Will running it essentially without the rear 02's hurt anything if it is just down to the shop?

 

[am92]

You should be fine...the rear O2 sensors only monitor catalytic converter efficiency so you will get a SES light but other than that you'll be OK

 

[Swims350]

hope the cops are understanding. they might have a problem with them.

I would think you'd be ok, I'm new to FI and such though.

I was thinking throw on something temp to keep down the noise or whatever and keep away the po-po.

 

[RHamill]

You will be fine, the only worries you have are getting pulled over.

 

[chevydan3]

That's what I figured, just wanted to double check. Thanks guys, I think my brother might even have a set of glasspacks with header flanges that I could throw on there temporarily.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

I drive truck's like that all the time from my shop up to the muffler shop about 20 miles away, I've never had an issue.

 

[89rcsb]

You could drive across the country with open headers on any vehicle and not have any problems, cops excluded.

 

[Mean Green]

Yeah you'll be fine! I personally wouldn't drive it anymore then need be, but you shouldn't have to worry about anything. I had an 86' Camaro with a 350 and Hooker Headers, the mid pipes from the header flanges to the cats where completely shot. So it ran open headers for a few weeks, i hardly ever drove it anyways but that thing was NASTY loud!!! Buddy of mine stopped over one day, and I told him I just put a super stealthy exhaust system on it(wink), so as he was standing by the front fender/drivers door I started it up... Scared the **** out of him, you could feel the lope of the cam in your chest when that car was idiling

 

[MOBS]

Yeah you'll be fine! I personally wouldn't drive it anymore then need be, but you shouldn't have to worry about anything. I had an 86' Camaro with a 350 and Hooker Headers, the mid pipes from the header flanges to the cats where completely shot. So it ran open headers for a few weeks, i hardly ever drove it anyways but that thing was NASTY loud!!! Buddy of mine stopped over one day, and I told him I just put a super stealthy exhaust system on it(wink), so as he was standing by the front fender/drivers door I started it up... Scared the **** out of him, you could feel the lope of the cam in your chest when that car was idiling

A gto judge with a dealer optioned performance cam would do that too....'cept you'd feel it from your chest down to your feet. Ground shakers like a ****!!!

To the OP, almost all cops will understand the reasoning behind what you're wanting to do and will not give a ticket(if they even planned it in the first place)JUST because you're actually on your way to getting it fixed.

 

[ajbullins313]

I had mine cut off at the catalytic converters when I first gutted my cats. and drove about for a few days until the shops opened on Monday. No problems what so ever. I'd roll with the windows up for sure. 350's are pretty freakin loud driving up hill around 2500-3000. Hearing Safety first.