Off Roading Forums banner

Headers and Exhaust

638 views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  Shaggy 
G
#1 ·
Pretty soon I'm going to be putting a whole new exhaust system on my truck including headers. So I've been looking around Does any one know of the best brand or what ones work the best? So far I found at summitracing Headman's for 105, Dynomax ceramic coated for 216, and Hooker headers for 142. Does the ceramic coating do anything besides make em look nice? I realize I'm probably going to have leaks from some of these cheaper headers but all headers leak if you don't tighten them up every now and then, right? yeah so I figure that out of the headers I'm going to run dual high flow cats and then have each pipe come out the side in front of the rear tires. If it turns out to be too loud I think I'll just toss on some glass packs or something. So what do you think? Any thing I missed or any reccomandations? Thanks, Ryan
 
#2 ·
I've got Hooker Competition headers and their Competition pipe kit. You need 22" or longer mufflers and they need to be center in offset out and 2 1/4". I wish I'd known that before I bought the stuff.

The headers are excellent. The pipe kit is something to be desired. No leaks and they have yet to come loose. I recommend copper collector gaskets and stainless fasteners at the collectors.


The ceramic coating is to keep them from rusting on the outside. Mine are regular (painted) and aren't rusting yet.
 
G
#3 ·
I have the Dynomax 3/4 length ceramic-coated headers with 1 ½ primaries and 2 ½ collectors. Sep 99 Carcraft test five $100 (no ceramic coating) headers, three full length and two ¾ length on a 400HP SBC. Needless to say the Dynomax’s were the smallest but the made the best average HP and TQ. Jet Hot does the Ceramic coating and it comes with a lifetime warranty. The coating decreases the under hood temp and if you have an open element air filter like my self that by it self will increase HP. The headers dump into a single three-inch exhaust with a series 70 flow master muffler. My buddy and I like the tone better then his exhaust that consist of the $142 hooker headers with dual exhaust and 50 series flow master mufflers. You have to take into account that we are driving four wheel drive tucks and unless you have a big block I would run single exhaust. You will get better low speed torque, which will result in better gas mileage and a crisper throttle response at low RPM's. My motor is making around 340HP and the single exhaust is not choking it. If I had a two wheel drive I would then run dual exhaust with an X pipe, bigger cam and a sloppy torque converter.
 
G
#4 ·
So your saying the dynomax headers are the way to go, right? But why do single exhaust when to the dual would be so easy and not too much more expensive? Oh and I just hope that everything will mount up like the pully that mounts on the manifold and the, I guess emisions pipe or something that conects to the stock manifold, all bolt up. What is that little pipe that mounts into the manifold and goes back somewhere behind the engine?
 
G
#5 ·
I run the 1 5/8" primary, 3" collector full length painted Hedmann headers. The collectors dump into dual 2 1/2" pipes with 50 Series(?) Flowmasters. Pipes exit behind the rear wheels. The engine is a mild 355 turning out around 300-325 HP.

They've been on the truck for a year and a half and have surface rust on them but that is normal with uncoated headers. Great sound and great performance. If the low back pressure is hurting my low end torque, I don't notice it on the road and the the SM465 makes up for any losses off road.

Pipes with cats only and no muffs would be too loud for me. My setup borders on excessive, in my opinion, when I stand on the skinny pedal next to the brake.
 
G
#6 ·
Ok so I think I am going to go with Hooker Competition headers for 142 fom Jegs. On my 88 blazer with fuel injection It has what I guess are emissions pipes that go into my exhaust manifolds on both sides but unlike my dads 89 3500 there is only one pipe going into the center of the manifold not four into each pipe why is this? And what are they called. I don't want to order them and then find out they were the wrong ones. Thanks
 
#8 ·
The tubes should be for the AIR injection, it's a smog thing, related to the pump on the front of the engine. And you shouldn't have angled plugs, those tend to be found more often on aftermarket heads.
 
#10 ·
Most headers don't have them, unless they are specifically for a late model that had them originally. If you don't have them then the main thing that happens is that you don't pass your smog check. It may affect what the O2 sensor sees too, so if you have them I'd make sure you keep them. A good set of headers designed for your truck with the smog package that you have should be set up to take all of the stock fittings.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top