Header vs exhaust manifold

[NOrrTH]

The headers I have in my '71 GTX 440 are hitting the power steering pump on one side and the torsion bar on another. The muffler shop guy tells me he's worried if he heats them up and dents them they will break through.

What do you guys think about losing the headers and going back to stock manifolds? Will I lose that much power to avoid the headache of header problems?

the 440 is a mild build (400hp on the dyno) with an "Edlebrock Performer 440" and Carter AFB Competition 750

 

[696pack]

The headers I have in my '71 GTX 440 are hitting the power steering pump on one side and the torsion bar on another. The muffler shop guy tells me he's worried if he heats them up and dents them they will break through.

What do you guys think about losing the headers and going back to stock manifolds? Will I lose that much power to avoid the headache of header problems?

the 440 is a mild build (400hp on the dyno) with an "Edlebrock Performer 440" and Carter AFB Competition 750

Yes, you will feel the difference.

Headers are a big pain in the a$$.

You will most likely always be tightening them up.

They will always look rusty and nasty unless you want to spend a lot of money jet hotting them. This requires test fitting/modifying for fit (which you are now experiencing) then packing them up, paying for two way shipping and the service. Then you get to re-install them.

You can overcome the factory hipo manifolds limited flow with other engine mods. Just look at what the F.A.S.T. guys are doing with them in lieu of headers and on factory bias belt tires.

I have factory manifolds on my 1969 six pack Bee with 523 stroker with roller cam, buleprinted, reworked factory heads, etc. The engine compartment looks stock. While I have not yet had it to the track, I am betting it will run mid 11's on G70 polyglas tires.

 

[19mopar65]

Yep, I agree headers are a pain!!!! When I took the 400 that was in my car out with headers someone had to beat them with a hammer to get them to fit. When I put the 440 in my car with headers had to lift one side of the engine and put the headers in from underneath the car to fit............save yourself a major headache and go with manifolds IMO

 

[69 Runner]

Split profile is the thing. You have a split cam, the change to headers may have less effect than you might think

 

[Meep-Meep]

Typically you shouldn't notice any power loss in the low RPM range between headers and manifolds. My buddy back in the 80's just had the factory manifolds on his 67 Barracuda 383 S and it ran fine with a .474" cam.

Headers should be shipped with a hammer. It's just the way it is. I just learned to accept that things don't always fit like they say they do. I've always ran headers on my 68 RR and never had any issues once I put split lock washers under the bolts and learned about high temp silicone. On my old 68 Mustang GT I didn't even have gaskets. I just used high temp copper silicone on the head and collector and it was fine. I drove that car like that for about the last 5 yrs I owned it. In total I put 95K miles on it over 10 yrs after I restored it, however, I did get sick of changing upper ball joints. At least the headers never gave me any grief.

Headers are easier to deal with when they are in the engine compartment as the engine goes in, so not at all the same miserable experience as installing with the engine in the car.

I will run headers on my 69 RR but for the first time in my history of owning the 68 I will go with the manifolds. That's going to look weird.

I've always made my "adjustments" with a big ball peen hammer and a punch and not heated. Unless your headers are really rusty then I wouldn't worry about punching through.

 

[69 Runner]

My 69 Bee had "Pro Stock 1202" headers on it. They fit without a hammer, and they never leaked.

THIS is why you can't buy them anymore.........

 

[dbc105]

All things are relevant to how much you spend. I had a pair of Blackjack Alumi Coat headers on an El Camino I had. $225 when cheap Hookers from Summit were $89. They installed without any problem, drive them a week and re-tightened the bolts and forgot about them. Keep the car 6 years and sold the car to a man a few miles from the house and he is still driving the car. No header problems. You get what you pay for. Look for thick flanges and good coatings.

DC

 

[383man]

My Hedman headers fit good and are not rusting at all. And I dont have to tighten the bolts at all. It makes a difference on how good a header you get. The ones with the thick flange work good and yes you will loose some power switching back to manifolds. Ron

 

[NOrrTH]

So it turns out my engine mounts were hooped. I put new ones in and there is plenty of clearance around the headers now. Unfortunately the header was hammered pretty hard before they were replaced so they look like @zz. Considering how deeply pounded they are and not broken, I'm thinking that the guy at the muffler shop was just lazy.

Frankly I'm kinda impressed with these headers and the beating they took plus dragging the collectors accross speed bumps and no leaks.

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

What Brand headers are these ?

 

[NOrrTH]

Sorry I missed this reply for some reason.

They are 2" Hooker Competition

 

[squalie]

I had to bump this as I have almost the same situation. I have headers on the car now, but the way the spark plug wires run they're constantly getting burned on the headers. It doesn't seem to matter how a route them they just look funny. I'd like to put stock manifolds on it and be done with the headache. It SEEMS that there would be a decrease in horsepower or why would they make headers at all? So the question is realistically how much of a difference do headers really make? Based on the responses so far I'm not that worried about putting manifolds back on like Mamma' Mopar intended.

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

I would go back to Original High Performance Manifolds.

 

[69 Runner]

How much difference it would make depends on what you're running. If you were running a fat roller cam it would probably DIE with manifolds. However, if you were running a Hemi grind (.474") it won't hurt as much.