I would like my next big modification to my truck to be headers, but I would like to know the pros and cons about them. I know that I would get a large horsepower boost, but I'm just wondering if it will affect the performance of the engine in another way, for example things like making it run too hot or too cold, gasket problems, etc. Any help would be appreciated. Oh, I should probably mention that I have a '94 F250 with the 460. Thanks!

Also, if I were to get headers, what brand would you recommend?

 

I have a truck just like yours and recently put a set of headers on it. They are diffinetly worth it. I have L and L headers. I tried a set of Hooker's and they didn't fit right which turned out for the better because the L and L's are much higher quality headers. I have had no problems with them. Hope this helps. If you have any more questions feel free to ask. L and L's web site is www.landlproducts.com

 

Actually, I do have a few more questions. Firstly, how much were the headers themselves? Also, did you have them installed or did you install them yourself? If you had them installed, what was the cost of labor on that? I would not install them myself, I don't think. Also, where did you buy them? Thanks for answering all my questions, it is appreciated.

 

The headers cost around $450 shipped from texas to montana. I got them directly from L and L . I had them installed while the truck was having a new clutch put in along with a broken front axle shaft so I am not sure how much labor would be. I don't know how long it took him either because I had him take all of the emission stuff except the EGR, at the same time. Glad to help you.

 

Thanks alot. I just went to the off road place where I get everything done (lift, etc.) and he suggested a pair of Gibson headers that are $720 (!) I think those are the ones I will go for, but I will have to save up for awhile. But it's good to know that I'll have good quality, too. He said that the labor depends because the 460 has some brittle parts that could break and they'd have to fix, and minimum six hours to do the work. It's alot, but I think it'd be worth it. Thanks alot for your help.

 

6 hours to do the work??!!

whatever you do, don't take it to them! that is a bunch of crap, even 302 headers in a '73-'79 F100 don't take but an hour to throw in, and that includes the time it takes to jack up the motor on the passenger side. You could easily put them in yourself, but they won't line up with your current exhaust system, so take it to an exhaust shop and have them do it. I spent a total of 1 hour putting mine in, and that's because I took a hacksaw and cut off my stock pipes, then installed the headers. I drove it over to the exhaust shop with nothing but uncorked headers, and asked them to finish off the pipes. 2.5" stainless steel pipes (true duals), 18" long, 4" diameter dual exhaust tips, and an H- pipe all for $190. Oh yeah, I also had them install the passenger side header, which had to have the motor jacked up, and I didn't want to do in my garage. All included in the price. I bought Flowtech Headers, got them from Advance Auto Parts for $88. I've had them for 4 years now, and they still look and run great, after a coat of flameproof paint ($8 for 2 cans of paint). If I were you, I'd get a set of DynoMax headers, they are even better quality than FlowTech, and they're about $77 a set. Get the ceramic coated ones if you can, they will look much better than the uncoated ones for several years to come. TK

 

It sounds very good, but I'm just wondering why they are so cheap. I mean, I want these to last awhile and not have to replace them. This is great if I am able to find some for that much money, because saving up 720 dollars would take FOREVER. I just got my first job last week and am paid 7 bucks an hour, plus I have to pay for the truck. So I don't have much left over each month. Also, what kind of power increase should I expect from the Dynomaxes?

 

I just spoke to an exhaust place here where I had my dual exhaust installed. My truck does have the 460, which he said does get a little hotter then others. I asked about the Dynomax headers, and he said that he wouldn't recommend it. He recommended a brand called JBA. Any experience with this brand?

 

Fordman350,
RUN do not walk away from this shop, and do not for any reason, ever go back. This guy sees a sucker every time you go thru his door. Don't let him make you into one.

 

I've had mine for 4 years, and they still look and work as good as always, they're made of 20 gage steel, which is the heaviest gage you're going to find anywhere. I just checked the catalogues though, and I didn't see your application, so you might go to some manufacturers websites to check to see if you can find a reasonably priced set for your application. I don't know why they're so much cheaper than the other ones you were looking at, but I couldn't figure out why those were so expensive. I've never heard of paying $700 for headers when ceramic coated ones are selling for $220, and anything ceramic coated is the best you can buy. Also check with both AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts, because they both sell Flowtech headers. Even if mine fall apart tommorrow, I'd rather pay $88 dollars every 4 years than $700 dollars once. For the cost of the cheaper headers, you could pay for 4 pairs of them and have them installed. They all perform about the same, and you won't see any difference from one to the other, as long as they all have the same primary tube diameter. I wouldn't recommend them if they looked cheap at all, I've put mine through as much crap as you possible can, and they still actually look good. They seal so well that I've never blown the gaskets, in fact, mine seal so well that I've kept re-using my exhaust gasket several times, even swapped them onto a new engine, and it still doesn't leak. Collector gaskets are quite another story, those things are very difficult to seal nomatter what kind of headers you have. You're going to find that all the headers will perform the same, the only noticable difference will be the shorty headers, which aren't as good. Anything in a full length design will really build torque in the mid-upper RPM range. Other brands to look for are Heddman, Hooker, and Edelbrock. Edelbrock headers are more expensive, but they will work with your OEM exhaust pipes, if that's what you want, and they even keep you emissions legal. Just do some research before you spend $400 on headers that you could have gotten for less than $100. I know how it feels to be in your spot, bagging groceries in high school. Beleive me, it's no small task saving up money to hot rod your truck when you're making $7/hour, so that's why I say that $88 headers RULE!

 

The place where I went to get a quote on the headers is a place where we've had our trucks worked on for years, and the guy is really nice and can be trusted. I talked to him, then I talked to a separate guy on the phone at an exhaust place nearby. He suggested JBA Headers, and said that I would spend some money but it would be worth it. I asked him about the Dynomax headers, and I believe his exact words were "you don't want to do that on your engine." Something like that, and he mentioned that because of the 460's size it needed some better quality headers. Also, keep in mind that the exhaust place doesn't even sell the headers, but that he did recommend these. I really do appreciate your guy's input (and am definitely considering it), but I have to say I'm very confused... And please, keep it coming. I want to know as much as possible. Thanks again.

 

I think that you would be best off with the L and L headers. They have the thickest flanges you will ever see on a header which means no chance of warpage and leakes. The person that installed them for me has been a mechanic for well over 20 years and has installed numerous headers and said that the L and L's were by far the best quality headers that he has ever seen. I think that you will be happy with which ever set you get but I would definetly recomend the L and L's excpecaly at $450 compared to the gibsons at $720.

 

Yeah I was thinking about that. You've got the 460 too, and you've said you haven't had any trouble. And the price still isn't that good, but is much better. And what that mechanic said is reassuring.

 

A lot of the 'cheap' headers are not full length tube headers but shorties, 'Y's and block huggers.

I'm not familiar with Ford small block tests, but the 460 shows little gain over stock manifolds when using anything but full length headers. Any gain over stock manifolds with less than full length headers is normally attained because the entire exhaust sytem has been replaced with larger diameter pipe and less restrictive mufflers.

If you research them, most of the less expensive full length headers are not available for a 460 truck application. When they are, the price takes a big jump from the small block prices.

I use L&L headers on a 460 and, like others, feel they are the best quality headers I've ever seen or used. They also offer a lifetime guarantee against rustout. It's another case of you get what you pay for.

 

I am no expert on headers and have never had any intstalled on any of my vehicles. But, I am having a 390 built and bought the Dynomax Header for the FE engine from Summit Racing ($119). After many painstacking hours of research, talked with 5 guys I know who race (drag and dirt), talk to many people on FTE, talked to two guys who build race engines, and three exhaust guys I know personally, I was told that the Dynomax headers would do perfectly fine for many years. All these people have installed them on vehicles and have never had one complaint. So that was enough for me to go ahead and order them. Thnaks.