Three years ago I chose a Hedman header over EFI manifolds. During that time the heat has played havoc with my carb, and eventually I had to make a heat shield for the carb.

The header also sealed in my starter. That meant if the starter went out I'd have to pull the intake and detach the header. This morning the inevitable happened. Got in the truck to go to work and turned the key and got that old time buzzing sound of a solenoid bad. Checked the solenoid and all. I need a starter. With the EFI I could have walked two blocks to the AZ and bought a new one, put it on in about 90 minutes, and been on my way. But now I'll have to get a tow truck to take the truck to my garage, spend about 2 hours removing everything, and probably 3 hours putting everything back together ... if I were staying with the header.

However, to prevent this sort of episode from happening again, I'll spend the day at the j/y getting a set of efi's and the dual oem pipes to the cat., ordering an X pipe and clamps and pipe. Then I'll have to rent some welding tanks b/c gas welds so much nicer than electric on old pipe.

What is the bright side? I get a day off work, and get to spend a bunch of $ plus time on a new exhaust system, so this won't leave me stranded again. Reliability is the issue resolved. Now I'll carry a spare starter.

Once I get under there and look I may change--out of necessity--to a single pipe system.

 

I'm planning my next 300-6 install into my other Bronco. I have the EFI mannie's already..and my ride already has the "2-in-1-out" stainless muffler.

Good plan my brother..may your day well go w/o many scraped knuckles.

 

+1 on the knuckles .. Sorry to here about the trouble .. I think you have a sound plan to keep it from happening in the future .. Keep us posted

 

Wow, it is about two solid hours of work to remove the efi's! You have to pull EVERYTHING. But I found one set with a nice dual connecting pipes. I was surprised to see that they had a nice little equalizer/connecting pipe joining one to the other, about 1 1/2" in diameter. I'll weld right onto those.

I wonder if dual 2.25" pipes would be too much.

Another note: The efi years with an inline 6 are not so common at the j/y any longer.

 

2" - 2 1/4" dual-outs would be quite nice.

 

I feel your pain dude that happened to me last year around this time too... I still have my Hedman header behind the garage my dad was gonna scrap it but I told him "no way I'm keeping it as a trophy" I guess you could say lol. I got new EFI man's off eBay but there original from Ford. My exhaust shop did a custom down pipe 2 1/4 from the manifolds back into a dual in single out MagnaFlow 2 1/2 dumped before the rear axle. I love the rap I get but I still wanna get dual cutouts though haha.


Hope all goes well bud.

 

I think a single in/dual out set-up would probably work fine...wouldn't be 'true' duals but would work satisfactorily.

 

Looking forward to getting your firsthand feedback on any changes in performance between the headers and EFI manifolds.

 

Fordboy300 made the change before me and said he didn't notice any decrease in power.

Well, I went though my records and found it had been two months short of five years since I got the starter. It lasted longer than any starter I had on my 390. Luckily it was under warranty and I have the receipt. Free starter.

So, is the newer efi type, the permanent magnet, iirc?, a better starter?

Fordboy300: That is what I was thinking, with the dual 2.25" pipes from the manifolds, then a dual in with single 2.5" out the back. I may copy your system, but of course it was all my idea, ha ha.

 

Because the truck was broke down I didn't really examine it as I should have. The new solenoid is clicking like an aftermarket electric fuel pump. Is the new solenoid bad?

Tell me it ain't so ... not my cheapo AZ solenoid!

 

Hey man hahaha by all means I'll take a video of what my truck sounds like I'm sure you will like it I told the guys at the exhaust shop as long as it clears the starter I'm okay with it. That's what they did. The only thing I don't like is the drone from dumping it before the rear axle but I'll live with it for now.

 

on a long wheelbase truck I like dumping before the rear axle .. It seems to prevent the pipe from rotting from condensation because exhaust temps are hotter at that exit point .. The temps at rear exit seem to promote condensation

 

Your new starter might be defective...I've had it happen on the big truck we owned (Freightliner)...the replacement starter was bad and I've had it happen on my 300. The first DB mini-Starter I had was defective but promptly replaced by DB.

 

Here you go F250 as promised

 

Oh, that is Sweet! I really like that sound--subdued but still throaty and low. Now I'm excited to do the change. Thanks for posting that, Fordboy.

A note about the manifolds: I found that I could buy a set on ebay for $85, and that is with shipping included! How can they do that? I would pay $60 plus tax, plus core charge (can you believe that?), plus two bucks just to entry fee, from a j/y, and have to work minimum two hours to pull it. It must be a salvage yard selling them. I'm in.

k