Header install help needed
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
Header install help needed
I bought a set of headers last year from craigsist, I'm thinking about tackling the job next time I have a day with decent weather and have a few questions/concerns. This is on my signature truck. I'm thinking about getting some 2 1/4" reducer to bolt to the headers just to keep the plumbing a little smaller. Good idea? For now it looks like I can welld about a 3' piece of pipe to the reducer and a turbo muffler and be done with it, maybe a couple turndowns will help direct the sound towads the ground.
How about gaskets? I'm looking at Mr gasket copper ones, but not sure if my gt40 heads have oval or rectangular ports. Are these gaskets worth the $ or can I just use the regular set of fel-pros I have jeft over from a headset?
I am also contemplating converting to 4x4 but I think for now I'll just run the pipes straight back. If I add the transfer case and driveshaft is it possible to run the drivers side straight back or will I need to get some 90's and run it to the pass side?
Any advice or pics of your system much appreciated
How about gaskets? I'm looking at Mr gasket copper ones, but not sure if my gt40 heads have oval or rectangular ports. Are these gaskets worth the $ or can I just use the regular set of fel-pros I have jeft over from a headset?
I am also contemplating converting to 4x4 but I think for now I'll just run the pipes straight back. If I add the transfer case and driveshaft is it possible to run the drivers side straight back or will I need to get some 90's and run it to the pass side?
Any advice or pics of your system much appreciated
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 625
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From: Colorado
You're definitely going to want to run the exhaust out past the cab, dumping it right off the mufflers under the floor will drive you crazy from the drone.
Since you have a chassis-cab truck, you could even run stacks instead of trying to go all the way out the back.
Since you have a chassis-cab truck, you could even run stacks instead of trying to go all the way out the back.
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From: Virginia
You can't run straight back even with 2wd if you have the gas tank in the stock location. Don't be tempted to run the exhaust straight out of the headers and low to the ground. When you are done and step back from the side of the truck, the exhaust hanging down low and being visible from the side looks awful.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
I figured 3' plus the mufflers would be far enough back, I'll try to get it back as far as possible. I thought about stacks but I want to do this as cheap and easy as possible.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
You can't run straight back even with 2wd if you have the gas tank in the stock location. Don't be tempted to run the exhaust straight out of the headers and low to the ground.
When you are done and step back from the side of the truck, the exhaust hanging down low and being visible from the side looks awful.
When you are done and step back from the side of the truck, the exhaust hanging down low and being visible from the side looks awful.
I think with my long wheelbase I have plenty of room, but I'll look again.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Colorado
This will match up to the diameter of 2 1/4" exhaust tubing. You can use these to route the exhaust up at the back of the cab for stacks.
These bends are a really wide radius, so there is less restriction than your regular muffler shop crimped bend.
I used a couple of these bends, and a 10ft stick of 2 1/4" tubing to build stacks for my buddy's '64 C-30 chassis cab.
Works great, and you don't have to worry about a bunch of bends for clearing the axle, crossmembers, gas tank, etc etc.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: jacksonville fl
as far as the gaskets go the thick paper gaskets will work but coper is beter however no gasket will hold up if the header gets loose be sure to get you a good set of header bolts and while you are at it get a 7/16 wrench (or whatever you need to fit the header bolts) cut it in half and then grind the sides down to make it as narrow as possible. this will make life so much easier when installing the botlts. just keep in mind if you grind it to far the wrench will break
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Missouri
The previous owner of my truck used the exhaust setup from a 1996 F350 Powerstroke. Leading both headers to the muffler himself (he even used both cat. converters which is actuatually the first thing attached to the headers) then used the 3" Powertroke setup from the muffler back. It's already bent to go and sneak over the rear axel and exit out behind the rear passenger side tire.
You probably wouldn't do anything like that but i'm just throwing into info out there.
You probably wouldn't do anything like that but i'm just throwing into info out there.
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
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From: Virginia
I don't know what type and brand headers you have, but the flowtechs I used came out below the tranny oil pan, so yes they are low. I went and bought exhaust 90's from the parts store and ran each side toward the outside of the truck, and they just run below the frame rails on each side. I then bought 2 more 90's and turned them up at a 45 degree angle to point the exhaust up toward the floorboard on the outside of each frame rail. I then installed 45's to bring it level but high up close to the floor, and then ran it straight back with a muffler on each side, then two more 45's to bring it out from under the body in front of each rear tire. It cost me about $100 in pipe, pre-bent 90's and 45's, and cheap turbo mufflers. The hardest part was going to several stores to get enough fittings and pipes. Most stores don't carry much. I should have gone to the muffler shop and see how much they would have charged to make me some fittings.
The only other way is to bring both sides over to the pass side and run them both side by side down that way.
The only other way is to bring both sides over to the pass side and run them both side by side down that way.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
Update, I got the rect port gaskets. They leaked. I figured I'd match the shpe of the ports on the heads but the headers didnt line up right. The drivers side header was pointed right at the shift linkage but I was able to make a pipe to go around it. I then went under the crossmember to a muffler that ended right at the end of the cab. Pass side I was able to make a pipe go above the crossmember so I have good ground clearance there. Went for a ride, PO'ed about the gaskets leaking, got up to 25-30 mph just cruising and the c6 shifted to 3rd. OMG it was loud! Drove it like that for a couple days and today replaced the gaskets with some fel pro's I kept out of a head set, and they sealed (for now anyway). I put a 90deg piece of conduit (thanks newrider!) on the drivers side muffler and a little turndown on the pass side and got rid of the low rpm droning sound. Pretty happy with it now even though I dont think the felpro gaskets will hold up. My "but dyno" registers a noticeable improvement and I should get a little better fuel economy 
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