warped headers what are some options?
Thread Starter
|
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 636
Likes: 5
From: down a red dirt road
warped headers what are some options?
Hey guys i know something is wrong with my right header. Talking about a set of 360/390 (dynomax)Blackjack longtube headers. ive come to find out that that dynomax sold out and im afraid to buy new headers that wont fit the way these do. If theres any way to do so, Im going to fix them.
they leaked wierd, the exhaust ports are square and this header finally blew a gasket one day and every gasket ive tried to replace with leaks at almost every corner of the square ports. Ive yet to have any leaks on the drivers side.
Im tryin to think of a good way to see how warped they are, a staightedge will only show so much.
I think i want to go ahead and drop them off at a machine shop and have them skimmed across a mill or beltsander like i seen stacey david do on GEARS on t.v.?
what do ya'll think
the other option i would try is to buy the header flanges i seen on summit and redo the bad header with it.
i think if i had a good way to check how true they are i could weld on them and grind back true, but ill have to build some kind of jig and spent hours with a flat peice of steel and straighedges.
do yall have any other tricks or suggestions?
they leaked wierd, the exhaust ports are square and this header finally blew a gasket one day and every gasket ive tried to replace with leaks at almost every corner of the square ports. Ive yet to have any leaks on the drivers side.
Im tryin to think of a good way to see how warped they are, a staightedge will only show so much.
I think i want to go ahead and drop them off at a machine shop and have them skimmed across a mill or beltsander like i seen stacey david do on GEARS on t.v.?
what do ya'll think
the other option i would try is to buy the header flanges i seen on summit and redo the bad header with it.
i think if i had a good way to check how true they are i could weld on them and grind back true, but ill have to build some kind of jig and spent hours with a flat peice of steel and straighedges.
do yall have any other tricks or suggestions?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 968
Likes: 5
From: Corbett, Oregon
Assume the flangs is warped. If it isn't, it is one of the few that isn't.
Try cutting the header flange between each tube (total of 3 cuts). This will allow each tube to be bolted individually to the head, without the rest of the tubes or flange affecting it.
I have found this to solve a lot of header leak issues, especially on headers with 1/4" or 5/16" flanges.
Good luck.
Roger Carter
Try cutting the header flange between each tube (total of 3 cuts). This will allow each tube to be bolted individually to the head, without the rest of the tubes or flange affecting it.
I have found this to solve a lot of header leak issues, especially on headers with 1/4" or 5/16" flanges.
Good luck.
Roger Carter
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
EZ. Weld up a fixture to mount the header and maintain the relative position of the collector and flange. Cut off the offending flange, mount it back to the fixture, and weld on a new one.
FE header flange from Jeg's: $40. PN 555-31815
FE header flange from Jeg's: $40. PN 555-31815
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 9
From: Franklin, IN
I would do what silver said, but if you have no fabrication experience I would recommend some flowtechs. They are very cheap and my set required nothing but removing the manifolds and bolting them into place.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
I am over headers and went back to stock cast iron manifolds and love them, no more leaks and ticks and roaring. These are low revving trucks, not race cars. Headers are a complete waste of time and money for the vast majority of us truckers. I have a low 10 sec street mustang and yeah, I will keep long tubes on that.. My truck? Never again!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
I have stock manifolds and these puppies are ticking like crazy haha Can't wait to get rid of them. Then again, I am building a 500 horsepower 460, so headers make since for me more than someone running a stock 351m.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
for 500 hp you will need LT headers BUT while 500 HP sounds nice and all, for that VAST majority of us, what is the point? I had a 351M for YEARS with a bad cyl and worn rings that I used to tow my race car and do some off roading. from the factory that was only a 146 HP engine!!!!! as it was it MAYBE had 110 HP and could pull my car dont the road like nothing was behind it and drove great. IN FACT if I were to have built that engine to make 500 HP (and I know how to) Its likely that it would be a much worse puller or back woods rooter for all kinds of reasons... sooo yeah.. anyway I now have a 460 with a 750, eldy intake, mild cam, ported D3 heads and ported cast iron manifolds and love the combo personally. It prolly make 350-400 or more, more than double or triple the old combo but its still not as good and towing and the old set up. Big numbers dont always make a better truck.
Trending Topics
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 9
From: Franklin, IN
Headers are far from being a waste of time and money, what other mod are you going to do that will get you a gain from the bottom of the torque curve all the way to the top for that cheap? I think its worth the roughly $150 for that header sound. My cheapie flowtechs never leaked, warped and they took zero massaging to fit properly.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 221
Likes: 2
Headers are far from being a waste of time and money, what other mod are you going to do that will get you a gain from the bottom of the torque curve all the way to the top for that cheap? I think its worth the roughly $150 for that header sound. My cheapie flowtechs never leaked, warped and they took zero massaging to fit properly.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Ok, here is what you REALLY need to do, in order to keep your headers like you want.
All you need to do is go to a machine shop, take in your headers that are warped, and ask them to plane them for you.
They will take the header and run it on a big belt that remove metal evenly until it is level. This is provided you have enough metal to work with, which most of the time you will unless they are really cheap headers or this had been done before. This should cost you about 1/2 hour of machine shop labor time, which should run you about $20-40.
If you do not have the extra metal to plane it down without ruining the header, then I would recommend a Mr Gasket copper gasket. They are thicker and will expand with the heat to seal between the warpage of the header, provided it's not too badly warped. This should run you about $45. I checked their site and I only see them for small blocks and the 429/460. But just because they're not listed now, doesn't mean you can't find some for the 360/390.
All you need to do is go to a machine shop, take in your headers that are warped, and ask them to plane them for you.
They will take the header and run it on a big belt that remove metal evenly until it is level. This is provided you have enough metal to work with, which most of the time you will unless they are really cheap headers or this had been done before. This should cost you about 1/2 hour of machine shop labor time, which should run you about $20-40.
If you do not have the extra metal to plane it down without ruining the header, then I would recommend a Mr Gasket copper gasket. They are thicker and will expand with the heat to seal between the warpage of the header, provided it's not too badly warped. This should run you about $45. I checked their site and I only see them for small blocks and the 429/460. But just because they're not listed now, doesn't mean you can't find some for the 360/390.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bigfoot76
FE & FT Big Block V8 (332, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428)
2
Mar 31, 2010 10:24 AM