Here is my Pacesetter thread:
Exhaust header collector y-pipe tube size - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums (ford-trucks.com)

Most fitment issues are bad motor mounts, bad trans mount, bad cab mounts, and the odd tweaked/bent frame.

I run SpeedDensity(SD), and can tune every parameter possible, there are no limits.

 

Not sure what angle you wanted to see. They aren’t as close to the starter as it looks in the pictures.



From underneath looking up/forward

Above looking down.

 

Was hoping for straight into collector, but that tells me how bad it is. Thanks.

 

Thats about what my '92 looked like. When I had to replace the starter, I did replace it with a mini-starter, just for ease of install/removal in the future, but it wasn't *that* bad getting the stock starter out. I have *no* idea if the proximity of the headers, and the higher heat was what caused the starter to die on it in the first place. (The chassis had 300K on it when *I* bought it, and it had a later roller-block 351W that had been swapped into it, of unknown mileage before I bought it, so who knows how old that original starter was.)

 

I thought you were looking for clearance between the header and the starter. I misunderstood and am still confused about what you are after. The pipes run past the starter. The collector is lower and aft of the starter

 

Yes I am. But there is a relation between frame, header & starter. Best visualized looking from behind engine toward the front of the truck.

Basically in a line parallel with frame & looking square into the collector.

It's OK though, I get the gist of tightness.

Although I think probably 65-75% of people here who want to do headers could do more than adequately with shorties, (myself included.) I will likely do long tubes on this truck sometime & want to have the best idea of what to look for & expect.

 

I consider that “lower” compression (as compared to 12:1 for example).

Thank you for those links, I will certainly look into them.

 

Based on the most recent posts, looks like I will be going with the pacesetter ceramic coated. That seems to be the most recommended set of headers for my rig.

I admit though, I am a bit concerned about the comments I saw here and in some of the other threads about motor mounts hitting the headers, other issues similar, and the most alarming, the potential problem with the starter. Both with the possibility of hitting it (not fitting and requiring a different starter, mine is OEM) and also the pipe running so close parallel. That’s a lot of heat to put on the starter. Seems that would be just asking for a bad starter (not cool if you are many miles out in the boondocks here in rugged snow country). Kind of has me concerned.

As someone said, with the headers ceramic coated, it’s not like you are just going to pound them into a fit.

Too many people flat out call the flowtechs junk to even consider them. The hookers are often a good fit, but that thinner flange does have a habit of warping, so……. Lastly the Hedman didn’t have enough comments here or anywhere else, good or bad, to make a fair assessment.

I fracking hate having to choose “the lesser of evils”. I would much prefer getting a good quality set that fits right and works right, even with having to pay more, but I am just not seeing any other option. End of whining. Maybe I will just say frack it and just use the restrictive stock manifolds. :-(

 

I'm pretty sure I have way more clearance than that on my starter. Engine on stand, I'll put the header on with a starter and will see.

 

That's just silly. If you go to the trouble to build anything above stock & use this:



Understand, that necks down to less than an inch before turning down.

 

My mounts are brand new. If they are worn, I could see one or more of the pipes hitting. The problem I had with the passenger side frame bracket was that it wasn’t made right. The back of the mount flared out at the bottom instead of being straight. That caused the pipe to rest against the bracket. I had a another mount that didn’t flare out. Problem solved.

I would at least use shorty headers.

 

I never said that the headers on my '92 hit the starter. I said that I replaced the OEM starter with a Mini Starter, when a starter replacement became necessary. Purely for ease of replacement in the future. The mini starter is about twice as expensive as an OEM style, and if I had been broke I would have been fine with putting an OEM style starter back in it. I also said that the starter was in the truck, before I got it, and I added the headers later, so I have *zero* Idea if the headers had anything to do with any sort of premature failure. I'm just relaying experiences, not trying to scare anybody, or complain about anything. I've got/had a number of older carbureted rigs with headers over the years, that *did* have header/starter clearance issues, that in some cases, required taking the headers loose to get the starter in and out. This application was NOT one of them.

 

Thank you, that would be much appreciated.

 

I can’t argue that…

 

Shorty’s would defeat a lot of what I am looking for, but of course you’re right, I would use them over the stock manifolds.

My apologies to all of you for my stock manifolds comment. I guess a short explanation is required. I am retired career military with a significant case of PTSD. Some days I get a bit frustrated/depressed and just plain get cranky etc. In the end, I know I have to get better flowing exhaust or half of the gains with other mods would be lost. I am also stubborn as a mule, so I won’t give up, even if it sounds like it.

What really frustrates the crap out of me here is that I never thought it would be harder to get a good quality solution for my ‘90 351w than for my ‘90 460. Who’d a thunk it? Yes, they are like $1200-$1300 for a set, but there are several quality well fitting excellent solutions for the 460, but it seems for the 351W there are only limited less quality or poorer fitting options. Truly sad. At least from my perspective, that’s what it seems like.

In the end, I would use shorties before stock manifolds, but I am going to exhaust (pardon the pun) the long tube options first.