First off, hello everyone!

I could really use some advice on headers please. I have a very jaded attitude towards headers from back in the day (70’s to early 90’s). I remember paint burning off no matter what you used for paint, a new leak every week, rusted out in a couple years, impossible to change spark plugs, and my favorite, header bolt that came loose every week or two that were always a biatch to retighten. So, when my local mechanic said I should put on headers, I just about had an aneurism.

The local boys say all those problems been fixed these days if you buy a decent set of headers with thick flanges and ceramic coating. A quick scan of this forum does not seem to indicate that is 100% true. Yes? No?

I have heard really really good stuff about banks power, but it appears they do not make a header for my truck and motor. I found some pacesetters that seem to meet the ceramic coating and thick flanges, but again, a quick search on this forum indicates they are junk. Yes? No? Bottom line, is there a good quality set of headers out there for my truck that will be hassle free?

I have a 1990 Ford F-250 XLT Lariat standard cab 4x4 with a 351W EFI and E4OD transmission. My requirements are no headers that will destroy my ground clearance (stock suspension), bolts will stay tight, no constant leaks, and won’t rust out in a year or three. Some nice bonuses would be that they fit right and can change spark plugs without removing the headers. Also, I prefer long tube since I do tow with this truck and shorty’s are not so great for the low end torque etc.

Oh yeah. Someone will ask why headers. Because I will be doing the intake with an Edelbrock and the heads with a set of Afr 165’s, and a mild RV towing cam. Might be nice if I can let all that breathe.

I would love to hear what as many of you to say on this subject as possible. Thanks in advance….

 

Keeping the EGR?

Are you planning to keep the stock control system?

 

I think I know where you are going. This will be a 2 stage process. Stage 1, headers, remove cats, intake, remove flow restrictors, keeping the egr, and the part you wanted to know, yes will be converting to a mass flow Efi with a computer tune. Stage 2 next spring is the heads, cam, and general rebuild.

I am aware the speed density Efi will choke when we do the heads and cam, thus the mass conversion. And, as far as I am aware, keeping the egr is a good thing and the rest of the smog crap has little effect so no point removing. Just the cats and flow restrictors.

The question is the headers. Seems like a pretty big bottleneck making the cost of the heads etc not worth it without them.

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You get what you pay for, in general. Budget headers might very well have issues with leaks or rusting out early. More Expensive ones from more established vendors probably won't do that.

I have no direct experience with your configuration. I had a set of Summit's In-House brand (No idea who built them, flowtechs look almost identical) Ceramic coat, long tube headers, on my '92 F250 351W/ZF5 Supercab 8' Box 4wd. With some good split lock header bolts, and Soft Copper gaskets, I never had any issues with leaks or rust. Maybe I got lucky, maybe I was just more meticulous about my install, who knows.

I don't have a recommendation, just wanted to relay my experience.

 

I think the Summit brand are pacesetters, I could be wrong. I also think, not 100% sure, 89 to 94 are the same….

 

Keeping the EGR is a header question since the port on a 351W is on the front the passenger exhaust manifold. I know Pacesetter long tubes with EGR are no longer available but the shorties still are.

Use locking header bolts and they won’t be able to back off causing a leak.

 

Not going to be much help on long tubes. All my experience is with shorties.

I will say that you should consider using the PimpxShift for a controller. It will give you more freedom in mechanical configuration, tuning, and will require very little harness modification.

 

The difference between stock manifolds and equal length shorty headers are quite noticeable. However, the difference between equal length shorty and long tube headers are not quite as noticeable, unless you plan on adding a power adder and/or high compression application. And the long tubes will require some exhaust fab work to install them, whereas most shorties are drop-in/bolt-on. As for shorty header specs, something with at least 1-1/2" primary runners and 3/8" flange. 1-5/8" primary's would be ideal if you can find them in an equal length type though.

As for hardware, I've been using Percy's locking header bolts for years and have never had one back out.

 

The reason I said what I did was because that is what several of the header manufacturers said to me on the phone. That the shorties would not provide the low end torque but the longer headers would. I’m no expert, I just assumed they were, LOL.

Looking around, it looks like my options are Hooker, Hedman, Pacesetter, and Flowtech. That’s all I have found for fitment and ceramic coated. I cannot tell from the stock photos if they have thick flanges. I am pretty sure the Pacesetters are and about 50/50 sure on the Hedman. Since I have never used either, I have no experience with their fitment and quality etc. Damn I wish Banks Power made a set for the 351W.

 

I assume you were talking about the computer crap. If so, the plan is to use an F-150 or Bronco setup from 95 or 96. They are supposed to be mass airflow and set up for the e4od transmission.

 

Any header is better than manifolds.

I've used JBA SS shorties (unequal length) for about 10 years.

I've had them on/off about 5 times, no problem & last year 1finaly decided to leak cause the flange bowed in the middle, ends down.

They bolted tight to a factory style Y & the EGR tube worked fine.

I'd say they served well & if I had the cash I'd buy another set factory coated in a heartbeat.

 

So instead of looking at a picture on the computer, look at the flange thicknesses
listed on Summit Racing. It lists them at either .31 or .38 inches. I’m not sure why you are dead set on the Banks headers. There are other manufacturers making good products.

[EDIT: The welds on the JBA shorty headers broke where the pipes come together. They warrantied the first set but not the second time. Replaced them with BBK in 2017 and had zero problems since then.]

I am not aware of an equal length shorty header for our trucks. I’d be interested to know where Blurry94 found them.

 

I noticed you said you were talkng about a mass air swap, but wondering if your heart is set on that course?

Engine controlling technology has come a LONG way since the 90s, so there might be a system out there that works for you application and saves you money over a Mass Air conversion or makes you more power.

I'd recommend checking out the Terminator X system from Holley, A friend installed it on his 351 Bronco about a year ago, and highly recommends it, and I'll be installing one on my
EFI 460 this spring.

 

See paragraph 2 of post #7. There are many threads covering the PimpX computer which retains the factory Speed Density EFI system.

 

I went from manifolds to shorty to long tubes. LTs are the way unless you need a shorty for visual/smog issues.

Mine has Hookers, good gaskets (Percey?), And Stage 8 bolts. Pal uses Pacesetter, Edel is a nice unit. I like mine.

I would go with 185cc heads, those 165s are small to me for 5.8L of displacement.