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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

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Old Aug 27, 1999 | 11:47 PM
  #1  
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Shorty Headers

My 94 F-150 302 finally started getting an exhaust leak. I called FORD and set an appointment to get the gasket replaced. After they had it for a day, they told me there are no exhaust gaskets, a leak means I need a new manifold. So I ordered shorty headers from Summit today. Does anyone make a dual exhaust or would I be OK going with a cat back system?
Anyone else done shorty headers? What did you notice?
I have 3.55 & EAOD, it is gutless off the line, but finally picks up around 20mph.

Jason Dawson
Tried, True & FORD Blue
 
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Old Aug 30, 1999 | 04:47 PM
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I had the same problem, but it was BOTH my manifolds that were cracked. I went with Hedman Hedders and they fit to the stock flanges with no modifications. It took me and a buddy about 8 hours between beers to install. the drivers side was no problem but the other side was pretty tight and somewhat annoying to install. Make sure you get some spray for those bolts!

I didn't notice any gains yet, maybe because they were short and make to fit hence not "true" hedders (not all tubes are the same length). But I am getting single 3" exhaust installed tomorrow without a cat. converter and I just picked up a Flowmaster 50 series muffler.

I'll let you know if there's an improvement.
 
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Old Aug 30, 1999 | 04:50 PM
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Oh yeah by the way my truck is a '92 F-150 302 with 3.55 gears as well so pretty much the same as yours.
 
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Old Aug 31, 1999 | 07:18 AM
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There is no 'Y' pipe. They both go into the 1st cat then come out single. I thought of cutting it before the first cat and running pipes together and staggering the mufflers so they are the same distance from the collecters. Then running them so they come out under the bumper on both sides. This is unless I can find a dual system somewhere.
I would think there would be some noticable difference as the headers would flow better than the stock manifold. You can tell from the sound of mine that it is just one, Sounds like only one cylinder for now. I ordered the 'Summit' brand shortys.

Jason Dawson
Tried, True & FORD Blue
 
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Old Aug 31, 1999 | 07:20 AM
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n/m = No Message
 
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Old Aug 31, 1999 | 10:38 PM
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>Make
>sure you get some spray for
>those bolts!

Oh crap, what "spray?" I didn't use anything on mine and I know they'll come loose......

>I didn't notice any gains yet, maybe
>because they were short and make
>to fit hence not "true" hedders
>(not all tubes are the same
>length). But I am getting single
>3" exhaust installed tomorrow without a
>cat. converter and I just picked
>up a Flowmaster 50 series muffler.

I had to take off my 50 flowmaster, to much noise and vibration in the cab, put on a dyno somthing and now the sound goes out the back.

Moe
85 F150 w/ 95 302HO (new)




 
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Old Sep 1, 1999 | 09:04 AM
  #7  
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Well I got the truck done yesterday, what a serious improvement in power. I didn't think it would make such a difference. Here's the setup: headers to the stock 2 1/4" pipes, stock to "Y" pipe (that way I could keep the O2 sensor plugged in) and new single 3" to that Flowmaster and exited in front of the rear passenger side.

It doesn't have that quick jump from a dead stop, but all the way through the gears you can feel a big increase in pull, especially when you pass a car on the highway. One problem I noticed though is that in town at around 50 km/h sometimes it would stumble and buck a bit. Maybe there's not enough back pressure for low speeds?

As for the sound of the Flowmaster 50 series, it sounds excellent. You can hear it in the cab, but not very loud at all until you stomp on it. But it's all about personal preference I guess.

Dean
 
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Old Sep 1, 1999 | 01:32 PM
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>Here's the setup:
>headers to the stock 2 1/4"
>pipes, stock to "Y" pipe (that
>way I could keep the O2
>sensor plugged in) and new single
>3" to that Flowmaster and exited
>in front of the rear passenger
>side.

I bought my "SS shorty" headers from Ford, 3" SS"Y" pipe, Cat, Dyno something muffler, 2 21/2 duals out the back.
The Flowmaster sounded great really but too much in the cab at idle, it's a shame cause I only could take it for 200mi.


>It doesn't have that quick jump from
>a dead stop, but all the
>way through the gears you can
>feel a big increase in pull,
>especially when you pass a car
>on the highway. One problem I
>noticed though is that in town
>at around 50 km/h sometimes it
>would stumble and buck a bit.
>Maybe there's not enough back pressure
>for low speeds?

Maybe, The flowmaster has very little back pressure, so now you might need to adjust the mixture, if it's FI I'm lost.

>As for the sound of the Flowmaster
>50 series, it sounds excellent. You
>can hear it in the cab,
>but not very loud at all
>until you stomp on it. But
>it's all about personal preference I
>guess.

You're right.

So what kind of "spray" were you talkin about?

Moe




 
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Old Sep 1, 1999 | 04:42 PM
  #9  
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Shorty Headers

Yeah it's fuel injected. I was told to disconnect the battery and I guess that the computer resets its memory to stock and then it'll adjust itself over time.

That spray I used is "Gunk" made by Liquid Wrench. It saved me from stripping the hell outta those manifold bolts (most anyhow). Only had to cut one bolt and that was on the flange. After you spray the crap out of the bolts you wait about 10 mins (beer break)and then start torqueing!

Whats that badboy 5.0ho rated at for stock HP? I think I could use one of those.
 
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Old Sep 1, 1999 | 06:54 PM
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>That spray I used is "Gunk" made
>by Liquid Wrench. It saved me
>from stripping the hell outta those

Oh heck, I thought you were talking about something like "locktite" to keep the bolts "in".

>Whats that badboy 5.0ho rated at for
>stock HP? I think I could
>use one of those.

Well it's really a bad girl with 3.08 rear end and 3-sp. auto w/o overdrive, but the Ford book said 225hp., 235 ft. lbs. in a crate, but it's hard to tell. It is however ALOT quicker than the 300/6 I took out. I hope today that I'm through with the AFB jetting, but I'll know in the AM on a school run, I get up to 80 mph on the freeway turning 3200 rpm's. I do like this motor though, just need a different tranny and rear end. I'm gonna do the front end, brakes, and tires first. I picked up some energy bushings, moog ball joints, tie rods etc.

see ya'll
Moe



 
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Old Sep 2, 1999 | 07:02 AM
  #11  
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I think it is the gearing. Mine is slow off the line too. Do you have the towing package?
I pulled my dad's 5th wheel camper last year on vacation. It is 7500 lbs EMPTY. That is my maximum recommended weight. Worked a little in the mountains, but I was impressed for a truck that had 95,000 miles on it. Only got 7-8mpg. But the OD was off. I have been getting 11-12mpg recently. Don't know what happened, I was getting 14. But I have 31 series tires now so my speedo is off a bit. Maybe I'm getting 16?
 
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Old Sep 2, 1999 | 08:34 AM
  #12  
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Well actually it USED to have very good jump off the line before I got the 3" exhaust installed. I don't know why yours is such a dog. I live in a small town and people like to race (at the only traffic light for about 60 miles) but I've always had the jump on those chevs (then they blow by me 1/4 mile later). And 3.55 gearing isn't too bad I've heard, anything lower would mean too much at the pumps. Do you have stock air intake? The K&N Filtercharger I installed improved the jump a bit. It's easy to install too and you get rid of that big ugly black box. Something to check into anyhow.

Dean
 
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Old Sep 4, 1999 | 11:33 PM
  #13  
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Still have to find the time to install my headers. They are sitting back home with the truck. Had to drive 500 miles to the in-laws for the holiday weekend.
I thought the K&N was just a drop in to the stock airbox?

Jason Dawson
Tried, True & FORD Blue
 
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Old Sep 5, 1999 | 08:31 AM
  #14  
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Shorty Headers

>Well I got the truck done yesterday,
>what a serious improvement in power.
>I didn't think it would make
>such a difference. Here's the setup:
>headers to the stock 2 1/4"
>pipes, stock to "Y" pipe (that
>way I could keep the O2
>sensor plugged in) and new single
>3" to that Flowmaster and exited
>in front of the rear passenger
>side.
>It doesn't have that quick jump from
>a dead stop, but all the
>way through the gears you can
>feel a big increase in pull,
>especially when you pass a car
>on the highway. One problem I
>noticed though is that in town
>at around 50 km/h sometimes it
>would stumble and buck a bit.
>Maybe there's not enough back pressure
>for low speeds?
>As for the sound of the Flowmaster
>50 series, it sounds excellent. You
>can hear it in the cab,
>but not very loud at all
>until you stomp on it. But
>it's all about personal preference I
>guess.
>Dean


Hey, you ever tried straight exhaust out of the cat? Thats what I have, with a couple of Echo tips. Sounds pretty decent!!!!

 
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Old Sep 6, 1999 | 08:18 PM
  #15  
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My dad did that on his 87. sounded pretty decent. I did the same on my 78 Mercury and it was loud...but the cat was LONG gone.
I have to get Donut gaskets so I can drive mine. Put the headers on toady, but couldn't get the pipes to seal. The bolts they sent me were long so I am assuming that even though the stock system had no gaskets, I need them for the headers. It was easier than I thought, Only had to grind off the flange bolts, the ones came out of the head with minimal effort. However bolting up the headers was a patience tester... I failed!

Jason Dawson
Tried, True & FORD Blue
 
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