I have a F-350 1996 351W Crew 4x2. Looking around for used headers. Does anyone know if long tube headres need to be "truck specific", or will they fit my truck as long as they're made for a 351W engine?

always learning...
Itch

 

If you are going to change out your stock exhaust manifolds for long tubes you need to rework the rest of your exhaust system because you won't be using your existing Y-pipe. With the 96 351W you also need to maintain the three O2 sensors in the Y-pipe and back after the resonator. Don't forget about the ERG tube which your new headers will need to have. More trouble than they are worth???

 

The 96 F250 & F350 retained OBD-I and a single O2 sensor...

 

Thanks for the prompt reply! I was actually going to change exhaust system to single 3" and get new larger cat too and decent muffler. for now though am just keeping eyes open for used headers at a decent price. Since the exhaust system will be redone, do I have to worry about the headers, or am I fine as long as they're made for a 351w?
I'm under the impression that after the headers comes the Y to the 3" cat, going to the muffler and out...is this correct?

 

Yep.. see here, http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/con.../ph//my_photos
http://ca.briefcase.yahoo.com/conan@rogers.com

It's mendrel bent 2.5" tubing feeding a MagnaFlow hiflo 3" cat and Flowmaster Super 40 3" muffler.

 

Nice set-up Paul! Big power difference with this? Where do you get your parts? I'm in canada too....montreal.

always learning...
Itch

 

I got all the parts for this from a local performance shop. They do mainly rice and pimp-my-ride type stuff, but can order just about anything. Prices were very easy to handle.
This system replaced a very similar setup made from bent tubing that a muffler shop had installed a few years ago. I had originally intended to do duals and had 2 cats bought, but canned that idea after trying to test fit everything under the truck. There's just no room to do a tidy job on a 4x4 truck with dual tanks. Instead I went 2 into 1 with the cats side-by-side which worked out much better. But that setup rusted out badly over the last 3-4 years, and one of the cats had broken up, so I decided to try my own hand at it since I now have a wire-feed welder.
This new setup definitely flows better and makes more power, but it's not a hugh jump over what I had before. However, compared to a factory exhaust system it's night and day. Hardly any throttle input needed to get and keep the truck moving, it just jumps when you tip into the gas, and the motor just keeps pulling harder up through the rpms when you get into it. The longtube headers really do make a big difference even compared to shorties.
BTW.. you do need truck specific headers, mustang or other car headers will present interference problems, and may hang down too low. You can use the non-efi versions though, just add the fittings for the O2 sensor and EGR. This is what I did.

 

Great - thanks. I've seen quite a few mustang headers for sale online, which is why I was wondering if they would work. What do you figure I'm looking at ballpark for the job you got....I've got stock everything and would not attempt it myself!