I was just curious to the advantages off having headers. I would assume a power gain as well as a MPG gain. Anybody on the site have headers. Just looking for some advice an experience with them. Thanks guys.

 

Well I guess nobody knows. Input welcome. i was hoping the exhaust forum would yield me some answers. Oh well hopefully some one will have an opinion here.

 

Most stock exhaust manifolds are restrictive. HP increse is advertised due to increased air flow. They can be somewhat of a pain, restricting access to starter. rust out easier due to being thinner, raise underhood temp unless ceramic coated. There are pro's and con's to about anything you do.

 

Headers produce very good results when matched with an appropriate exhaust system for the engine, sized right and the motor will produce more power everywhere but if the system is too big the motor will run lean off idle and actually produce less power unless the computer can be reprogrammed to compensate. Longtube headers will boost both low rpm and high rpm power the most while shorties tend to boost the midrange more, and while shorties can be attached to the stock y-pipe longtubes tend to require a completely new exhaust system. On the older series trucks there is lots of room for either but the newer trucks don't have as much room with those modular motors so shorties are more common. For durability stainless is tops but ceramic coated is probably second best while painted headers may only last a couple years. Gains of several mpg are common at cruising speeds with a complete exhaust overhaul that includes headers.

 

if you are looking into headers hooker and headman is wat i would recamend

 

If you are looking for headers, I would stay away from Hooker, Headman, and Pacesetter and go with JBA, or Doug Thorley instead. Better quality, you get what you pay for. Shoties are ok if you want to keep the costs down, but longtubes are better. Triple-ys are the best of all, but harder to find and they cost more.

 

ive ran hooker and headman on my rides for years now and have never had any problem. as far as styles i would stick with long tubes. long tubes for your truck cost about 300

 

The Hedmans I just installed are really nice for the price, 3/8 flanges and 16g tubing with ceramic coating for ~$500. Thorleys are $750, Banks are $1100. That just doesn't compute, putting $1000 worth of headers on a truck I paid $4400 for..

 

I like your math Old Racer Guy... 'cause I use the same kind.

My 5.0L 150 will be getting a set of headers soon to replace the cracked OE manifolds.

It was a $1000 truck... it's getting $150 headers.

(Either Summit house-branded shorties or Flowtech shorties.)

(OK, maybe Flowtech LT's but that leads to a little more custom exhaust work so they may end up being cost-prohibitive. We'll see what kind of numbers the shop throws at me when I get to that point.)

-cmc-

 

headman ceramic coated headers are great the only reason i would spend more then that is for stainless headers

 

Pacesetter makes a low cost longtube for the '87-96 trucks that fits better than the Flowtechs.

 

These are just the less expensive headers made by pacesetter. I have a pair from sumit and they came with the pacesetter sticker

 

Interesting... especially coming from a guy who seems to love his Flowtech's.

I'll keep that in mind...

That's what I figured... the Summit house-branded stuff is usually one of the big names, just re-badged.

I read on a Chebby board about a guy who after much research determined that one of the sets of Summit-branded heads for his motor was identical to a Dart set but an almost half the cost...

-cmc-

 

OBX has SS long-tube headers for $300.00.

OBX Exhaust Header 87-96 Bronco F150 F250 5.8L V8 351:eBay Motors (item 160386552547 end time Dec-18-09 14:27:38 PST)

 

Any of you guys out there know of a company that definitely sells a
set of long tube or long tube tri-Y headers for a 1999 F250 SD 5.4 2V?
I can find all kinds of parts for the diesel & V10, but not for the 5.4.

ANYBODY OUT THERE HAVE AN IDEA?