V-10 Headers Redux
 

Going through my 99 F-250 4X4 CC LB SD. New tires, tune-up,replace inner axle seals, pinion seals, drain fill transfer case, flush transmission, new shocks,etc. Find both exhaust manifolds warped with 2 broken studs. 185,000 miles on the truck. $1100 each for new stock (yuck) manifolds. Looking for suggestions on good headers for the replacement of stock manifold. Everything is stock currently. Will eventually replace entire exhaust system. Still looks great though right now. Just the manifolds have gone tits up. Thanks.

Headers are a good option and long tube headers will give you more power.

I'm looking to put headers on as the start of an upgrade of the exhaust system. If the 04 headers are cheap enough I might go that way to buy some time. Any recommendations on what brand of headers work well on the V-10? I'm open to all suggestions.

Anyone had any experiance with Doug Thorley long tube headers on a V-10? Looking at the ceramic coated.

Thats what replaced my stock manifolds. Very nice felt hp and tq improvements. They are not stainless so they will rust and the ceramic coating will flake off over time, that and O2 location are the only main downsides to the Thorleys.

Good to hear about the DT headers. I can't tell you what cheap enough is right now until I see what used one are worth. I don't want to swcrew you or me. I ride a Moto Guzzi motorcycle, and as the saying goes, "the cheapest thing on a Guzzi is the rider!" LOL I can buy a set of DT headers for less than 1 stock manifold! I'll do some research and try to find out what a fair price is. What do you think fair is??

Sent you an EM.

Okay. Won't have access to my e-mail until 2300 tonight. I'm not ignoring you. :-innocent:-X05

Got rid of your other threads.

I think Dorman makes replacement exhaust manifolds for the '99 for a lot less.

But headers would be a good thing.

I always say its God's will while you have it apart that you don't put it back together stock ;)

I just did Thorleys as well as Ex03AK. You can search posts by us for your reading enjoyment.

Approx high $500's is what you're looking at, but controversy this yr regarding who is making them and where to buy now. You'll have to look. I got mine from a Dodge webstore when others were having trouble getting them last yr.

I will say the Thorley's did fit good. I had to do a mod on my early-build Excursion due to rear a/c lines but you won't need to worry about that.

Here's what I can give to sum up my experience:
1) Read everything on here before attempting to do it yourself - how handy are you, do you have a good place to do it, lots of tools etc
2) Cobalt drills for broken studs that you can't extract that are broken below the surface - don't fart around with titanium etc. You'll need a small right angle hand drill as well
3) don't use cheap spiral easy outs - sq are better unless you have access to commercial kits (big $$$ - maintenance dept here had good kits)
4) Good stud extractor if the exposed ones aren't coming out with vise grips - I used a 3 jaw extractor, was able to remove any that were out far enough to grab
5) Consider replacing vacuum lines for 4x4 while everything is in front of you
6) Do not cut your oil dip stick tube off to fit the drivers side on - there's a post hidden deep somewhere to unbolt the end of the steering shaft from the box and swing it out of the way - this is only assuming that you can't remove your oil dipstick tube, most can't, with your milage and geographical location my beer bet is on you not being able to remove yours
7) Don't use band style exhaust clamps up front on the Y pipe (2 places) - use normal u-bolt of a good grade to prevent rust and be able to seal off those connections better
8) If you aren't using the EGR bung on the headers, plug it properly. I thought I had mine in tight, came loose after about 600 miles creating a noise that had me looking at everything but it for a month. :-X09
9) A few of us (Excursions so far that I know of ) have had our pass. side inner fender melt at the bottom where it meets the frame rail towards the back of the well - oddly not even close to the headers there but must be heat build up and for me on the east side and Stew in Alaska to have the exact same thing happen, there is a condition that seems to repeat. Haven't had enough time on yet to verify if that's going to turn into anything, seems ok at this point, not getting any bigger.
10) Replace muffler when doing headers - part of the package when increasing flow, suck it up and do it together. Stock muffler with headers = 6 cylinder sound

As far as having a plan for improvement, I understand the $$ thing, but some improvements go hand in hand rather than thinking you can hold off on part of it. For example, I'd at least drop in a K&N in your stock air box, if not go all the way and install a cold air box, at the same time as the headers. I have a drop-in K&N and seems to be good enough with the other mods.
Laslty you should add the custom tuner from Mike at 5 Star. Kind of good to do it all together but yep you'll have to save up for the entire pckg. Just tell the significant other its like painting a room - then you need new curtains, maybe carpet, furniture, etc. Same deal with the truck once you start changing stuff. Only the computer isnt as forgiving when mods start showing up.

My wife drove the X for the first time last night since all the work was done. Came in smiling and likes to drive it again and wants it once a week. Enough said. You will ask yourself why did I wait. I have 2 other cars to chose from in the driveway but I take the truck everyday now.