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Old 05-12-2012, 06:01 AM   #18
special-K
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,759
Re: Header vs ramshorn exhaust manifold

I am another one who doesn't get where all the negative views on headers comes from. When I started driving,everyone put headers on everything and I just thought they were cool. If they only help at high rpms,why did people put them on RVs to get more power? I have never thought of headers as being a hassle I think they are easier to deal with than manifolds. I have rarely had a leak problem and when I did it was a long time after they were installed. It's easy to occasionally tighten the bolts on the head,not that I ever have had to on my '72 that has had the same headers & gaskets since '04 without me ever needing to lay a hand on them. When the collector gaskets go,it's easy to replace them. A lot easier than replacing a donut gasket. And what about those pesky studs on manifolds? Who doesn't hate messing with those. The guys I know who do exhaust systems sure hate messing with them. I've had more problems from manifolds than headers. Haven't had any header problems that I can recall. I've had manifolds blow out and even break apart due to fatigue of the cast iron on two of my trucks. I'm not dogging manifolds,but my experience (in 40 years) has been more problems with manifolds,which is why I don't understand all the dogging on headers. And,nowadays they sell quality gaskets,unlike the cheap ones that were all we had years ago. Plug wires burned up? Just run your wires right and you won't have an issue...I don't.

Why do people swap intake manifolds? A stock 4bbl cast iron manifold will never leak like aftermarket aluminums are known to do. And,with normal driving you really won't see a great benefit for your money. I always swapped them just because that's what everyone was doing 40 years ago,just like headers.

Headers are just cool
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Tim

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