Captain_Kaboom

Hi all,

In the process of getting my new ATK 240 hp engine installed, and I figured it was a good time to go ahead and add headers. My mechanic recommended against them- saying that the heat can really damage them & maybe the car. So of course I started scanning the forum for old threads and found quite a bit of discussion on the heat, glowing headers, etc. from the excess fuel burning in the headers. I was really quite surprised! That being said, I wanted to get the forum's opinion on headers.

I'm only planning on using the ole '77 for a daily driver- even with my mild engine, would I have similar problems with the headers? The cam is an even 247/247 and stock distributor.

I'd appreciate any advice!

TedH

Unless you start boosting performance, don't bother with headers. I added them only after adding heads, cam, carb/intake and other items; felt the exh manifolds would keep me from realizing the engine's potential.

If 'max power' isn't a consideration, I'd just run duals off of your exhaust manifolds.

Captain_Kaboom

She's already got duals. No emissions for this beast, so I just wanted to let it breathe as much as possible. Intake and carb are next, but I am going to stick with stock cam and heads since they are new, anyway. Would the headers help with this application, then?

Thanks!

72LT1Steve

Currently running Hooker ceramic coated headers on the LT into a 3" exhaust :thumbs: Have not expeirenced any heat related problems with them. I figure a standard pipe header would run hotter in the engine bay.

Ganey

Yes, some more power & even gas milage. You might want to see what many refer to as my Exhaust topic.
Why Exhaust is problem for HP on 75-81 http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/ganeyexhaust.htm

What you really need is More Cam- strongly rec. for performance !

:cool:

Barry's70LT1

I've had headers on mine for over 30 years now. No problems of any kind as yet.
Barry

Jason Staley

I've been using Dynomax's Ceramic coated headers for several years now with no problems. You can get them through Jeg's for $225. I've had no problem with heat, but I did have to put some head shielding around the engine's ground cable on the passanger side because it came too close to the header. Other than that, they fit perfect and work great. Go fot it. :cheers:

Stewart's74

:iagree: No problems whatsoever

Smokehouse69

If you run ceramic coated headers in about 15 minutes after shutting your car down, the headers are cool enough to work on the car without worrying about burning yourself. You can't do that with cast iron manifolds.
The Dynomax ceramic coated headers are coated inside and outside, and although they do get hot they radiate less heat than uncoated or painted headers do.

mrvette

Tell you my experiences with headers vs stock rams horns...
in my '72 the car was stock when I got it, except body/paint...one of the first things I did was add DPFI L98 setup on the stock L48 rebuilt engine...keeping stock exhaust...the iron manifolds would get super hot of course, and when stopping sat at a shopping center down here in Florida, I would notice the entire engine compartment area was hot as hell....I mean I thought the damn hood would melt.....lean burn...closed loop...hotter than the carb...
at any rate, when redoing the engine to hotrod, adding about 150 some odd hp....I went headers...and found the car to run much COOLER no heat mass sitting there with the engine off and no air circulation just baking hell out of everything ran like a charm....never a problem....except the flange...only 1/4 inch some odd steel, and leaked they also had weld bead next to the heads...bad construction practice....

last winter, when doing rack..I changed to another header with thicker flange..full 3/8 thick..and NO welding bead next to head....
runs like a charm....NO leakage problems in nearly a year now...check bolts and never had to tighten them...this with aluminum heads no less!!!

GENE

BERLINBRIGADE

I can not put a normal diameter oil filter on mine. I had a remote one on the frame for 15 years. I finally made an aluminum adapter and use a smaller dia. that fits the same threads.

TedH

Headers will help practically any application. If you add cam and heads with the headers, you will notice the most improvement. If I were staying with stock heads and cam, I'd just stay with exhaust manifolds and dual exhaust.