exhaust woes...need some advise

[knightowl73]

ok heres the deal. i recently upgraded carbs on my 350 and now my truck seems to run fine, but im worried about the exhuast. my truck currently is running a set of hooker headers with 2.5" collectors, thru 2.25"pipe to turbo mufflers, then it has aset of 2" tailpipes after the mufflers. the headers rattle pretty bad at idle but dont leak and ive been thinking of replacing them back to the stock manifolds and just running 2.5" pipe with new mufflers. or i could wrap the headers and run 2.5" pipes. im sure the current set-up thats on there is hurting me badly, but which should i do, im kinda uncertain if wrapping the headers is going to stop the noise, but the manifolds prolly suck performance-wise, you think id regret them? that wrap is pretty expensive, and will it even work for the headers? i dont think the 2.5 pipes are overkill but im sure the 3" would, just a mild motor, i do like playing with the truck now too, its really a toy now, even th it doesnt look it.

[N2TRUX]

Since I am not a fan of thermal wrap, I suggest you either replace the headers with a better set, or go back to stock manifolds.

[87GMCChris]

All i run are stock manifold on a 305, with dual 2.25s all the way back, with some flowmasters in there.

[3r!c84]

Originally Posted by 87GMCChris

All i run are stock manifold on a 305, with dual 2.25s all the way back, with some flowmasters in there.

thats what i had. now its headers to 2.25 flowmaster 40s turn downs
sounds sick!!!!! and sets off car alarms at school

about to be a 400sbc with the same setup

[knightowl73]

yes i am searching for some headers that i can afford, that wont hang so low since ive lowered it finally. cant find anything yet since money is so tight, i think shorty headers would be good for me. luck hasnt been working for me as far as finding full-length chevelle headers used. i just cant afrd them new right now.

[3r!c84]

How much is it lowered?

[knightowl73]

not terribly bad right now, plans in the future are hopefully to go lower. i never measured the drop, but cut 1 1/4 coil off up front, 3"shackles in rear with one leaf taken from each side too. i can still drive it like a truck tho, which i like, as opposed to driving it like some slammed out ricer car.

[3r!c84]

U got lots of room. I got 5/6 drop with long tube truck headers and they got lots of room to the ground never hit

[nbpro]

replace the headers with a better set

[knightowl73]

Originally Posted by nbpro

replace the headers with a better set

yes problem is finding a better set for less than $100 right now. not sure if i should be looking for the truck headers. i dont think the ones on there are for a truck and they fit and clear pretty good right now

[knightowl73]

i need to find numbers on them to know exactly what i have to tell the truth. if i could find another set of the same ones in better condition i couldnt complain, if they didnt make that noise to, and i could afford them.

[mooseknuckles]

why are they rattling?

[knightowl73]

they are longtubes, and dont look too bad, but apparently are old. i only have to hear it at idle, but its getting to be embarassing plus annoying as hell now that its getting worse. its really only the driver header and if i put my foot on the tubes down low to stop the vibrations it quits.
i need to do something soon, and i have 2 brand new 2.5" turbo mufflers too and some pipe, so i want to fix it all at once. been looking for headers on CL but the stuff i can afford looks worse than mine and they are all far away from me.

i do have some stock manifolds nd a chopped up crossover pie, but dont want to go any more restrictive than it already is, and header/dual combo is the easiest for me, imma dump em before the axles too for the ease factor.

[piecesparts]

I am running a 383 stroker engine feeding into coated Dynomax headers with 3" collectors then into 2.5" dual exhaust, H-pipe crossover,and at this time stainless steel Magnaflow mufflers (just replaced the Flowmaster muffs, due to old age on the muffler had some holes in it) and out the rear through stainless steel tips. I have run this for years and also have the same setup on my son's truck (exception is his muffs are Flowmasters). Works great and lasts a long time. The cost of the original install was around $250.00 back in 1996 when I installed it, the cost today will depend on the quality of muffler you get. No cats, due to no state law on it here.