manifolds or headers?

[clemson71guy]

i am trying to decide what to run on my truck and it has a small block in it..its going to have a 2 1/2 inch exhaust but i have not made up my mind on what to run on it to make it sound the best. i have been told that with headers i will be under the hood every weekend replcing gaskets?
what do yall think would sound best

[oldgold70c10]

Stick with the stock ram's horn manifolds, you'll be happier, spark plug & starter access is better, they are heavier & give a deeper tone out back, & should last a lot longer too. The headers will leak and it sounds gross whenever you have engine bay leaks. Just my .02 BTW!!!!!

[BigDaddyDave]

I know guys that run headers,and never have a leak.I run stock manifolds,and I like the sound just fine.I thought about headers for mine,but like you,I have heard bad things about them.I don't like working on something when its not broke.So it really is a personal choice.

[kaycee]

If you buy a quality header's and gaskets the pros out way the cons,I ran the ram horns at first and ended up buying some quality built headers and haven't regretted it yet.I belive you get what you pay for on this item

[JAKES 68GMC]

Headers all the way.

[Blue_71]

manifolds all the way!!!

i will say, quality headers and gaskets will work just fine. i ran full length small tube Hedmans on my 89 for 2-2.5 years.... never had a single gasket leak at either end. i used Fel Pro 89 chevy truck manifold gaskets, and Summit Racing Equipment dead soft copper collector gaskets. also never had a bolt come loose

NOW with that said, i just pulled the headers off about 3 weeks ago and im loving the manifolds!

i went from the manifolds, 2" pipe to under the cab, and a glasspack with a turn down; to hedmans, true dual 2 1/4" exhaust, turbos, and pipes out each side. now im at manifolds, single 2 1/4 pipe, turbo with dual outlet, same end pipes as the headers. i have a ton more power with the current set up then i did with the headers. gas mileage was never affected at all. one great plus is, i can get to the freakin plugs now!!!

PS: ive drove this truck since 97, so i do know for sure how it was with each exhaust system

[wibilly]

personaly i belive manifolds are for street vehicles and headers are for race cars and trucks. if it's not wound tight all the time why put up with the hassels of headers. i do agree that if you decide to run headers spend the money for the best or you won't be happy

[Elsie72]

I kept the stock manifolds, and put in a 2-1/2" dual exhaust with Hooker Aero-chamber mufflers, but I've been looking into some Doug's Try-Y headers for when I re-do the exhaust to run it out the back instead of dumping in front of the trailing arm cross-over. I've thought for years that a Try-y setup with either an x or H-pipe would be the best setup for maximum low end and mid-range power on the street.

[panhandler62]

I don't think it's necessarily better one way or the other, just different.

Headers will give you more top end HP but give up low end (the bigger the primaries the bigger this effect) and you get some maintenance issues with them (access to this, that and the other.)

I think headers are more attractive and I like the raspy sound you get running long tubes -- but arguing these points is like arguing your favorite color.. it's all subjective.

One big minus about headers -- the tubes get bleeding hot and melt just about anything that gets to close.

[Cyclone44]

I like the stock manifolds myself, I also like to open the hood on a truck and see manifolds on them, It just has a better apperence to me, Its all about taste,..JMO.....George

[RACINJASON22]

There's so many GR8 answers in this thread I don't know who to agree with first, lol.

I think I most agree with this

Originally Posted by panhandler62

I don't think it's necessarily better one way or the other, just different.

Headers will give you more top end HP but give up low end (the bigger the primaries the bigger this effect) and you get some maintenance issues with them (access to this, that and the other.)

I think headers are more attractive and I like the raspy sound you get running long tubes -- but arguing these points is like arguing your favorite color.. it's all subjective.

One big minus about headers -- the tubes get bleeding hot and melt just about anything that gets to close.

That being said:

I have raced circle track both ways Headers and Manifolds and I have run both on the street With GR8 results in all aspects/combonations.

I personally like corvette center dump manifolds on anything they will fit on OR I can make them fit on with modifacation. Up untill the HP of the engine or the operatin manure employes the use of headers.

Manifold are better in all aspects up untill you really reach the need for the extra breathing of headers.

As with above, I agree when the time comes that you do need headers that money/quality does matter. GET quality headers, fasteners, and gaskets and you will have just as good luck with them as you would manifolds.

If I would have choose to answer this question the easy way, lol.

I would have just STATED:

STAY WITH MANIFOLDS AS LONG AS YOUR ENGINE AND DRIVING PAKAGE DOES NOT DEMAND THE USE OF HEADERS

RJ22...

[Angelse68cal]

I have a set of Doug's they are crafted great. He started his own company after divorce.


Don't Buy the Doug Thorley headers .... the Wife bought him out when they divorced and now since he don't make the headers anymore her sets suck in the craftmanship.

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

I agree with the response you get what you pay for and exhaust is one of those area's that this rings true. As soon as you start your truck your constently reminded of this. It either sounds great or like crap. I'm running a set of Sanderson 3/4 length headers straight back to the tail gate through 2.5' pipes with FlowMasters and 4' s/s tips. I'm totaly happy with this set up as it sounds and looks great from the feed back that I've received.

As far as looks go I like stock manifolds on stock vehicles. On modified vehicles I prefer headers not so much because of performance concerns but for cosmetics. Service issues are really no biggy with modern day plugs and HEI dist's and what not, I spend more time cleaning the engine bay then servicing my engine. I've never really heard bad comments on good exhaust sytems and I feel if you look into it a little more you'll find that the horror stories are where corners have been cut to save money and in the long run have ended up costing more.

esll.

[Gray Ghost]

I prefer headers for the sound. I rarely have leaks and the bolts stay tight. Mine are Hedman's...I like those the best. Only one plug is a pain and has to be removed by box end wrench...all others are easily accessed by a socket.

[aventur1]

East Side
I really like the looks of the 3/4s. I bet they sound good also!

[Huck]

headers look cool but-----going to the 2.5" corvette ram horns will probably be the best overall choice for power and sound. My personal experience with stock, Hedman, Hooker====headers cost me low end torque and about 2mpg. This with my 72, crate 350 over time. Going back to stock, brought back the low end torque and mpg.
Street driven trucks are low end torque junkies---rarely do they get into high rpm due to gearing and applications. Want to race over 4-5,000 rpm--go for headers, cam, inake, etc.
Now I doubt anyone will buy into my analysis as cool usually winds over logic~~but~~~that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!hehehehe Huck

[caminokid]

I have Hooker super comps on my firebird and truck. The firebird keeps having leaks...the truck hasnt had one leak yet. The bolts on the firebird keep backing out. I need to put locks on them. The truck has no locks and never backed out.

[geoman]

I agree on keeping the manifolds. I just bought my 67 about a week ago and I am going to restore them using the eastwood manifold coating.

One other thing I have seen is cleaning up the ports a little with a dremel but to me its not worth it. Just put some 2.5" duals on it and have fun.

The trucks are heavy and need as much torques as possible IMO.

Mike

[Ackattack]

I say headers.

I would highly suggest getting a set of ball-flange collectors for them. There's no gasket to burn up, and no leaks.

[michael bustamante]

I run corvette ramhorns to 2 1/2" exhaust with 40 series flowmasters and I love the sound good and rumbly for my 350 smallblock with only minor mods. never had a problem except for the cheap mr gasket exhaust manifold gaskets

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

Originally Posted by aventur1

East Side
I really like the looks of the 3/4s. I bet they sound good also!

**********************************************************
Thanks for the kind words,

They sound really quite good to be honest. Also they do not have that low down drone that long tubes have when your doing 50 mph down the hyw. Anyone who has a lowered truck as well these are great because they are designed to tuck the exhaust above the frame (no scraping.)

esll.

[aventur1]

MB
Corvette Ram Horns? Any years for 350? What do they look like if I bought a pair of used ones? What about other ram horns? Not even sure what I have now.

[aventur1]

Thanks East Side, boy tough choice!

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

Originally Posted by clemson71guy

i am trying to decide what to run on my truck and it has a small block in it..its going to have a 2 1/2 inch exhaust but i have not made up my mind on what to run on it to make it sound the best. i have been told that with headers i will be under the hood every weekend replcing gaskets?
what do yall think would sound best

**********************************************************

Try this product and forget about traditional gaskets. It works great!

esll.

[michael bustamante]

actually I was told they came off an earlier model corvette chevy small block but I never saw them in a vette so I might have been lied to but they are the ramhorns with no sensor screw in hole and angled. these provide me great access to my plugs and everything else that longer headers get in the way of.