"Headers" for L98

[GusVette]

Question, Is it worth installin headers on my 1985 4+3? It now has Power Effects Cat Back Exhaust.
Which ones are good? Hedman, TPIS, Hooker? Should they be coated? Easy to install?
Any help would be appriciated.:BOW

Ken: Remind me to tell ya about my 4+3 trans and OD nightmare. It should be out of the shop late this week. (Some parts are just about impossible to find)
Gus

 

[Ken]

Nice Jag Gus!

As for the dearth of DN 4+3 O/D parts, I became aware of that fact last year, although I see that recently MAD has started offering units that are supposedly new. They were allegedly sitting somewhere undiscovered, and now they are available to the public.

I don't have to worry about that anymore though, now that the ROD 6-speed is in place. :J

I can't wait to hear the latest story on the DN 4+3. :L

_ken

 

[69MyWay]

This is a popular topic.

Headers can be a nightmare for even the most experienced fellow due to the fact that often times they just won't fit without a sledge hammer!

Then, you burn your plug wires from time to time, blow gaskets, and drag them on high speed bumps and other road obsticles.

Your engine can breath much better and therefore make more power. Your engine is after all basically a large air pump. The more air you can get it to pump in and out the more power you can make.

Now, there are expensive headers and cheap ones. For myself, I gravitate to the cheap ones, but I typically suggest other people buy the more expensive ones. This is because I don't mind banging up my knuckes, but would hope I could steer you in a direction to bang yours less.

Between several of the members here, we are running different brands of headers.

To my most pleasant surprise, I recently installed the cheapest non-emission headers headman had for the L98 on my 90. They went on EASY, no mods to the headers or the car. They stay clear of my plugs and wires, and have been easy to retighten as needed to keep them quiet.

I paid about $100. They have baked all the paint off now, and have a nice discolored and surface rust thing going on.

Ken can tell you about his header experience. He went for some nice coated larger tube models.

Right now on the Classified's section of this forum, we have a member with some of the stock style ram horn manifolds for sale by make your best offer. Check those out. Less headaches, and plenty of good looks.

 

[GusVette]

Thanks Ken,
I thought that pic of me in my brother's Jag would get ya.
Nice ride, but I'm still partial to my Corvette. Sure is a
Chick Magnet, though.:dance
P.S. Have you found an avatar you like yet?:eyerole "I like em"

69MyWay,
Thanks for the info. I did check out those header I the classified. Looks like a good deal if you get some gaskets.

I thinking of waiting till I recover from my Doug-Nash 4+3 expense and then just take it to an exhaust shop and let them get the bloody and busted knucles....

You did make me remember my 68' Olds 442. I did put headers on it and yes was always scraping them on something. I sure don't need anymore noise....

Still Thinkin'
gus

 

[fast90]

Which headers for my L98?

Yes, this is an ongoing topic for any engine modification. My plans for engine improvement will be focused on upgrading my mostly stock exhaust either this fall/winter or early spring. I have been looking to replace the front Y-pipe w/o pre-cats (from Mid-America), replace the stock cat with one from Randoom Tech., and replace the stock Y-pipe and KBD mufflers with the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust kit.

I'd like to find a good recommended set of shorty headers with emission cutouts to replace my stock exhaust manifolds. Can anyone recommend where I might look for info on what I need? I'd hope to find something that will bolt right in place of the stock manifolds without much hassle...just to help keep the cost of labor to a minimum. Ya, cost is always a concern.

Thanks for your help!

 

[BigRed]

On another forum I was browsing through QUICKLY:L there is a BIG thread about this heres the basic results

Lingenfelter - People think they are great but for the MONEY they aren't worth it...But again a good quality product. Bout 1 of 10 people use them.

Hooker - ALOT of people have these and love them to pieces \

Quote: I love my HOOKERS!

They have them ceramic coated from Jet-Hot and just think they are great. Bout 5 of 10 use them.

TPiS - Seems to be the Direct competition to the Hookers and the same opinon is found from different people. Great! Love them! Easy to install! Also ceramic coated. 4 of 10 use them

These are quick averages and not my opinon however for myself It seems to be the TPiS for me.

 

[billd]

emmissions

Ugly topic but just remember if you install non emmission headers you may be affecting you ability to sell the car here in the states should you decide to do so. In Colorado a car must be pretty much untouched in regards to exhaust in front of the CAT to be registered. I sure thats true elsewhere also.

 

[GusVette]

billd said:

if you install non emmission headers you may be affecting you ability to sell the car

Good Point!
Thx
Gus

 

[RandyBSmith]

I have a 93 with 6 speed. Last Fall I put the Corsa Catback exhaust on. Sounds awesome when in the throttle and can't hear it at cruising speeds. During June I had the Chevy dealer put headers on for me. I am not sure what your car takes, but I purchased JBA shorty headers, internal ceramic and chrome coated. All hardware came, except the O2 sensor. You have to take that out of existing manifold. I had a new one put in mine.
I would definity recommend these headers. I purchased them from truckperformance.com in CA. They were 700 including express shipment to RI. While these are being replaced, go ahead and have new plugs and performance plug wires added. It made it easy for him to do it. They had to manufacture one 1/4 spacer for a bracket.

I will take a pic of mine and get it on here.

 

[billd]

One last thing about emmissions

I believe that in Colorado anyway you wont pass emmissions testing eve with an O2 sensor and even with "emmission control" headers its a real PIA here with that stuff. Make sure you keep you manifiolds and head pipes if you go to headers, if you ever need to put them back on it could save some serious $$$.

 

[69MyWay]

Re: One last thing about emmissions

I believe that in Colorado anyway you wont pass emmissions testing eve with an O2 sensor and even with "emmission control" headers its a real PIA here with that stuff. Make sure you keep you manifiolds and head pipes if you go to headers, if you ever need to put them back on it could save some serious $$$.

I guess it boils down to several things. First of all, I am pretty sure if you buy a C.A.R.B/ 50 state legal labeled header you don't have any problems. Second, the fellow/woman doing the inspection would have to be pretty darn sharp on EVERY make and model car, and engine configuration to be able to recognize stock vs. aftermarket C.A.R.B. legal headers.

Finally, if the engine appears to be intact, and the car passes the test, it is hard to believe they would have any reason to cite a violation.

In fact, many of the new EFI parts, including exhaust systems produce cleaner burning engines as compared to the original C4 technology. The key IMHO to passing an inspection is to always make sure that engine is getting to full temp (230 degrees or so F) at the time of the sniff test. Otherwise, even with a stock motor you can fail a test if the engine is attempting to run in open loop, and or the chamber has not heated to the point you would get a full clean burn.

Oh, that is why the AIR pump is so important. It actually pumps fresh air into the exhaust to help heat it up. Like adding pure oxygen to a flame, it intensifies the burn at the Cat and upper header.