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Optima Bill

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Hi
I found this forum looking at Optima Battery issues and questions. However, I have found it a very informative information source for a project I am currently working on. I have lurked a good bit and used the search feature a good bit.
I have bought a 89 K-5 with 41K miles, however, the owners only drove it during the winter and snow. They never washed the salt away and from the beltline down, it is junk/rust. However, great running gear so I bought a good rust free body and am in the process of swapping over all the good parts to the good body.
Here is my question, I want to put a set of headers on the blazer and just don't want to deal with junk or non-fitting parts. Can you guys recommend a good set of headers for my application that will fit right and not be a PITA? I will probably have them coated at Jet-Hot but want to get the right ones before I spend the money on that.
Thanks in advance for the help guys.
Bill
 
Hello Bill. Sounds like a cool project, but as far as headers I have had best luck with Dougs headers for my last K5.

May consider posting in the new member area also
 
Yes, Jim and I work together searching the net and answering questions about Optima Batteries.
Thanks for the info. My K-5 will keep the sbc for now, maybe one day I will go LS like most of my other projects but trying my best to keep this one simple. The sbc should be less of a problem on clearance. I will check out L&L
 
cool, say hey, did you make it to SEMA?
trying to keep a K5 build simple...I like the concept!~
 
A lot of guys here have had great luck with the Hedman Elite's with the ceramic coating. Good fit, good quality, and decently priced. For "off the shelf" you'd be hard pressed to find headers with a thicker flange, or thicker tubing than those too. 3/8" flange, 14 ga tubing...
 
I just looked up those L and L headers. They are nice, also thanks tRustyK5, I also have been thinking about a good header and wasn't aware of those
 
dont go too cheap! got a pair of flowtech headers for a "deal". my first set of headers. definately an upgrade from the cracked manifolds, but these things just leak and leak no matter what gaskets i put behind them.
you have to consider the O2 sensor also, might have to cut and weld a new bung for it.
 
amen on the leaky flowtech, switched over to hooker, thick flange and longer, no more worries about the collector being hit by the shackles either, no more leaks
 
Key here is a thick flange. When doing headers of late I tend to cut off the collectors and weld on a ball flange system, no gasket no leak.

I have put in Doug Thorley headers before ( not mine) and they were pretty bulletproof.

Headers is one thing where the actual price usually reflects the quality
 
I had a set of Headman shorties and they crack at the collectors in less then a year. I pick up some Hookers and they fit great. They are kind of on the high end of the price range but they do fit very well.
 
Another positive experience with hookers here, both SB and BB fit and seal well.
 
76zimmer said:
cool, say hey, did you make it to SEMA?
trying to keep a K5 build simple...I like the concept!~
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I go to SEMA every year. I raced in the OUSCI in 09 and 10, this year I was the official Twitter for the Optima Event. Not sure that is my cup of tea, but it was fun, but I had much rather be racing.

LOL on the cheap build, I never seem to accomplish that but always start out trying. Reading this forum gives me so many new ideas but I am trying to be good and not break the bank on this one.

Thanks for all the replys, I personally have always had good luck with Hooker and may go that route since I have a good relationship with those guys. I just didn't know it their headers worked well on the truck applications. Looking at the order list, it seems the 89 and 87 trucks take different headers? confused there as I thought they were the same? Maybe the 89 has a O2?
 
Optima Bill said:
Oh yeah, I go to SEMA every year. I raced in the OUSCI in 09 and 10, this year I was the official Twitter for the Optima Event. Not sure that is my cup of tea, but it was fun, but I had much rather be racing.

LOL on the cheap build, I never seem to accomplish that but always start out trying. Reading this forum gives me so many new ideas but I am trying to be good and not break the bank on this one.

Thanks for all the replys, I personally have always had good luck with Hooker and may go that route since I have a good relationship with those guys. I just didn't know it their headers worked well on the truck applications. Looking at the order list, it seems the 89 and 87 trucks take different headers? confused there as I thought they were the same? Maybe the 89 has a O2?
Click to expand...

The 87 would have an o2 as well.

I went with 2827-1HKR and they clear everything great.
 
My last K5 had a 454 with Hooker super comp headers. They fit great and never leaked. The factory aluminzed coating didn't last a long time, especially after getting them coated in the red mud and clay. Not sure if that is what caused the coating to fail though
 
Optima Bill said:
Thanks for all the replys, I personally have always had good luck with Hooker and may go that route since I have a good relationship with those guys. I just didn't know it their headers worked well on the truck applications. Looking at the order list, it seems the 89 and 87 trucks take different headers? confused there as I thought they were the same? Maybe the 89 has a O2?
Click to expand...

This may be the way their catalog is listed. Yes, the K5 and Burb was the same for 87-91 but the similar K series pickups stopped in 87. 88 started the newer body style and IFS (without getting into details of crew cabs and CnC and other HD trucks remaining square). That's just the basics. So maybe by 87 they mean the old solid axle truck and 88-up they are thinking IFS, which is a different animal.

Now, I can confuse things even more. I have seen where others on this site have used shorty headers, instead of long tubes, that are listed for the IFS trucks. They have been used for better fit, higher clearance reasons cause the long tubes have been known to interfere with the leaf spring shackles. I think it was as simple as plugging the O2 hole and clocking it to a different location in the collector because of the frame rail.
 
I've had good luck with my Doug Thorley Tri-Y's on my Blazer although some will flame me for that.


Just another option...
 
not sure why you would think that, Thorley Tri-Y's have always been a top recommend in here...

I'd consider em.... I'll be doing painted Hooker comps tho, so I can mod em, then send em out to Jethot.... since I was a kid I've always had good luck with Hooker headers...
 
My Doug Thorleys fit great and don't leak a bit. I do fight a couple of plugs at tune up time though. Other than that they have been the best headers I've had.
 
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