need header help

[85burbanator]

my manifolds are pretty rusty on the 87 so i was thinking of tossing some headers on there. are there any cons to the cheapo headers beside thefact that they prolly rust faster? im eventually going to drop in another motor and ill put better stuff on then. i was looking at the competition hedman headers which run around 145 in jegs or those afterburner headers which are around the same price. im on a real tight buchet right now or else id go with some thorleys or something. anybody run either of these headers on a stock tbi 350? im leaning towards the afterburner ones but would like some insight into them. thanks in advance.

 

[trailblazr81]

They are not bad. Better than $80 summit headers. But probly not as good as say a Hooker Super Comp. You'll be fine. I would go hedman. I had a buddy run the "afterburners" and sometimes they will hit his shackle. I used some cheap headers and had no problems. Just buy decent gaskets and check your header bolts periodically.

 

[blackblazer717]

agree with trailblazer,
but also sometimes the cheep heads you have a problem with changing the plugs and stuff so watch for that, i have a set of cheep headmans and they work fine, i like the hooker super comps the best though great in every aspect


LUKE

 

[85burbanator]

I had a buddy run the "afterburners" and sometimes they will hit his shackle.

was he running the correct headers? how often did they hit the shackle? this will be a street queen did his hit when wheeling or just whenever? i like the idea of them being like a long tube header but provide the tourque of a tri-y. or is that just a marketing ploy?

 

[trailblazr81]

I think it was just when wheeling when he had it all twisted. When I had cheapy Summit headers they were close to the shackle on the passenger side but I never heard/felt it make contact. Of course I had another buddy who bought some headers and they wouldnt work at all. Forgot the brand but he called 'em and was basically told it was a bad batch that were formed/shaped wrong.

 

[ZooMad75]

I'd just wait if all you are looking at is rusty stock manifolds. Save your money for the good stuff as the stock manifold is not going to rust through anytime soon. Chances are you would have to re-do the collector connection when putting the 2nd (better) set of headers on to so that adds more to the overall cost. If you are going to make the change to headers, save your money and do it the right way the first time.

Just a cheapskates point of veiw, but I hate doing (and paying for) the same thing more than once.

 

[trailblazr81]

I had Dynomax Headers. They were pretty good. Even had a tube dimpled to make it easier to get to spark plug. I would buy those again.

 

[85burbanator]

one manifold is leaking and wont seal back up correctly and the other has a small crack by were it meats the exhaust pipe. so basically they both leak already which is why i was just going to toss on some sheaper headers. does anyone here have personal experiance with the afterburner headers?