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Open Headers....

87BrnRsd

87BrnRsd

1/2 ton status
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Apr 21, 2003
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Boone, North Carolina
I was wondering...is it bad for your motor to drive with only open headers and no other exhaust for....say....100 miles? Their long tube headers. Will it damage the motor? Thanks.
BTW- I know its gonna be hella loud cause ive heard our motors with open headers before.
-Harrison
 
hasnt damaged my motor. I drove it with open headers for nearly a year. gets real annoying but sounds cool. I had a ricer pull up beside me revin his motor. thought he was real cool till I blew his ear drums out.:D
 
I've heard people say that if its cold outside, it can suck air in and chip a valve. I used to run open headers on my old 283, it was loud as all get out. The fumes can and will damage your brain :waytogo:
 
HAHA! We drove my brothers around for a while with open headers and did that to some ricers. But we put glasspacks on it soon so we didnt get a noise violation ticket.

I was curious because i think the north carolina/south carolina crew are making a wheeling trip next month....and some people from my dorm may go...and I need to put the headers on before then, an intake, new hub, and take the driveshaft to the shop to get it re tubed from damage last trip. Im only gonna have 2 weeks to do everything...and i have no money for mufflers right now. Plus...my ra is taking his pristine wrangler 4.0 on 33's...and hes always talking crap about chevys and think he can out wheel me. I want him to be deaf before the end of the day just following me.:haha: Hes on 4", 33's, stock wrangler axles and gears, open front and rear, and stock 4.0. Looks like its never been wheeling....and he wont get on it. He thinks he can outwheel me (trucks in my sig line). I bet he would faint if he even scratched it. Me....im gonna be aiming for body damage..:haha:
-Harrison
 
I had to run open headers for a while. If you have to run them that way for a while go to a exhaust shop and get some turndowns that will be able to bolt onto your header thats what I did it was better with the turndowns than just open headers
 
yeah, at least get some kinda pipes to bolt on there.... If you drive 100 miles with open headers, you're gonna pass out, have carbon monoxide bonded with your red blood cells, have to go into an oxygen chamber at the hospital, and a cop is gonna pin a noise violation to your suffocated body :eek1: (That's the worst case scenario) ;)
 
If your putting a new intake and headers on you will prolly need to richen your carb. It'll be running leaner so dont forget about that.
 
it might not run right with out any significant back pressure. and back pressure is good for low end torque.
 
With everthing else you need to do to make the trip if the truck has exhaust on it already why not just wait until you can afford to do the headers correctly. I'm telling you from experience CO poisoning causes a headache like no other
 
Did it in my Camaro for about a two weeks and I had no issues. Other than getting pulled over once..:(
 
Just to clarify, backpressure helps nothing and is unnecessary.

There is a huge difference between scavenging and backpressure.
 
We used to drive my friends Nova around with open headers. He was a big time drag racer and new motors. He used to stuff a rag in the pipe when he turned it off to keep the cold air from warping his valves.

I don't know if it did anything or not but couldn't hurt and it's easier on a lifted 4x4 than on a Nova.
 
78Suburban said:
If you drive 100 miles with open headers, you're gonna pass out, have carbon monoxide bonded with your red blood cells, have to go into an oxygen chamber at the hospital, and a cop is gonna pin a noise violation to your suffocated body :eek1: (That's the worst case scenario) ;)
Click to expand...
:haha: :haha: :haha: Well, right now its open manifolds. I havent driven it very far at all with the open manifolds because they are so short...it cant be good for the motor. Im not running a top, and with the open manifolds...i cant smell exhaust unless im sitting at a red light.
-Harrison
 
zeroz400 said:
If your putting a new intake and headers on you will prolly need to richen your carb. It'll be running leaner so dont forget about that.
Click to expand...
I dont have a carb. Mines an 87 (hence 87brnrsd) so its tbi. But yes, i will turn the fuel pressure up accordingly. Thanks for the advice.:D
-Harrison
 
resurrected_jimmy said:
With everthing else you need to do to make the trip if the truck has exhaust on it already why not just wait until you can afford to do the headers correctly. I'm telling you from experience CO poisoning causes a headache like no other
Click to expand...
I just dont have the time or money to do it correctly before this trip. If i didnt have so many other things to do, and didnt have to pay for new hubs and driveshaft...then yes i would do it correctly. But i can drive it to the trail and wheel it with open headers....im s.o.l. with no driveshaft and no 4wd hubs.:crazy: And yes, I know about smelling to much co....ive had that headache bad before.:wink1:
-Harrison
 
One more thing...just to clarify something a bit...i know its gonna be loud, and i know about the fumes. My only question was if it was gonna hurt the motor or not.....Regardless....thanks for all the replies guys. You all rock. :saweet:
-Harrison
 
I would run turn downs off the collector so you don't coat the under body in black deposites.







Maybe I just run really rich :doah: :D

I was debating on whether or not to put in exhaust cut outs when I do headers. Just for the oportunity to open her up.
 
Also don't forget fuel lines , light wires and brake lines run down the frame and the headers shoot right at them . Use turn downs to keep the heat off of them.
 
FOR MUD said:
Also don't forget fuel lines , light wires and brake lines run down the frame and the headers shoot right at them . Use turn downs to keep the heat off of them.
Click to expand...
Didnt even think about that...thanks man.:D
-Harrison
 
I dont think you'll hurt the valves regardless if its headers or manifolds. The surrounding area in the head (valve seat, and ports) will stay plenty hot for a while, and its not like its a door being open so the air can rush through it.

Bottom line: don't worry about it.
 
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