headers

[lodmccloud]

Has anyone had any good experiences with cheaper headers either for off roading or just to get rid of the original manifolds on a 360. I have heard a few horror stories about the 149.99 jegs specials. Has anyone bought a set of cheap headmans or hooker headers?

I have an exhaust leak and was thinking about a set of headers instead of just fixing the leak. I will not pay seven hundred dollars for a set of doug thorleys I will put a SBC in it first.

[Blake]

Fix what you have.


Headers always leak. Always. They don't give you any more power either. Recently, I had to remove my leaky headers because I installed an NV4500/Atlas 4spd. There wasn't enough room for the slave cylinder with the headers. Stock manifolds fit perfect, don't leak and have plenty of power. I read somewhere that stock AMC exhaust manifolds actually have decent flow characteristics.

[Dr.E]

X2
Headers are not the first thing I think of when I think of exhaust leak REPAIR! I got tired of exhaust leaks with my headers on my SBC and got a set of 2.5" corvette exhaust manifolds. I had the manifolds surfaced and bolted them up with NO gaskets and have never had a leak.

[Josh D]

I run the cheap Headman's with Remflex gaskets. No leaks, they sound great, and I believe they help power.

[JeepMods]

:confused: I've ran headers on every motor that I have owned with no leaks.... What are you guys doing to make them leak? ;) I start from center and working out snugging them and then I go back for the final torque. Use quality gaskets, torque them evenly and Support them correctly and you won't have any issues. I've used Hooker, Heddman, dynomax, summits specials :o etc.
On my Dynomax headers I cut the supports (between the flanges) for easier access to the plugs with no issues :thumbsup:

[lodmccloud]

I have had twenty cars with headers a dually with headers and a 68c10 with headers. The only one that gave me any problem was the C10, just would not seal with a single set of gaskets. I doubled up with a little red high temp permaLEAK and never had a problem.


I have heard horror stories about build quality, And now the more I look at these I think the leak is around the doughnut. I have also heard that amc manifolds flow extremely well. I do not have a racing powerhouse, I have a 4500 pound truck with a stock low compression 360 so I will stick with what I got unless I keep having leaking problems.

[Casey]

:confused: I've ran headers on every motor that I have owned with no leaks.... What are you guys doing to make them leak?
Standing it on its bumpers and beating the ever living wee out of a V-8. Twisting the frame and bouncing off of trees and rocks and stumps and...

I could make yours leak, too. ;)

[fulsizjeep]

Hedmans are OK. We run 'em on two 401s here. One set is over 15 years old and still not leaking (desert SW). You either like them or don't.

[Casey]

Hedmans are OK. We run 'em on two 401s here. One set is over 15 years old and still not leaking (desert SW). You either like them or don't.
I HATE them. Never had a good set of Hedmans for an AMC. One of the reasons I don't care for headers to this date was from installing a set on one of my old CJ-8's 360. I bought a '78 Cherokee and figured I'd give them another try as they were already on the Jeep when I got it. They sucked as bad as the CJs'.

I prefer to take a little time and port match my manifolds to my heads and roll with the stock pieces. Never have a problem with those. Well...not until they get old and crusty that is.

[fulsizjeep]

Porting is good. Stock manifolds flow good. :cool: The new Hedman's I put on Wally 2 years ago have been tweaked, twisted, sat the pipes on a big friggin rock and peed on on them. No leaks bro. I have more trouble getting lifters to stay quiet.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee184/jubileejeeps/09%20las%20cruces/day1bigeffinrock3.jpg

[Ristow]

my hedmans are fine. use the hedman gaskets and retorque them a few times and they're good. if you're bending the 1/4" flange trying to get them to seal you're doing something wrong,and it'll be using the wrong gaskets most of the time.

[Casey]

:omfg: That's how I did in mine time and again!

You know that just jinxed you, right? :D

[Casey]

my hedmans are fine. use the hedman gaskets and retorque them a few times and they're good. if you're bending the 1/4" flange trying to get them to seal you're doing something wrong,and it'll be using the wrong gaskets most of the time.
You don't wheel.

:rolleyes: Just sayin'. :)

[Ristow]

yah,now i fully expect my next set of hedmans to make me look like a hack amateur,leaks,bent flange and all.

[Casey]

yah,now i fully expect my next set of hedmans to make me look like a hack amateur,leaks,bent flange and all.
I usually bent a collector by slamming it on a rock or the like. Not a flange. They'll leak then by god.

And you don't need no stinkin' headers for that!

[Ristow]

the newer hedmans have the ball collector,seems to be much nicer-no gasket,and the allow minor movement. i had more troubles with collector gaskets than anything else in the past.