Headman headers any good?

[J-20DartGuy]

Any of you guys or ladies have Headman headers on your rigs? If so how do you like them? Any trouble with the flange bolts coming loose regularly? If so which are the next best that you would recommend? Thanks in advance for any advice given, Andy.

[bigblack'74]

i dont remember if mine are headman or hooker but which ever they are.. mine never have came loose, but i also tightened them like a bear..i run no gaskets either they never leak trevor

[Maynard]

I have headman headers i havaen't had any leaking, or loosing of bolts in the 5 years they have been on.

I also decided that I don't like headers, just makes everything too hot, and since I have a chebby engine, i have gone through many starters because of them http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/frown.gif


------------------
There are three kinds of poeple in the world, those who can count, and those who can't.
http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/279/03/32790394.jpg

Alex
1976 Cherokee Cheif
383 Chevy, th400, d20
d44 f/r, 4" suspension lift,
33X12.50 General grabber A/T's

[River Beast]

I got my Heddmanns' at a great price....new from a guy that never used them.... they are thin wall headers though... on a cold night, the tubes right by the exhaust ports glow bright red during the choke stage. I don't leak at all... yet... http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
Todd
"River Beast" (http://home.earthlink.net/~tjnkk)
http://home.earthlink.net/~riverbeast/rbthnl.jpg
14" of total Lift on 39.5" Swampers
44's locked with 4.89's
...and other stuff...
My Original FSJ site (http://www.geocities.com/spazz4life)
riverbeast@earthlink.net
"When approaching an intersection, remember...
the vehicle with the BIGGEST TIRES has the right of way..."

'93 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban...a.k.a. "FSJ Hauler"

[Tom 400 CFI]

My friend got some Heddman headers when we (I helped him) put a 401 (from a 258) in his J-10. Anyway the Heddman headers sucked. They leaked worse than any header I have ever seen. We changed gaskets 3 times, using a diffent type each time, and they still leaked. I finally pulled them completely off and notice that the flange wasn't even CLOSE to being flat. It probably varied by 1/8". I ended up building up the flange at the end of each tube with a MIG welder, and then grinding it flat, checking it with a straight edge. After that they didn't leak and have worked well for two years so far.

It should be noted that I haven't heard of this problem from anyone, which makes me think it was an isolated incident of poor quality control.

[This message has been edited by Tom 400 CFI (edited April 26, 2001).]

[Matt W]

AH HAH! I have a 401 and hedmans and encountered (encounter) leakage at the flange to head surface on the pass side center to ports. Running Copperseals did not fix the problem. I may try aluminum pressed gaskets w/ copperseals on top. Or do the build up as described in the last posting. either way, Thorley Tri-Ys have thicker as well as seperate flanges and the only prob I had w/ those was the heating cooling of winter driving in Wyoming cracked out the welded joints in about 10 years of use. Not bad. http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif Make sure you get HEADER gaskets and not MANIFOLD gaskets, there actually is a differance in dog-leg port design. Manifolds and gaskets 4 em have a longer "leg " than the header flange/ gaskets do.

[trssho]

Leak, leak, and more leaks. I would go with the Edelbrock headers and get them coated. On this Jeep, I stuck with the stock manifold. Unless your going with a hi-po setup, I would stick with stock. And this advice is from someone who has experienced header nightmares.

------------------
1989 GW Tan w/106K miles
Rebuilt 360 W/ cam
Edelbrock intake and Carb
Polishesd factory rims
Dual electric fans
Miller shift knob
Auto dimming mirror
MP3 CD player w/ Infinity Kappa speakers

Wagoneer pictures http://y42.photos.yahoo.com/bc/trssho/lst?.dir=/Jeep&.view=t

[jeepbob]

I have run them on my CJ for years without problems but they are not a real heavy duty header, If funds allow it I would get the thorleys.

------------------
65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[Snakeyes_Tx]

With the high maintenence of headers... I can't justify them... that and you can't get exhaust gaskets just anywhere with headers... A buddy of mine has them on his 350.. and the "Tighten the bolts every weekend" thing is true! I opted for "option three"

When I acquired motor #3 (top end rebuild of motor #2 from broken head bolts) I went ahead and ported the exhaust manifolds to nearly match the head's exhaust exit.. opened it up a little bit and smoothed out the burrs in the head. I used stock manifold gaskets, opened up my exhaust, and BAM! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif Heat still still isn't an issue, I've got no leaks, and I have the dependability of a stock manifold.

The tubular chome-appearing headers sure do look nice though... maybe I'll get the stock ones plated or something?


------------------
http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/284/24/32842485.jpg

Snakeyes_Tx
86 J-20 "The Rusty Dinosaur"
360/727/208/44HD/60 <- 2nd of all of them.
"If you don't know what the numbers mean, you don't need to be here!"

[This message has been edited by Snakeyes_Tx (edited April 26, 2001).]

[jeepbob]

I run the stock manifolds on my Wag as the extra width of the headers would push my humungus alternator beyond the frame rail and into the wheel well.

------------------
65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[401chief]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Maynard:
I have headman headers i havaen't had any leaking, or loosing of bolts in the 5 years they have been on.

I also decided that I don't like headers, just makes everything too hot, and since I have a chebby engine, i have gone through many starters because of them http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/frown.gif


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

are u using starter heat shields?



------------------
Red '76 Cherokee Chief w/ 401(no cat)
Edelbrock carb and intake
Edelbrock Performer cam
Milidon timing gears
MSD 6a offroad ignition
MSD distributor
Heddman headers w/ dual exhaust
half dead th400
noisy QT
missing glove box
no radio
worn suspension w/ original shocks from 1976
a black fender
and a saggy head liner that hits my head every time i go over a speed bump


"If it ain't broke, then fix it 'till it is"

[rawdave]

i bought thorley headers for my 87 and it runs like a scawlded dawg. they are a little pricey but fit perfectly and are warranted for as long as I own the vehicle.(which will be till the day I die. sold one GW will never part with another)

------------------
87 Grand Wagoneer
TFI Upgrade
Thorley Headers

[Mikey]

what do you mean by <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>i bought thorley headers for my 87 and it runs like a scawlded dawg. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[64Trvlr]

Mikey
I think thats Southern for " it hauls Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley".
:cool:

[fsj401]

I have Hedmans on my 401, and they suck, first it was the drivers side leaking bad, then it shifted to the pass side. Last ngiht I was driving home, thinking to myself that before i drove again i had to change the gasget on the pass side, the drivers side gasget blew out. When i got home i notices about 2 inches of gasget was gone at the middle flanges. What I will be doing as soon as funds allow is to get a set of thorleys and have the exause modded to fit them. Hey, do you know if the thorleys have mounts for air injection rails due to be being stuck in the smog nazi state of california? Thanks, Jeff


OK, update, I talked to summit. Thorley headers are might expensive. 520 or so for the part number 616YS the S stands for Smog, and it comes with air injection rails...so 520 plus a couple more bills for jet hot, and i dont have exaust leaks anymore...PRAY TO JEEP GODS&gt;

JEff

[ August 07, 2001: Message edited by: fsj401 ]