Headers and hi flow up pipes

[Turbo Buick 6]

yup, and becuase of this if the primarys are made in a way that they expand against eachother they will fail

 

[Mike]

So I've been working on my truck for three weeks to get my headers ( Thanks to Mick ), correctly and bolted completely, installed. All I can say is I am lovin it. The three weeks was due to other issues as well but only to correct minor issues like intake, front alignment, trans leak between the transfer case and transmission, an awful rub against the firewall, engine mount ( Thanks JohnBoy for advice long ago ) and countless other " hunny do's ". Spool up seems very fast, not sure if the mandrel bent 4" pipe has anything to do with helping this and the sound is incredible. I've never heard the type of sound exiting my exhaust. It may be that I have not driven my truck in soo long that I have the placebo affect.

I'll get back in a few weeks with some more info and a few months with some "how did they go comments". Thanks


This was my expression the first time I drove the truck after that length of time.

 

[duramaximizer]

What if the temperatures are higher yet, then add in some of the parts are going to be hotter than others, will that add more stress.

I didn't think there was ever any flex material in the headers themselves.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

What if the temperatures are higher yet, then add in some of the parts are going to be hotter than others, will that add more stress.

I didn't think there was ever any flex material in the headers themselves.

There isnt any "flex material" in the headers. By putting bends in the primarys that go in the correct direction it allows the primarys to bend durring expansion and contraction.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

Not really relivent but a general rule of thumb for mild steel is 10' at 1000F grows 1"

The boilers at work are hanging and about 200' tall, on average they grow down about 18" when they are running

 

[LarryJewell]

Mike came by the office today to take me for a test drive, just finished putting on headers and a downpipe. It seemed to spool a lot faster than I remembered, and it still breaks the tires loose at 50mph

I dont think anything was lost with the headers on his truck, it was just as fast if not faster than before, and he claims only a smoke tune was in it

 

[Mike]

Mike came by the office today to take me for a test drive, just finished putting on headers and a downpipe. It seemed to spool a lot faster than I remembered, and it still breaks the tires loose at 50mph

I dont think anything was lost with the headers on his truck, it was just as fast if not faster than before, and he claims only a smoke tune was in it

Thanks Larry for taking a ride today. I had fun and appreciate your taking pictures. I just wish I'd have cleaned things up a bit before the shots. But who cares, I have the proto's on and can test them dirty right. And that firewall.

Your truck is next Larry. What do you say.....

Oh ya, did the smoke tune meet your standards at least till the boost hit?

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

kinda suprised you didnt melt anything with no coating or wrap. i was scared of melting wires

 

[Mike]

kinda suprised you didnt melt anything with no coating or wrap. i was scared of melting wires

Ya, I was kinda surprised also. I've got to put the wells back in to tidy the wires. I've had the headers on for months. I am only talking about them now cuz all the bugs have been worked out so far and working. That is if your talking to me.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

Ya, I was kinda surprised also. I've got to put the wells back in to tidy the wires. I've had the headers on for months. I am only talking about them now cuz all the bugs have been worked out so far and working. That is if your talking to me.

You bet your @ss im talkin to you Glad to see they are working well for you. I remember you saying you were getting a set from Micks guy a while ago. How was the job of converting them to a left side steer?

 

[Bluemax]

Thanks Larry for taking a ride today. I had fun and appreciate your taking pictures. I just wish I'd have cleaned things up a bit before the shots. But who cares, I have the proto's on and can test them dirty right. And that firewall.

Your truck is next Larry. What do you say....

Oh ya, did the smoke tune meet your standards at least till the boost hit?

:umno:


:WTF2:




:toetap: :damnit: :ripped:

 

[Mike]

:umno:


:WTF2:




:toetap: :damnit: :ripped:

I knew you'd say your peace. Ok, come on down and don't expect to leave for weeks. lol.....

I knew I'd cut my throat on this deal. :angel:

 

[Mike]

Well it's been a long year and a bit. The headers are working great, I can't say the same for the bellows in the up pipes. The right side has had a leak of sorts since I tried to cram all the air from a supercharger and a5k through it a few tnt back. Tonight, with just the a5k, the right side finished it's tear but I thought it odd the the drivers side would do the same, the same night, even with the reduced drive pressure of the right side being tore. I guess the bellows I have are time sensitive. :rofl:

Oh well, time to try some different bellows. These are supposed to be ss double walled and stainless reinforced wrapped.


Just some feedback.

This header failure rate, what is the time frame normally seen?

As far as I'm told, failure rate is close to 100%, and lifespan is a few months.

I'm sure if there is someone reading who has been running headers for an extended period they will give some input. Most of the those with failures aren't speaking publically, but are speaking privately instead.

For almost 3 years I've believed that log headers and risers that flow 1/3 more than stock will show gains 3000 rpm+. But so far nobody has been able to "whup it out".

Oh crap, you know how to ruin a fellows day. I've been working weeks to finish the right hand drive to left hand drive header conversion.

I've had mine on for several months but have had a leak or two. These leaks have been there since installation but were due to alignment issues. I've since removed the headers aligned and milled the flanges. I'm hoping to connect the down pipe to the rest of the exhaust and start the testing again.

Too bad I don't have much pre-header information other than logs and a few dyno pulls. But even at that, too many changes at once will skew any and all that information. I will say, the folks in Brisbane Australia that made these headers do a fantastic job. I just had a bastard set-up with left hand drive to deal with. I'll get back in a few months with more information and pictures.

So I've been working on my truck for three weeks to get my headers ( Thanks to Mick ), correctly and bolted completely, installed. All I can say is I am lovin it. The three weeks was due to other issues as well but only to correct minor issues like intake, front alignment, trans leak between the transfer case and transmission, an awful rub against the firewall, engine mount ( Thanks JohnBoy for advice long ago ) and countless other " hunny do's ". Spool up seems very fast, not sure if the mandrel bent 4" pipe has anything to do with helping this and the sound is incredible. I've never heard the type of sound exiting my exhaust. It may be that I have not driven my truck in soo long that I have the placebo affect.

I'll get back in a few weeks with some more info and a few months with some "how did they go comments". Thanks


This was my expression the first time I drove the truck after that length of time.

Ya, I was kinda surprised also. I've got to put the wells back in to tidy the wires. I've had the headers on for months. I am only talking about them now cuz all the bugs have been worked out so far and working. That is if your talking to me.

 

[LBZ]

Thanks Mike. Those bellows were a bit of the concern that many have had and at least we have a sort of timeline as to how long those style have and can last.

 

[McRat]

Here's what I know about the bellows. Whatever PPE used for that works well. We got the risers hot enough to begin to deform them at Bonneville, but the bellows held up.

For readers out there, my quote concerning 100% failure rates was accurate at time based the info I had. The design has been changed since then, and I assume improved.

Long term test results on coating stock risers: So far, they are as good as new. I sent my factory risers out to SoCal for ceramic coating on the inside, and black coating on the outside for both better heat rejection (reducing riser temp to begin with, and also dissipating heat faster that does get though).

 

[Mike]

I'll have to get some better bellows for sure. I just haven't been keeping up with the newer designs. Pat the passenger side on mine is very deformed, well as much as can be with the wire wrap. It looks to me like the accordion(usage) expanded and contracted on the drivers side so much they cracked in several places around the circumference before they completely separated. The passenger side almost seem to be misaligned. I wonder if the bellow as installed in the wrong place? Maybe I can get some pictures when I have time to pull them.