mourad

Hey fellows,

I wanted to checkout the condition of my header this past weekend just out of curiosity. I took out that cover where the dipstick is and I got my answer.

Now as I was putting things back on, I was pondering about whether or not to put that cover back on. It felt like an awkward material that wasn't metal or plastic (V shaped). I was gonna leave it out thinking it might help lower my exhaust temperature but I wasn't sure if that's safe or not. The cover looked like a thermal shield of some kind. I was afraid to leave it off and have the air conditioning fan melt or burn something else.

Oh yeah, where can I get a cheap non-restrictive header as part of my exhaust upgrade? Giving me a brand or model # may not help much.

Thanks!

Picture is worth a 1000 words:

Konig

I have aquestion for you.....What is that orange ***** around your valve cover?????

It looks like some kinda of sealer?????

mourad

It's some high temperature silicon sealer. I used it when I went to put back my cover. I had to use extra 'cause one of my 4 bulbs is busted as you can see in the picture.

imported_D dot T

bulbs? do you mean bolts???

mourad

Yes, my bad. Bolts

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

you can leave it off is you wanted to, but it's better to leave it there until you get a header.

As for what header I recommend, if you are cheap you can get Vibrant (which is okay for the price) or Kamikaze headers... beyond that you can try DC headers, and after that it gets out of your range prolly.

mourad

What's the difference between the cheaper and the more expensive headers? Various heat treatments of diff metals? Or is it the shape and the bend?
What's an average price for a set of headers?
Thanks

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

the more expensive ones have tuned primary runners that are usually of equal lenth to aid in exhaust scavenging from the cylinders... in addition to quality welds, good materials, and so on. cheap ones are immitation thereof... approximations rather, and use thin wall material and overall poor quality and usually hurt performance overall.

mourad

Doesn't scavenging have more to do with cam timing & duration?
As for everything else, makes perfect sense. Just like everything else in life, you get what you pay for.
Thanks for answering my questions.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

the cam and timing does have a lot to do with it, but so does the even distribution of exhaust pulses as they enter the collector area... you want to get it timed so that just as the ex valve is at the end of the cycle, there is a vacuum created in the exhaust from the pulses to help scavange exhaust... and of course, that can't happen if the cam has closed the valve... you are right, but it's the job of the header to make sure the vacuum is there on time to suck out the remainder of waste product. remember that gas velocity drops as it expands, so when it reaches the collector the exhaust slows down.