Best header option

[sudo chop]

That photo reminds me why I purchased a new Banks Stainless header and then proceeded to ceramic coat it inside and out. Should be worry free for quite some time...

I plan to coat this APN header and my intake manifold as well, with ceramic. Whose coating did you use? It work well?

[unlimitedrubicon]

I used Techline Coatings' Black Satin (http://techlinecoatings.com/hi-performa ... atings.htm) and it went on beautifully. I also coated the bottom of the intake manifold with a thermal barrier, and the top with their Cilgen Thermal Dispersant. There is quite a bit of coating all around my engine bay and I may post a build thread later with some information. I should be firing the engine up this week pending the roads are clear enough to break the rings in...

[92tank]

ice is always fun too! but i can see your point in wanting clear roads

[unlimitedrubicon]

Yes, ice certainly has it's moments, but running hard up to 50 mph is not one of them...

[sudo chop]

I used Techline Coatings' Black Satin (http://techlinecoatings.com/hi-performa ... atings.htm) and it went on beautifully. I also coated the bottom of the intake manifold with a thermal barrier, and the top with their Cilgen Thermal Dispersant. There is quite a bit of coating all around my engine bay and I may post a build thread later with some information. I should be firing the engine up this week pending the roads are clear enough to break the rings in...

Oh man, no way, I just got my black satin in the mail yesterday, well, it's Techline's Cilgen Satin Black, the air cure one. Did you sandblast the header like they say, I have been debating whether or not to do that. Leonard over there tried to talk me into putting CTD on the side of the intake manifold that was away from the heat, but I decided against it. Did you put Black satin on the gasket surfaces too? I am planning on getting a pretty good coat on the intake manifold gasket surface to keep heat from creeping in from the head, but I'll probably leave the header gasket surface bare so it can kind of heatsink some heat away from the head hopefully. Well yea man, I am very interested to know your experiences with applying it and such, since I am about to do it, like later this week.

[unlimitedrubicon]

I did blast the manifolds, there is no better easy way of prepping the surface to hold the coating. As for the gasket surfaces I coated the header gasket surface, but did not coat the intake manifold surface. I did not know if there would be any effect on sealing since the coating is pretty smooth when it is applied and would rather have a leak at the header than the intake if there is an issue, and I also wanted to keep the exhaust temperature away from the head where possible. You mention 'getting a pretty good coat', I would check with Leonard about putting anything thick on there, I put on just enough to get color when wet and it came out very nice. I am looking forward to seeing how well it works both in retaining the heat in the exhaust as well as lowering my intake temperatures since before coating on the stock engine I was 60+ degrees above ambient after driving 30 minutes.

[nosigma]

That's the first negative I've heard for the Clifford. One of my co-workers said he has an older single Clifford header in his closet that he used to run on his TJ, so I'll be getting a deal on that soon. The stock Borla cat-back has a muffler with 2.25"in and 2" out; I think a 2.75/3" system necked down to 2.5" would work on a stroker. I'm currently 2.25" into the Magnaflow muffler and 2.5" out.

If its a really old header it may have been made on jigs that Jack Clifford developed. Inspect it really well and pay attention to the angle that the roof of the tubes make with the exhaust port roof. Also look at the short side radius. The old 36" primary tube headers with dual outlets had a very generous short side radius and the roof lined up almost perfectly (smooth transition) from the exhaust port roof. All the bends were mandrel. The new one that I was sent was not mandrel bent and there was NO short side radius, it dropped down at a 60 degree angle with a sharp lip at the flange and the roof, where all the flow is, didn't gently blend into port roof or into the flange it just plunged down like the floor. They basically cut the pipe at an angle and just welded it to the flange. The only two good things I can say is that the intake-header gasket was thick, soft and very durable and the Clifford took the new header back without a restocking charge.

You put a few thousand dollars into a motor and you really dont mind paying for quality on the header. Its one of the things that really wakes up an inline six.

John

[Winners97TJ]

... You put a few thousand dollars into a motor and you really dont mind paying for quality on the header. Its one of the things that really wakes up an inline six.

I agree with John here.... so has anyone had any experience with other brands besides Clifford and APN? I'm not looking to squeeze EVERY ounce of HP out of this thing, but if one header costs $100 more than another and it will yield better results (WITHOUT CRACKING), I am all for it. I will be replacing the second header/ exhaust manifold on mine when I drop in my stroker motor. I would like to make this the last one that I have to buy for it... or at least make it longer than a year and a half. Also, any suggestions of going towards the 00-06 two-piece manifold or an upgraded header with a fabricated stock-type y-pipe? Thanks guys.

Bobby

[Muad'Dib]

From what I have read the best set up is a header that flows from 3 to 2 to 1 like this one http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.m ... de=headers

That appears to be the APN header for about $150 more than what you normally can purchase it for. Even the description is the same.....

I bought a APN (Automotive Parts Network) several years ago. Just your basic, generic header for about $100. After about 7 months it looked like this, could have been my fault but who knows.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/pictur ... tureid=192

I bought a Thorley and it has been fine for the last few years. Though it is certainly not the same color, now.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/pictur ... tureid=193

Its hard to say what for sure, but normally this kind of wear that quickly points directly to Motor mounts. Its extremely important to change your motor mounts when changing your header / Exhaust manifold.

Back to the topic at hand, i would just go with an APN and be done with it. Its a 321 design, and its put together well. Alot of guys run it and love it. Its really just a knockoff Banks.
I doubt a Borla will push out much more HP/torque... but there is no concrete evidence either way.

[BDD]

Im using a banks header and love it.Its the best fitting header ive ever installed,welds,bends,and fit are great.truly a bolt on,with no mods.