Headers

[99urbansuburban]

I know there is a exhaust section, but this is for BBC right? so what headers are you running pros and cons, price, ease of installation and fitment. Are the shorties worth it or not worth the time or money for such a slight increase. If you got pics post them up, what good is a thread with out pics.

[1998454]

I have stainless shorty headers made by Mesa (no longer in business) They are great headers and will be for sale this summer after long tubes go on the truck.

[99urbansuburban]

I need emissions headers, with air injection. looking at gibson

[SolMan98]

I had stainless Gibsons on my 5.7, excellent quality.

[tg8804]

I have Headman Thermal coated long tube header. They keep the exhaust heat down in the engine compartment. I love them. They are 14 gauge so they keep nosie levels down too.

Heres the link: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HED-69850/

[buick_93]

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/general-discussion/technical-maintenance/213662-96-99-454-vortec-owners-440.html

Here is the link to my build pics of my exhaust. Scored a deal on Doug Thorley Tri-y's. For what are trucks were meant to do I don't think you can beat these.

[pwrhous]

Just put a set of Gibson stainless 106S headers on my 98 Suburban 2500. I paid around $425 for them from MVP auto parts. The fit perfect. They also come with downpipes.

[99urbansuburban]

Just put a set of Gibson stainless 106S headers on my 98 Suburban 2500. I paid around $425 for them from MVP auto parts. The fit perfect. They also come with downpipes.

Do you notice any difference in performance?

[pwrhous]

I added these headers at the same time I replaced the engine with a higher torque 454. I also had to put an entire new exhaust on thanks to the local crackheads who cut my converters off while the engine was out. I put the Gibson headers on and had the exhaust shop custom bend the rest of the exhaust. I used a dual in/dual out magnaflow with pipes exiting behind the wheels. So I don't really have a base line to compare it with the stock manifolds but this setup makes a lot more power than stock. It sounds MUCH better and runs cooler than stock, so that is one benefit. If you can afford headers though, I have always been of the mind that headers are a no brainer when making bolt on improvements.

[jharl]

I just ordered the Gibson 106s ceramic headers, should be shipped on the 28th, will let u know my impressions of them. Fairly stock motor except for the DUI ignition kit, that will be installed this weekend (hope all the good reviews are on it are true), and dual 3" dynomax catback with h-pipe.

[99urbansuburban]

I just ordered the Gibson 106s ceramic headers, should be shipped on the 28th, will let u know my impressions of them. Fairly stock motor except for the DUI ignition kit, that will be installed this weekend (hope all the good reviews are on it are true), and dual 3" dynomax catback with h-pipe.



where did you pick yours up at? keep us informed. I will be doing the blackbear tune first in march then gibson 106s headers.

[1998454]

Are you going to have to get it tuned again after the headers?
where did you pick yours up at? keep us informed. I will be doing the blackbear tune first in march then gibson 106s headers.

[jharl]

where did you pick yours up at? keep us informed. I will be doing the blackbear tune first in march then gibson 106s headers.

Ordered from Stylin' Trucks along with cowl hood. Was told the headers where in-stock but clearly are not, oh well. I'm hoping to do the 0411 swap this summer with a tune, but we'll see.

[pwrhous]

I did plenty of pricing before I bought a set of Gibson headers. I found MVP Auto Parts was $100 to $200 cheaper than anybody else. They also ship for free. Not sure of prices on other brands, but as far as price goes, they are by far the cheapest. Also Gibson has great customer service. One of the y-pipes was slighlty bent when I received it and they overnighted another one no questions asked, other than my address.

[jharl]

Started the install of the Gibson headers today, but didn't finish. I'm taking a few pics so I will post them hopefully tomorrow. Also installing livewires at the same time, to complete my DUI install. So far very impressed with the headers and the install instructions.

[steelteacher]

sorry to kinda hijack this a little bit but....I have a 99 suburban and have gone back and forth on headers. it's a daily driver, and will do long trips (through the night drives with weight in side maybe a small trailer and stuff on roof, multiple tanks of gas burned between stops). some say stay away due to deal/reliability issues and that with mild work only it won't make too much difference, others say it'll be fine and do it for the performance....experiences here?
work planned - tune of some kind after : exhaust work (spintech mufflers, maybe duals with H pipe, maybe high flow cats? trying to figure this out...) / injectors and FPR / high flow air filter but seems CAI not worth it based on what I"ve read here / maybe some sort of ignition something?

[454cid]

I was recently looking at an iron manifold........ driver's side. I was kind of surprised how big the passage ways are. Not at all what I'd think of as restrictive. I guess scavenging wouldn't be much, but are they really a big power suppressor?

Edit...... I admit, I only briefly scanned this thread.

[99urbansuburban]

I can say honestly that the vehicles I owned that got headers made a difference, one in particular was a 99 dodge 1500 4x4 360ci, I put edelbrock tes headers and noticed a huge difference, nobody here I have read has said it helped or not, I am talking about shorty headers like the gibson ones. I would love to read it was a huge improvement so I can buy a set.

[steelteacher]

having gone back and forth on this I am just going to do everything else and keep the stock manifolds since mine will be a daily driver. I'm doing magnaflow cat pieces, and will fab up an H pipe to a 3000 series spintech muffler (dual 3" in to single 3" out) to single mandrel bent 3" out back. at least that's the current plan.....but I am going to be driving this truck all over, cross country, through the night, up and down east coast, all season, haul, a little towing, short trips....everything....

[1998454]

Mine has shorty headers and has for over 100k miles. I can't offer a before/after on it but can tell you that it runs alot better than a friends that is exactly the same as mine other than the exhaust.
I can say honestly that the vehicles I owned that got headers made a difference, one in particular was a 99 dodge 1500 4x4 360ci, I put edelbrock tes headers and noticed a huge difference, nobody here I have read has said it helped or not, I am talking about shorty headers like the gibson ones. I would love to read it was a huge improvement so I can buy a set.

[steelteacher]

out of curiosity - is your friend's truck the same header back? or full exhaust different?


Mine has shorty headers and has for over 100k miles. I can't offer a before/after on it but can tell you that it runs alot better than a friends that is exactly the same as mine other than the exhaust.

[1998454]

He has a pretty nice 2.5" stainless dual setup. Probably pretty close to the same thing as mine. I have cheap mufflers and heavy gauge steel 2.5" duals.
out of curiosity - is your friend's truck the same header back? or full exhaust different?

[jharl]

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jharl/vehicles/P1000510.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jharl/vehicles/P1000514.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jharl/vehicles/P1000521.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jharl/vehicles/P1000520.jpg

Finally posting the pics of the Gibson ceramic headers. Have had the headers on since thursday and have a little over 100 miles on them. Install is straightforward and the directions that come with the headers are great and should be followed. I sprayed every nut and bolt with wd-40 the day before and then again about 2 hours prior to starting the work, everything came out just fine, nothing stripped or broken.

Started the truck up and was very surprised the noise level didn't change at idle, and at full throttle is maybe a different tone. Had a SES light pop up, drove to O'reilly's and cleared it, hasn't been on since.

My impressions so far is I would definately buy these again. There seems to be much less effort on the hills I frequently drive up. When I step on it hard, the truck feels completely different, much more seat of the pants power, doesn't quite feel like a 5000+ lb truck.

I used stage 8 locking fasteners for the header bolts and also installed DUI Livewires, with 90 degree boots to install under the headers.

In a couple more days I will fuel up and have a quick impression on mileage. The truck is my only transport until I get the company truck back. I use it for long trips, hauling heavy loads and some towing, so I look forward to see how these do for all those areas.

Jason

[99urbansuburban]

looks great how is the clearance from the boot around the steering shaft? keep up posted, I am really thinking into doing this.

[jharl]

looks great how is the clearance from the boot around the steering shaft? keep up posted, I am really thinking into doing this.

picture doesn't show it too well, but there is a couple inches between the header and steering shaft boot. I was worried about the boot melting so I've kept an eye on it and there's been no hint of melting. I will suggest, now that I have them on, don't go with under header plug wires, stick with the oem style plug wires. Just no clearance between the head and header.

[99urbansuburban]

ok so mvpauto has the cheapest price but they are out of stock, so I called, they only order shipment every quarter and will be a couple of months, arrhhh! anybody know of another place to get the gibson 106s under $450.00 shipped!

[99urbansuburban]

mvpauto was able to get them ordered then direct ship from gibson. woohoo!

[454cid]

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jharl/vehicles/P1000514.jpg

Wow, those stock manifolds are in good shape. Mine are all corroded looking.

[99urbansuburban]

working on mine now, but of course the smog tubes won't come off, broke a bolt in the head and pulled 3 out of 4 plug wires apart.

[99urbansuburban]

they are on it runs. only thing is smog tubes are not hooked up and I pulled the smog pump fuse. and it runs great and sounds even better.

[KR23]

The headers look great! I have available to me a new set of Hedman long tube headers for cheap that my brother decided not to use. His are for a tbi 454, will they work on my vortec 454? I've also. Been considering a Banks power pack exhaust system, someone on the forum had a Banks system for sale several months ago. Can't seem to find the thread.

[1998454]

Yes they will work. If you want to keep the egr you will have to fab a tube from the collector up to it.
The headers look great! I have available to me a new set of Hedman long tube headers for cheap that my brother decided not to use. His are for a tbi 454, will they work on my vortec 454? I've also. Been considering a Banks power pack exhaust system, someone on the forum had a Banks system for sale several months ago. Can't seem to find the thread.