Seen a video where Richard H compared turbo headers to the hooker manifolds and the headers made forty some more HP, has anyone gained anything switching to headers? If you bought a set, witch ones would you get? Looking at them on ebay, the Flow tech look like the same as a bunch of others, I'm doing a budget build but I'd spring for a set if it would pick up some HP but I want something where the plugs were accessible and plug wires weren't a problem.

 

I also watched that video, for a street car I would still use the cast manifolds, better heat retention, less likely to develop leaks.

It seems like unless you are pushing pretty hard adding a psi or two would be a cheaper way to get it done. The headers do look sweet though, and it's essentially free power so why not. I do think your cam selection, cylinder head and most importantly your turbo is going to have a big effect on real world gains from the swap.

It seems like there was another video where the gains were almost nothing. I haven't found it yet, so maybe it was my imagination!

 

BEN, I thought I remembered a video to than done a test and there wasn't much gain, I do agree that they look killer and with the 7/16 flange and braces on the turbo it might extend their life a little longer. I guess I'll make that decision when I get that far, I'm going to see if I can find that video, it's bugging me now.

 

I think it was the video where he done a test on shorty headers and manifolds and there was no difference, that's the only one I found.

 

Durability is a big issue on header style Turbo Manifolds.
Manifold wall thickness too thin and needs constant repairs.
Exhaust leaks affect Turbo performance.

Drag Racing is different vs a street car that gets hundreds of miles of use in a summer.

Just saying.

Tom Vaught

 

I've read a bunch of posts over the years about people generally making the crossover too big and using headers when manifolds make as much power. If the biggest restriction is in the turbine then it doesn't matter etc. etc.

So the results of his video were surprising to me at least.

 

After a little research I think the headers have the cool factor, I can't see them making much difference over a set of good exhaust manifolds if you got your hot side set up right.

 

Well I was surfing Ebay and there was a set of 1 3/4 Flow Tech up and forward LS headers, new, open box, for $185 or make offer so I bid $125 and got them. Guess I have a choice now, didn't dream they would accept the offer.

 

Hopefully they will fit easy and you can get your build on!

 

I bought a set of the Flow Tech's, and they were decent quality, but you could definitely tell they were made in China. They wouldn't fit my chassis without mods so I returned them, and went manifolds.

 

Mnix I may just go with manifolds, I didn't think they'd sell me those for what I offered, I'll see what they look like and how they fit.

 

At some point, having individual runners, matching the firing order of the engine to the position of those runners entering the turbine, using multiple gates with divided housings 'twin scroll', can make a significant difference in terms of power and response.
On smaller displacement engines 2L to 3L Inline engine, it is well known that divided and individual tubular design offers significant advantages when the goal is at or over roughly 225hp/liter, but the design is easy to pull off because all of the exhaust is on one side of the engine in an inline engine config.

In a v8 config, it is difficult to pull off properly. Especially the firing order implement. And after 225hp/liter we are talking perhaps over 1200bhp to 1500bhp to start seeing a significant advantage worth the effort. However at that level 1500-2000 perhaps 3000bhp the effort is necessary.