Header selection budget

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Budget headers? And exhaust?
This is what I did/would do again for a super on the cheap, but new parts.
Headers:
1971 PLYMOUTH DUSTER Summit Racing® Headers SUM-G9040

Mufflers:
Summit Racing® Turbo Mufflers SUM-631125

Add 2 lengths of 2-1/2 pipe @ 4 feet and cut to fit.
6-8 pipe clamps, 2 muffler hangers and maybe some (4) pipe connectors.

OR you do what I’m doing, you can purchase the headers and this complete Summit racing kit that makes life EZ, fits well with minor trimming, EZ to install, sounds good!
But does lack an H or X pipe. Adding a H pipe is worth some power. A minor hassle to install.
Summit Racing® Balance Tube Kits SUM-642025

I did this before and I’m doing it again. I really did like it that much. Super EZ worth while upgrade and money well spent.
 
Well ill have to make aome decisions soon hmm maybe do a small save up or see if i can sell some heads i have or a tranny or intake get me closer to getying some doug headers. I think i need to be patient and think on what to do next thank you for all the input especially i didnt realize the sealing problem was that much of a pain and spark plug routing
 
I have a pair of used Doug's I got from a friend that I'm selling locally (boxing and shipping would be expensive). Flanges are much nice then the cheap junk out there. Not as thick as the tti's I just sold though.

Personally I'd let the car sit until I could afford to buy Doug's or tti. I'd be selling ****, picking up ot at work or whatever it took.

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I use the gaskets that come with cheapy headers or even cheap gasket set ones. Never had an issue but I always give both sides of the gaskets a light smear of silicone sealer. Let it go off before firing the motor and you're good to go. Whether it's because some of the silicone gets on the bolt threads too or not but I don't seem to have bolts backing out either. Just my experience.
Neil.
 
I have some recent insight to this. I was given a set of hooker headers with the purchase of my car. Here's some insight on them from a new guy to the Mopar world.

1- installing them by yourself with the motor in the car sucked- especially if you never have done it before. (with your motor being out it will be easier).

2- steering linkage goes through the tubes on the driver side and the times hang low. I've scraped them probably 5 or so times.

3- they work with a 340 and power steering. I likey power steering so I'm not taking it off.

4- get Allen head bolts and make your life easy for bolting them up. I ordered Allen bolts but was shipped non Allen bolts. Was to impatient to wait for the correct set to be reshipped and the non Allen bolts are a pain to install on the front and rear bolt holes.

5- watch your spark plug wires and boots. The driver's side wires/boots will hit the headers. I wrapped mine and installed boot shields. Wrap your headers before installing them. I wish I would have known this and would have been able to make it look so much nicer. I'll redo them when I pull the engine apart to install my cams .

6- they sound great with a 2.5 exhaust and flowmaster originsl 40s (also free with purchase of my car).

Quick takes- If I were buying headers I would look for ones that didn't hang as low if I could. If I had a budget and the budget didn't allow for more expensive ones that didn't hang low I'd buy these again and would not be upset with my purchase.

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Installed at home on ramps. Made this video when I did it, might help the OP.
 
MoparMark91 said:
Hey guys i know there is a lot of threads on this but wanted to get the latest opinions and advice. So i am getting everything ready to drop the mew engine in my 71 dart but have not picked out headers yet. I know dougs and tti are the best but they are kind if out of my price range since the rest of engine drained the budget lol. So what would be the next best pick? I also have power steering. Thank yoi guys in advamce for your help
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Your next best pick is some OT, or get a job for a couple of weeks pumping gas. Good headers will last longer than your memories of a little more work.

alternatively, @j par and I think @RustyRatRod have had success with cheap headers.
 
I’ve always had tremendous luck with Hooker super comp series headers.
Typically they don’t hang ridiculously low, and the oil filter is doable. May have to ding em here and there. There on my Dart and also some on our BB Challenger.
I do use remflex gaskets, and there awesome.
Not the cheapest new, but I’ve found them used or like new on flea bay.
The ones on the Challenger I found for $55.00 and spent 50-75 to weld them up and resurface the flange area. There a great fitting header.
 
I use the Mr. Gasket Ultra seals and light torque on the header bolts since the twin exhaust ports are the likely ones to warp. I also use the Mr. G gaskets at the collector/reducer.

Use the spark plugs protective boosts like Dentaldart did.
The header wrap is extra and not really needed but a certain plus.
 
moparstud440 said:
Autozone sell doug headers if they have a coupon code that usually works for the headers..not sure if that brings them any closer to your budget or not, but I'd save up for a little better header as it will help with header leaks down the road.
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Not in California! To hell with Autozone. Summit gets my money.
 
Cometic gaskets are the bomb.
On the cheap headers the #3 pipe blocks decent access to the #5 and #7 plugs. Have fun pulling the plugs or trying when they are hot. Can't get a compression checker on those two either. The cheap headers hang under the steering on the driver side and unless you have the front end up in the air like an old time gasser, they are going to hit and drag. Save for TTI or Doug's.
This is what my cheapies looked like when they came off. Pretty sure there is a bit of a restriction there, Roadkill's testing be damned.

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gzig5 said:
Cometic gaskets are the bomb.
On the cheap headers the #3 pipe blocks decent access to the #5 and #7 plugs. Have fun pulling the plugs or trying when they are hot. Can't get a compression checker on those two either. The cheap headers hang under the steering on the driver side and unless you have the front end up in the air like an old time gasser, they are going to hit and drag. Save for TTI or Doug's.
This is what my cheapies looked like when they came off. Pretty sure there is a bit of a restriction there, Roadkill's testing be damned.

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All bull crap! I change my spark plugs no problem... Compression check no problem.. I've had my headers on for 5 years and not one scratch on the bottom of them....
even if I can directly look straight at my spark plug I don't try and change it when it's red hot... Who the hell does that.,
 
j par said:
All bull crap! I change my spark plugs no problem... Compression check no problem.. I've had my headers on for 5 years and not one scratch on the bottom of them....
even if I can directly look straight at my spark plug I don't try and change it when it's red hot... Who the hell does that.,
Click to expand...
So that didn't happen^^??
Why am I not surprised. Jpar's way or the highway. Go away.
 
He's looking for cheap headers. How everybody who's talked themselves into expensive headers with no extra performance or trying to get him to save and spend more money like they did. Again we can all play that just a little bit better if we save and spend more money. Again why are we starting with the R Block....
 
Why don’t the op run shortys non coated to keep the prices down should clear power steering run a mini starter only down fall you will need to get a section of pipe made up . TTI have that section you can purchase in house prebent.
 
j par said:
He's looking for cheap headers. How everybody who's talked themselves into expensive headers with no extra performance or trying to get him to save and spend more money like they did. Again we can all play that just a little bit better if we save and spend more money. Again why are we starting with the R Block....
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How do you know there isn't a power difference in headers? That's crazy. I've tested enough to know there is. That's what a dyno is for. Just because you change something and the time slip doesn't show it doesn't mean it didn't make power.
 
yellow rose said:
How do you know there isn't a power difference in headers? That's crazy. I've tested enough to know there is. That's what a dyno is for. Just because you change something and the time slip doesn't show it doesn't mean it didn't make power.
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The problem with that is you absolutely never have one Stick Of Proof of what you say. I'm an internet model and I'm beautiful....
 
Also i forgot tonadd i have 2 different transmissioms i can use with my build 727 or a 904. Do one or the other have any issues with headers?
 
j par said:
The problem with that is you absolutely never have one Stick Of Proof of what you say. I'm an internet model and I'm beautiful....
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Sure I do. You just don't accept it. You can go buy the shop, dig through all the dyno runs and learn for yourself.

Better yet, why not spend your own money and dyno your stuff? Then you'd know. Now you just guess.

There is power in headers. Plenty to make it worth it.

Did a 383 for a customer, in a Nova. Begged him to buy 1.875 headers for it. BTDT. All his buddies and the keyboard heroes told him that that would KILL all his bottom end, make the car miserable and I just like spending his money. He was a returning customer, yet he wasn't smart enough to learn.

So he buys the 1.750 headers, and again, his buddies and the interweb world told him they were too big.

When I ordered the cam, I called out for 1.750 headers, rather than the 1.875 headers I wanted. Built the combo around HIS headers. Of course, since I'd done this many times before, we had 1.875 headers there to test.

That day, his buddies showed up, because they are all so smart they figured the big headers would lose power and we'd skew the dyno numbers to "trick" him.

We flogged his engine and made him happy. Then the 1.875 headers went on. And, just like I said, it made more power. Everywhere. IIRC it averaged 20 HP everywhere. Made more power fro the bottom of the pull, all the way up.

And it would have made more, but the cam was ground for smaller headers. We could have used a different grind for the bigger headers and made even more.

That's why you dyno test. It either proves, or disproves what you think you might know. The track can't do that. Way too many variables. That's why all the Pro Stock and Comp guys have a dyno. Because they are dumb. And most good engine shops have a dyno, and use it.
 
MoparMark91 said:
Also i forgot tonadd i have 2 different transmissioms i can use with my build 727 or a 904. Do one or the other have any issues with headers?
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That won't matter. Most will tell you to go with the 904... I would also...
 
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