Headers for my 318

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sniekamp

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What are some good affordable headers that will fit a 318? And when I get them is it a very hard job to install them without removing the engine?? I'm a newbie at this and just need some good tips and tricks.

Car is a 74 dodge dart.
 
Here's the problem, the words, good fit and easy install do not go together at all.

Inexpensive headers can be purchased at Summit. There own brand are about $130. http://www.summitracing.com/search/...rtment/Exhaust/Part-Type/Headers/?Ns=Rank|Asc
Hookers a good bit more, but are the same design. These 1 size fits all header are a royal pain in the *** to install since the drivers front end linkage must come apart, the car should be on a lift and then on top of it all, the engine must be tilted 3 more inch's to install the drivers header.

Chances are, if your on the floor doing this, you'll have a major cuss fit and hammer throwing contest before your done. Once installed, you'll note 3 out of 4 tubes hang low on the drivers side and they WILL hit the ground and be flattened.

The only header that is not as bad is a set of tti headers at about 5 times the cost. Somewhere in the 700 buck range.
http://www.ttiexhaust.com/
 
Good and affordable don't usually go together with A-body headers. I went with stock manifolds on the 318 in my beater dart. I changed the cam and added a performer intake with thermoquad. Woke the motor right up. Is your motor a stock two barrel?
 
mischief, what cam you slide in? Just wondering.

A way back, I did a factory 4bbl, TQ, and dual exhaust off the manifolds. Excellent results. I wanted to do a set of headers, but I was not so thrilled with the work ahead of me, so, I opted out. Such a pain!

I noticed Comp Cams line of cams for exhaust manifold cars. A lot of extra duration. I wanted to do one of those in the car.
 
Them Hedman shorties will fit pretty good. There are a few people on here that have them. I think they are 250 bucks or so.
 
Ive never had a problem with the cheap headers. Its not hard to pull the torsion bar and column and drop the center link. I do it with TTI's also. If it adds and hour to the job it saves you 2 hours of cursing.
 
My motor has an old direct connection .455 lift 272 duration cam and lifter kit. I put it in my dads stick shift shorty van back in the eighties. It still had the two barrel intake so needless to say it did not run too good but I was a kid then and did not know any better. The motor is now in my beater '70 dart with a performer 318/360, TQ off a '73 440 and an F-body O/D trans. The cam might be a bit big for the stock low compression '81 bottom end but runs real good. I did port the hell out of the heads and port match the intake. If I get around to it I will put some zero decked flat tops in it. Too many projects.
 
You guys forgot about the Doug's headers. Cost about ~$550 and summit racing carries them on hand. The part number you need is 453.
Both TTi and Doug's fit the best just that Doug's are cheap and use a 1 5/8 in tube while TTi uses a step 1 5/8 to 1 3/4 tube, both use a 3" collector.
Also so the 453 are coated already.
 
I am running a stock 318 with a 2 barrel, I think removing the engine for a cam is above my capabilities but adding dual exhaust to my manifolds seems doable. Would that along with a 4 barrel and new intake give my engine a little more "umph"? So to speak haha. Is installing dual exhaust come with any problems I should know about before attempting? Its a four door dart and I am tired of it looking sounding and driving like a grandmothers Sunday car.
 
sniekamp said:
I am running a stock 318 with a 2 barrel, I think removing the engine for a cam is above my capabilities but adding dual exhaust to my manifolds seems doable. Would that along with a 4 barrel and new intake give my engine a little more "umph"? So to speak haha. Is installing dual exhaust come with any problems I should know about before attempting? Its a four door dart and I am tired of it looking sounding and driving like a grandmothers Sunday car.
Click to expand...

you dont have to remove the engine to put a cam in it. i put a set of cheap *** long tube hooker headers on and an edelbrock intake and 1406 carb and its got a lot more nuts even with a stock 727 trans and 291 gears.
 
A four barrel and dual exhaust will help but ultimately the cam is what controls how much air the motor will move and at what rpm band. Doing a cam in the car is a bit of a pain but definitely worth it. The hardest part is getting the timing cover back on. If you shop around you could do a cam, intake and four barrel for about what a quality set of headers cost and that would give you way more power than just adding headers to your stock motor. Summit has a cheap cam and lifters set. I have seen a few used performer 318/360 intakes for $75. You could look for a used carb but an edelbrock new is not that much. I say go for it. There are plenty of members willing to give advice if you run into trouble. Is this your primary transportation or do you have a daily driver too?
 
Thanks guys! I actually didn't know you didn't have yo remove the engine to replace a cam. But that's good to know because Im wanting one ;). It isn't my daily driver, I have a little mazda to zip around in while I work on this dart. Ill ask th engine forum about installing a cam!
 
It's a tight fit, but nothing a new guy can't handle.
 
Only special tool needed is a harmonic ballancer puller. You will need a 1 1/4" socket for the ballancer bolt too. Other than that its all basic hand tools.
 
mischiefdart said:
A four barrel and dual exhaust will help but ultimately the cam is what controls how much air the motor will move and at what rpm band. Doing a cam in the car is a bit of a pain but definitely worth it. The hardest part is getting the timing cover back on. If you shop around you could do a cam, intake and four barrel for about what a quality set of headers cost and that would give you way more power than just adding headers to your stock motor. Summit has a cheap cam and lifters set. I have seen a few used performer 318/360 intakes for $75. You could look for a used carb but an edelbrock new is not that much. I say go for it. There are plenty of members willing to give advice if you run into trouble. Is this your primary transportation or do you have a daily driver too?
Click to expand...
it's much harder to put a chevy timing cover back on than a sbm cover theyre pretty easy....
 
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