[donny dotson]

I just sold my Ran Air III engine and trans and the exhaust manny's went with it. I'm gona put headers in instead of the stock manifolds on my stroker engina. Anybody try any various brands and styles? How did they fit? Quality? Were they a pain? Any feed back will be appreciated.

 

[brianb]

Donny...I see you are not getting a whole lot of responses. Headers on Pontiacs can be a sticky wicket and rarely painless due to their down-turned exhaust ports on '81 and earlier V-8s. The closest thing to "painless" headers were the now long gone H-O Racing's Tri-Y versions. They were fantastic. I haven't used any type of tube header since those. As you already know, I use the R.A.R.E oversized cast iron round-port manifolds. Doug's Headers get good reviews from folks if you do a search. Below is a nice video of a fellow installing Hookers on a '71 Formula you might gain some insight from. Depending upon the manufacturer and style you may need to install an oil filter adapter to reposition the filter for clearance. Maybe a brave person who has done this successfully will chime and help you with up close and personal experience. PS: You might also want to consider a compact high torque mini-starter for more clearance.


Pontiac Firebird Hooker Headers #4901 for Pontiac engines. Complete install - Bing video

 

[donny dotson]

I have the D port long manifolds now. Because I'm installing Kauffman ported heads and port matched RA IV intake I'm not stopping there and putting long tube 1 3/4" headers so eats and poops good. Just seeing if anyone has put some on to see what they ran into. I will find out how much of a pain it will be soon. This will be my 1st Pontiac engine build and it should be a torque monster.

 

[donny dotson]

BTW I know what you mean about nobody jumping in a a basic topic like headers. I remember laying under my cars back in the 70's putting headers on everything. Headers were 59 bucks at the speed shops and there was a store everywhere. It might be just this forum, some of folks just seem like they would rather cancel, pick a fight and insult you, I have very thick skin and I like the abuse and find entertainment in it in a sick way. I was on a Pantera forum for a year until I sold that POS but,the people on that site were so helpful overflowing with info on that poorly designed but sexy looking Italian/Ford super car. There was one older guy ( I'm 64) that I called Nastradamus, You couldn't stump this dude, he knew everything, he was the Hellen Keller of De Tomaso. When I posted a question he would tuck you under his wing and take you to school deeply and thoroughly

. Most questions on American cars I ask I pretty much know the answer, I like other prospectives and stirring up a convo.

 

[Aus78Formula]

I don't like giving opinions or advice on things I haven't actually done. I don't have a Pontiac engine, and that same engine I don't have doesn't have headers. Hope that helps.

 

[b_hill_86]

Lmao, Aus…..

I do have a Pontiac with headers and have only had this one set so I don’t have much to offer than answering your one question, “are they a pain?” Yes. Other brands may be different but my driver side can only be removed and installed by removing the starter. Passenger side can only be removed or installed by lifting the engine then as mentioned, there are issues with heat soaking the starter, although there are ways to deal with that. Reaching all of the bolts can be a pain in the butt.

Might I suggest limiting criticism of the same forum from which you seek advice though.

 

[sleepyhollowtaman]

I just sold my Ran Air III engine and trans and the exhaust manny's went with it. I'm gona put headers in instead of the stock manifolds on my stroker engina. Anybody try any various brands and styles? How did they fit? Quality? Were they a pain? Any feed back will be appreciated.

I have a 75 TA. I run Headdman 1 7/8 round port headders. I have a stroked 400 making 600 hp. Fit great. Can not use them with A/C. A/C box gets in the way. I did have to put a notch in the upper control arm. Easy fix.

 

[doctorsnowplow]

These are what you want. I had long tube, no good. You can install the engine with these on.

 

[tjs]

Just MHO,if your not going to do any track time dont use headers.You wont feel any diff in the ASS dyno from headers to RA manifolds.Dport headers unless custom built on the car can be a PITA and the center bolts are always a issue.Tom

 

[brianb]

Snowplow.....are those Hedman Shorty's?
On an unrelated note....what year is your car and how much firewall clearance are you going to have with that HEI?

 

[doctorsnowplow]

Headers and HEI fit perfectly. I will snap a couple pics and post from the bottom 77 model. I loosened the cap on the distributor when motor went in fully dressed. Went in perfect. Oil filter stock location. I did put a mini starter on tons of room.

 

[brianb]

BTW...Congratulations on your new engine!

 

[doctorsnowplow]

BTW...Congratulations on your new engine!

Forgot to shoot the top side but here is what they look like from the bottom Thanks motor runs perfect.

 

[donny dotson]

I would have probably got those, to late, Just got ceramic coated Dougs. I'm making progress, pulled engine last week and got the cam de-greed in on my stroker engine. I'm waiting on my ported heads and matched intake from Kauffman, then off to the dyno to see what this will do.

 

[donny dotson]

My first Pontiac build. I really don't like the rear main seal and the turkey pan looks like it has a great probability of hemorrhaging oil, another good reason to pay for running the snot out of it on the dyno. We will see what unfolds.

 

[tjs]

30 min on the dyno will tell you all leaks except for the rear main.Tom

 

[tjs]

What crank and what rear seal did you use?Tom

 

[donny dotson]

I originally got a Viton 2 piece seal from Tin Indian. The seal seemed to come up to short ( not sticking up .015 on one side ) by laying in the seal groove dead level. Come to find out all these grooves are not created equal and vary in depth from block to block. So I got a rope seal from Best and I didn't like that either. Then I bought a two piece seal from BOP, it measured out almost dead nuts correctly. The instructions using the Viton seal are different from Tin Indian and BOP. T.I. says to fill the anti rotation holes and seal groove with RTV. BOP says fill anti rotation holes but not apply RTV to the back of the seal. I elected to neatly coat the back of the seal and fill the holes. Hopefully after a dozen pulls on the dyno no leaks will raise their dirty little heads. I've been lucky on the last few engines. The 461 rotating assembly is from Kauffman, The crank is forged steel.

 

[tjs]

Good luck,im 50/50 with the 2pc BOP seal,wont use them anymore.100% with the 1 pc and the Best seal.Tom

 

[doctorsnowplow]

So still with old school rope seal. So far so good...