just finished the rebuild on my 01, (hoping for at least 400 hp) and someone who owns a local mustang shop told me i run the risk of overheating and damaging the exhaust valves if i dont upgrade to long tube headers. (still have stock headers installed) his only involvement in the build is purely intellectual curiosity and has no monetary gain or reason to lie. Im wondering if this statement has any validity?
will my short tube headers damage exhaust valves
- Thread starter skyeking
- Start date
I've never heard anything like that before.
Sounds to me like the local shop wants to part you from your money.
Achieving 400 hp NA without LT's will be next to impossible but the factory cast iron logs won't hurt your engine regardless.
Achieving 400 hp NA without LT's will be next to impossible but the factory cast iron logs won't hurt your engine regardless.
I'll add my opinion on the subject. I'm saying opinion since I don't know for sure. I heard that running an engine w/o an exhaust manifold will burn exhaust valves due to having air (really the 02 in air) available to enter into the exhaust port and complete the combustion of any unburnt gas. The valves can burn due to the increased temperature. So I'm guessing they guy who told you that shorty headers will burn your exhaust valves is thinking that shorties are too short and may do the same thing. But if you have the rest of your exhaust system hooked up to shorties there shouldn't be a short path for air to reach the exhaust ports. I think you'll be fine running shortie headers.
The biggest benefit of long tubes is the length of the primaries and the collector at the end increasing the velocity in which the exhaust is literally sucked from each port. This accomplishes a few things. First, it enables the engine to breathe better and forces inert gases out of the cylinder after combustion allowing more oxygen to enter on the next intake stroke. Second, it lowers exhaust temperatures at the manifold. Not having any exhaust can damage your valves and cause high temperatures, but the stock manifolds and even shorty headers will not cause these issues.
Not gonna hurt your engine running stock manifolds other than limiting flow compared to aftermarket short or LT headers. I would recommend upgrading just for the benefits.
Total BS.
What can happen is if you do NOT hook the rest of your exhaust to the shorties (or stock manifold) is that cold air can enter after shut down and warp the exhaust valves. Then, again, who runs "open" shorties? Otherwise, total crap, assuming your exhaust system is hooked up
Sorry, but wrong. Many many rat rods and such running open headers, the valves do not warp. Hell, every piston powered airplane basically runs open headers.
Users who are viewing this thread
