Driving With Headers Only - What do I need to know? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

PHOENIX · 10-06-2004, 12:37 PM

I need to get my truck down to the Meineke by my house, its less then 1/2 mile away. I can drive 90% of the way through the neighborhood at any speed.

I will have these headers installed: Edelbrock Headers 6527
These are shorty headers, not your standard shortys either.
They are really short like the stock manifolds.
Is it ok to drive the truck a short distance with only the headers on?
Is there a certain way I should drive it?
What can I hurt by doing this?
Is this stupid? Should I tow it down there?

I would hate to hurt my engine, trying to save time or money towing it down the street.

A guy I work with told me, what can happen is if you get on it and let off, air can be sucked back up through the headers into the engine and that when you do damage. He told me if I drive slow and dont get on it, I will be fine. Yet I have heard others say that you can burn up the exhaust valves.

What do you guys think?

hotrodhomi · 10-06-2004, 12:42 PM

I drove with my headers to the shop it was about 5 miles away... poelpe look at you funny but you should be fine. If you get pulled over just tell the cop that you are going to the shop and he will 99.9% of the time let you off. Your engine should be ok. Drag cars dont have mufflers.

bigblock73 · 10-06-2004, 12:47 PM

Driving with open headers will not damage your engine...I did it twice with no damage.

First time I did it I was heading to the exhaust shop. My G-pa was pulling me (via tow strap) and the strap came off. I thought he would stop, but he kept going and going and going. After I realized he wasn't goint to figure out I cam unhooked any time soon, I fired up the truck and caught up to him and passed him...you should have seen the look of surprise on his face when he realized what just happened.

Second time I ran with open headers was at the Car Craft burn out contest. I competed in three rounds, no problems there either.

I guess it boils down to how anal the police are in your area. If you get caught by a cop who is "by the book" or one who is having a bad day...you might get a ticket.

oldraven · 10-06-2004, 01:29 PM

Wouldn't open flame under the hood be a bad thing?

bigblock73 · 10-06-2004, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldraven

Wouldn't open flame under the hood be a bad thing?

Theres no flames involved here.

oldraven · 10-06-2004, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigblock73

Theres no flames involved here.

Open headers wouldn't cause flames to shoot out? It sure as hell will with manifolds.

hotrodhomi · 10-06-2004, 02:17 PM

I drove my truck with just the eldelbrock TES headers and I was fine. You will be fine man go for it. Worst that could happen is a fix-it ticket and that would be fixed once you reach your exhaust shop.

*1FaastC10* · 10-06-2004, 05:15 PM

it will shoot flames under decelleration, but having run just stock manifolds on many cars, i've never had any underhood fires yet, the cars i ran like that were being beat profusely for long periods of time. you should be fine, only real problem you will run into is Johnny Law.

76bonanza · 10-06-2004, 05:16 PM

With long tubes it is no problem just really noisey. Yes you can shoot flames out of headers and with shorties the risk of that is worse. But your first comment is right on do not rev it up really high then back off quickly it can pull in cold air and cause problems but it is not likely for such a short trip. Just take it easy and watch all the evil glances you will get. And as far as drag racers doing it there motors are timed and tuned for it also they rebuild after almost every day of runing.

SanitysBane · 10-06-2004, 07:19 PM

i ran my truck with open headers to a car show, it was loud, expecially sence i just put the transmission in it, and it would shift out of 1st so i was going to the road at 2 grand then i drove it home, it was a good 20 miles atleast, i did get alot of evil stares, and one guy told me to shut the truck down because it was to loud, i didn't though

*1972C10* · 10-06-2004, 07:35 PM

HUH? Ive been running open headers latley on my 72 Not cause i want too just cause Im too poor to get my new mufflers put on .. Either that or the muffler shops are too high.

Destructo · 10-06-2004, 10:50 PM

you'll be fine, you burn valves when you run the engine with too short an exhaust, long as your not running it to redline you will be just fine.

10-06-2004, 12:37 PM	#1
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Driving With Headers Only - What do I need to know? I need to get my truck down to the Meineke by my house, its less then 1/2 mile away. I can drive 90% of the way through the neighborhood at any speed. I will have these headers installed: Edelbrock Headers 6527 These are shorty headers, not your standard shortys either. They are really short like the stock manifolds. Is it ok to drive the truck a short distance with only the headers on? Is there a certain way I should drive it? What can I hurt by doing this? Is this stupid? Should I tow it down there? I would hate to hurt my engine, trying to save time or money towing it down the street. A guy I work with told me, what can happen is if you get on it and let off, air can be sucked back up through the headers into the engine and that when you do damage. He told me if I drive slow and dont get on it, I will be fine. Yet I have heard others say that you can burn up the exhaust valves. What do you guys think? __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

10-06-2004, 12:47 PM	#3
bigblock73 yeller Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Twin Cities Posts: 13,824	Driving with open headers will not damage your engine...I did it twice with no damage. First time I did it I was heading to the exhaust shop. My G-pa was pulling me (via tow strap) and the strap came off. I thought he would stop, but he kept going and going and going. After I realized he wasn't goint to figure out I cam unhooked any time soon, I fired up the truck and caught up to him and passed him...you should have seen the look of surprise on his face when he realized what just happened. Second time I ran with open headers was at the Car Craft burn out contest. I competed in three rounds, no problems there either. I guess it boils down to how anal the police are in your area. If you get caught by a cop who is "by the book" or one who is having a bad day...you might get a ticket. __________________ Jeff 73-87.com 73-87.com Facebook page 73-87 cab corner 6x9 speaker brackets for sale 67-72 cab corner speaker brackets for sale 47-54 cab corner speaker brackets for sale

10-06-2004, 01:29 PM	#4
oldraven Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Antigonish, Nova Scotia Posts: 869	Wouldn't open flame under the hood be a bad thing? __________________ '86 C10 regular cab, 383 on propane www.cardomain.com/id/doasa '87 TurboCoupe 2.3Turbo intercooled 5-spd www.cardomain.com/id/oldraven '93 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0L

10-06-2004, 05:16 PM	#9
76bonanza Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: St robert Mo Posts: 2,001	With long tubes it is no problem just really noisey. Yes you can shoot flames out of headers and with shorties the risk of that is worse. But your first comment is right on do not rev it up really high then back off quickly it can pull in cold air and cause problems but it is not likely for such a short trip. Just take it easy and watch all the evil glances you will get. And as far as drag racers doing it there motors are timed and tuned for it also they rebuild after almost every day of runing. __________________ 1968 c10 lowered 3" 4" 355/Th400 built by Hatfield racing in joplin MO

10-06-2004, 07:19 PM	#10
SanitysBane Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 2,121	i ran my truck with open headers to a car show, it was loud, expecially sence i just put the transmission in it, and it would shift out of 1st so i was going to the road at 2 grand then i drove it home, it was a good 20 miles atleast, i did get alot of evil stares, and one guy told me to shut the truck down because it was to loud, i didn't though __________________ '96 Nissan Pathfinder '02 Firebird Trans Am. '88 K5 Blazer

10-06-2004, 12:42 PM	#2
hotrodhomi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 3,737	I drove with my headers to the shop it was about 5 miles away... poelpe look at you funny but you should be fine. If you get pulled over just tell the cop that you are going to the shop and he will 99.9% of the time let you off. Your engine should be ok. Drag cars dont have mufflers.

10-06-2004, 02:17 PM	#7
hotrodhomi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 3,737	I drove my truck with just the eldelbrock TES headers and I was fine. You will be fine man go for it. Worst that could happen is a fix-it ticket and that would be fixed once you reach your exhaust shop.

10-06-2004, 05:15 PM	#8
1FaastC10 Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Elkhart, IN Posts: 6,399	it will shoot flames under decelleration, but having run just stock manifolds on many cars, i've never had any underhood fires yet, the cars i ran like that were being beat profusely for long periods of time. you should be fine, only real problem you will run into is Johnny Law.

10-06-2004, 07:35 PM	#11
1972C10 Account Suspended Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 2,686	HUH? Ive been running open headers latley on my 72 Not cause i want too just cause Im too poor to get my new mufflers put on .. Either that or the muffler shops are too high.

10-06-2004, 10:50 PM	#12
Destructo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lewisville, NC Posts: 1,836	you'll be fine, you burn valves when you run the engine with too short an exhaust, long as your not running it to redline you will be just fine. __________________ 1985 Scottsdale Shortbed 4x4 Stout 350 with some "upgrades"-700r4-33x12.5" Mud Tires, Warn 8274-50 winch. 2005 Chevrolet Colorado Regular Cab 2wd 4-banger, 5 speed, Street Pack with 3.73 axle.



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.