Table of Contents
- What is the Purpose of Exhaust Header?
- Header vs. Manifold
- Four Keys to Choosing the Right Header
- Who to Trust?
- Bottom Line
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Stock exhaust systems of vehicles often limit the amount of exhaust gases that can exit your engine. This prevents it from producing its maximum power, thus reaching its full potential. Headers are introduced for this purpose. In fact, a good set of car headers will increase exhaust flow velocity to the point that energy pulses are created. But how does a good set define? Consider the four key points provided in this guide while selecting a good header for your application.
What is the Purpose of Exhaust Header?
The purpose of exhaust headers is to direct engine exhaust gases from the cylinders to the exhaust system. They primarily achieve this by increasing the engine’s volumetric efficiency and lowering flow resistance or back pressure. The results are:
- Increased fuel efficiency
- Improved sound
- Reduction in heat build-up
- Boosted horsepower
- Boosted torque
- Save on gas
- Exhaust system modification
Header vs. Manifold
Headers are known to assist engines in producing more power and torque in contrast to conventional cast manifolds. Manifold runners are naturally quite short, which causes pressure build-up by the gases coming from each cylinder. The backpressure prevents exhaust from emptying from the chamber while also causing exhaust to flow back from one cylinder into another, which lowers performance. Header exhaust solves this issue by enabling gases to escape without producing backpressure. Furthermore, exhaust manifolds are made of heavy, dense iron, whereas exhaust headers are composed of lighter, thinner steel.
Four Keys to Choosing the Right Header
Header Size
One of the important factors is the diameter of the primary tubes, which are pipes attached directly to the exhaust ports. As opposed to the common assumption, bigger isn’t always better. Even though smaller diameter pipes will flow less volume compared to bigger primary tubes, they actually provide higher exhaust flow velocity with just enough resistance to nurture good torque. The recommended primary tube size is 1 ½ to 1 5/8 inches for small block engines.
Header Dimensions
Full-length car headers are one type in which the primary tubes used are longer than the primaries on the original exhaust manifold. The majority of street-driven cars can benefit most from full-length headers' ability to generate good power in the low- and mid-rpm ranges. The longer primaries also lessen the possibility of gases escaping and pulling back into another pipe. On the other hand, short headers remain a great option for cars with extremely crowded engine compartments where clearance is an issue. Mid-length exhaust headers offer some advantages of full-length and some shorty headers. Furthermore, equal-length headers outperform the other kinds. This is because each primary tube from every engine cylinder is the same length, allowing gas from all pipes to move through the same distance, resulting in a more uniform flow.
Header Configuration
A “4-1” configuration is commonly used in full-length headers, where four primary tubes drain into a single collector pipe. A few manufacturers also provide headers with a "Tri-Y" arrangement. Tri-Y headers merge the four primary tubes into two bigger secondary pipes and finally combine into a single collector. In comparison to 4-1 headers, this maintains a greater velocity and usually produces a broader torque curve due to the increased exhaust flow.
Header Material and Header Coating
Mild steel is the most widely used material for headers. While it is very cheap, its lifespan is also the shortest. Another material available is stainless steel, which looks fantastic and lasts much longer due to its corrosion-resistant properties. However, it can cost significantly more and turn blue or purple when heated. After deciding between mild steel and stainless steel, the next step is choosing Natural Vs Coated. Usually, mild steel is delivered coated in black to prevent corrosion. However, the most common type is Ceramic coating, which additionally acts as a thermal barrier, keeping the temperatures low in the engine.
Who to Trust?
FLASHARK is one such company offering to assist you in making your own unique engine headers. It provides you with a wide range of products, and you can shop by brand, including Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, BMW, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and others. It comes in separate specifications for long and short tubes and has a range of models introduced over many years.
Buy NowBottom Line
Regardless of the style you select, you can fully utilize the benefits of your new headers exhaust by completely removing the rest of your original exhaust system, even the mufflers! While installing them may consume some time and cost, they are one of the best car accessories. To add to the ease and choice, you can further select either a direct-fit or a universal header and even choose to create a custom header exactly the way you like it.
