Besides noise and codes, what would be the problem with running open headers for a week
???

 

no backpressure... i believe it lowers your compression... and i also believe that it may damage your heads over a period of time from air easily getting in and out of your exhaust when its not running.....

 

a period of time being which?

 

if you drive it everyday i wouldnt suggest it...

 

It will not lower your compression.....it will burn your exhaust valves through leaning the mixture

Also a engine doesn't need backpressure to run correctly

"The first reason why people say "backpressure is good" is because they believe that increased backpressure by itself will increase torque, particularly with a stock exhaust manifold. Granted, some stock manifolds act somewhat like performance headers at low RPM, but these manifolds will exhibit poor performance at higher RPM. This, however does not automatically lead to the conclusion that backpressure produces more torque. The increase in torque is not due to backpressure, but to the effects of changes in fuel/air mixture, which will be described in more detail below.
The other reason why people say "backpressure is good" is because they hear that cars (or motorcycles) that have had performance exhaust work done to them would then go on to burn exhaust valves. Now, it is true that such valve burning has occurred as a result of the exhaust mods, but it isn't due merely to a lack of backpressure.
The internal combustion engine is a complex, dynamic collection of different systems working together to convert the stored power in gasoline into mechanical energy to push a car down the road. Anytime one of these systems are modified, that mod will also indirectly affect the other systems, as well.
Now, valve burning occurs as a result of a very lean-burning engine. In order to achieve a theoretical optimal combustion, an engine needs 14.7 parts of oxygen by mass to 1 part of gasoline (again, by mass). This is referred to as a stochiometric (chemically correct) mixture, and is commonly referred to as a 14.7:1 mix. If an engine burns with less oxygen present (13:1, 12:1, etc...), it is said to run rich. Conversely, if the engine runs with more oxygen present (16:1, 17:1, etc...), it is said to run lean. Today's engines are designed to run at 14.7:1 for normally cruising, with rich mixtures on acceleration or warm-up, and lean mixtures while decelerating.
Getting back to the discussion, the reason that exhaust valves burn is because the engine is burning lean. Normal engines will tolerate lean burning for a little bit, but not for sustained periods of time. The reason why the engine is burning lean to begin with is that the reduction in backpressure is causing more air to be drawn into the combustion chamber than before. Earlier cars (and motorcycles) with carburetion often could not adjust because of the way that backpressure caused air to flow backwards through the carburetor after the air already got loaded down with fuel, and caused the air to receive a second load of fuel. While a bad design, it was nonetheless used in a lot of vehicles. Once these vehicles received performance mods that reduced backpressure, they no longer had that double-loading effect, and then tended to burn valves because of the resulting over-lean condition. This, incidentally, also provides a basis for the "torque increase" seen if backpressure is maintained. As the fuel/air mixture becomes leaner, the resultant combustion will produce progressively less and less of the force needed to produce torque."

 

It really depends on how much and howyou drive it. Open headers can burn valves. If you are talking about putting your headers on and then creeping up to an exhaust shop you should be fine. It will be really really really loud. If you absolutely have to drive it that way more than that, another option might be to put some temporary straight pipes with 3" to 2.5" reducers in and tie them up with coat hangers.

I've been thinking about this dilemma as well. Choices were:
1) install the headers and creep up to the exhaust shop (~8mi.)
2) insall the headers and get towed up there
3) pay the shop the extra $50 bucks to put them on

Right now I'm thinking I'll probably go with option 3

 

I ran open headers on my truck to the exhaust shop. It was about a 40 mile (highway)trip and nothing went wrong w/ my motor. Was load as hell, couldn't hear myself think. Wouldn't recommend it for a whole week, unless you dont plan on driving much.

 

i drive 5 miles a day to work and back. So, 35 miles wouldnt be too bad, it takes 15 min each way...so its not too long of a trip either way.

 

i say do it then. just take your foot out of the gas if going by a cop.

 

i had a cop stop infront of me going the other way and turn on his lights and i just started cursin to myself, and he pulled up to the window and looked and i told him it was part of the pace truck package, and he said, oh.... and drove off