$100 headers
Grand Champion
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,584
Likes: 0
From: Lima, Ohio
Never use the term cheap and headers in the same sentence. There's a reason some headers are $100 and others are $300-$1,000. If a company is selling stainless steel headers for $100 (or anything close to that), obviously the stainless is of inferior quality.
Cheap headers use thin primaries and collectors (usually small diameter primaries as well), thin flanges that warp, crappy (or no) coatings, and cheap hardware and gaskets. I bought a $100 dollar set of headers for my Camaro, worst $100 I've ever spent.
Just for an example, the old Jegs brand headers from my Camaro had 5/16" thick flanges, 1.5" primaries, and 18 gauge tubing. The Hedman Elites that are going on it have 3/8" thick flanges, 1 5/8" primaries, 14 gauge tubing, and a ceramic coating. They cost a little over 3 times what the Jegs headers cost, but they are well worth it after dealing with blown header gaskets every 1,000 miles.
Cheap headers use thin primaries and collectors (usually small diameter primaries as well), thin flanges that warp, crappy (or no) coatings, and cheap hardware and gaskets. I bought a $100 dollar set of headers for my Camaro, worst $100 I've ever spent.
Just for an example, the old Jegs brand headers from my Camaro had 5/16" thick flanges, 1.5" primaries, and 18 gauge tubing. The Hedman Elites that are going on it have 3/8" thick flanges, 1 5/8" primaries, 14 gauge tubing, and a ceramic coating. They cost a little over 3 times what the Jegs headers cost, but they are well worth it after dealing with blown header gaskets every 1,000 miles.
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,055
Likes: 7
From: Lee County, North Carolina
Man there's a lot of ebay header threads in the search results.
Here's what I told one guy in one of them
That is from this thread https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ers-cheap.html
Here's what I told one guy in one of them
I've got the ebay cheapies on mine.
I used the gaskets that came with it because they were the carbon covered metal type and seemed fine to me.
The bolts that came with them were low grade metric bolts, so they wouldn't work. I got some grade 8 bolts for them, but I wish I would have gotten some stage 8 header bolts instead because they are nice and rusty now.
Mine had much better looking welds then the ones in the first post, those look like the welder was a little too hot or something.
I got mine long before I became active on this forum and long before I knew anything about headers. If I had it to do over again and I wanted to spend a couple hundred dollars more then I would go with some gibson ceramic coated headers and some stage 8 bolts.
Shortly after they were installed
and about 4 years later (a few months back)
They have spotty rust on them from years of mud and oil from the valve cover leak that I'm fixing in the pictures.
I used the gaskets that came with it because they were the carbon covered metal type and seemed fine to me.
The bolts that came with them were low grade metric bolts, so they wouldn't work. I got some grade 8 bolts for them, but I wish I would have gotten some stage 8 header bolts instead because they are nice and rusty now.
Mine had much better looking welds then the ones in the first post, those look like the welder was a little too hot or something.
I got mine long before I became active on this forum and long before I knew anything about headers. If I had it to do over again and I wanted to spend a couple hundred dollars more then I would go with some gibson ceramic coated headers and some stage 8 bolts.
Shortly after they were installed
and about 4 years later (a few months back)
They have spotty rust on them from years of mud and oil from the valve cover leak that I'm fixing in the pictures.
Champion
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,811
Likes: 2
From: Ft Campbell, KY/TN
well, you have a 1995.
I have the edelbrock TES ceramic coated statnless steel headers (450 bucks). THey will not fit on my 2001. THe only thing you will need to get is the hardware kit and the exhaust extension pipes that go from the Cat to the headers.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-66013/
I will sell these to you for 100, but I don't know how much the entension pipes will cost you. Probably an extra 100. I have all the bolts, but you will need new donuts (and one header flange bolt which you can match at a hardware store).
If you want to do the research (call edelbrock to find out how much that will cost). I will sell these to you for 100, then you can have some of the most top of the line headers.
If not, i will take these to an exhaust place and have them retrofit them. Pics of them are in my album "Parts for sale". Only the PCM and headers are for sale now. i installed the rest on my 2001.
--Dan
I have the edelbrock TES ceramic coated statnless steel headers (450 bucks). THey will not fit on my 2001. THe only thing you will need to get is the hardware kit and the exhaust extension pipes that go from the Cat to the headers.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-66013/
I will sell these to you for 100, but I don't know how much the entension pipes will cost you. Probably an extra 100. I have all the bolts, but you will need new donuts (and one header flange bolt which you can match at a hardware store).
If you want to do the research (call edelbrock to find out how much that will cost). I will sell these to you for 100, then you can have some of the most top of the line headers.
If not, i will take these to an exhaust place and have them retrofit them. Pics of them are in my album "Parts for sale". Only the PCM and headers are for sale now. i installed the rest on my 2001.
--Dan
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: hickville WI
i bought the $100 ebay headers the hardware that comes with it as soon as you receive everything throw the everything away but maybe headers mine are already cracked in a spot and i bought stage 8 header bolts it took a bit but i got all the bolts in but one. the headers just leave no room to put the last bolt in i would say it is almost impossible to get it in. it would be up to you but if i would have known this much about them i would of saved for a nicer set but thats just me.
Champion
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,811
Likes: 2
From: Ft Campbell, KY/TN
EDIT: I thought you were making a statement, not asking a question.
Reason why is that the connection from the y-pipe is higher when dodge started using the Y-pipe. Mine are for 2in/1out cats.
Also, I don't have the header extension pipes anymore. Bummer. I was in a rush to move and I could not get them out of the 1996 I was junking.
I was told by edelbrock tech department that they would not fit. And they do not look at all like the ones that go on a 2001.
Last edited by CPTAFW163; May 31, 2010 at 12:30 AM.