This is my first post on here so I'd like to say hello to all you wonderful forum members. I've perused this site for many years here and there, and have always found this forum to be of extreme value and knowledge. Thank you.


This all started with a leak from the stock header on the driver's side. I replaced the gasket and moved on. Couple weeks later, I notice the passenger leaking. After about two weeks it got significantly worse. So I did some research, seen all the suggestions on going with shorty's, and got them ordered.

Now I try to spend as much time as possible reading through the forums and google searching etc. Never saw one post about this being an issue, until I was directly looking for a post on it. And though I have come across posts with this issue here and there, I've only managed to find a handful of posts that touch on it. Mostly "don't fits" and "I sent them back" etc. I did manage to find one or two that discussed beating in the header and cutting the motor mount arm.... but not much else.

Of course I'm referring to the passenger side header. I can notch the motor mount arm as needed, but I'm not too sure I want to beat the header in, especially if I still couldn't get it to clear and lose the option to return. I'm wondering if their is a way to shim the motor up, or something idk. I don't have the equipment to fabricate, and I'm shy on funds after this purchase, for now, so a shop is out of the most obvious equation.

I'm exploring all Ideas and options though, regardless of my situation. I'm asking for your valuable thoughts and opinions. What have you done, what would you suggest? Please share with me. And again,.. thank you.

 

They don't make shorties that will fit without modifying the mount, or the header?? I would think that several companies do...... Send back the ones ya got, if they won't fit, and get some that will.

 

Flowtech has some that look like they might fit for more than twice what these ones cost, but listed as "mild steel", JBA's shows to fit my truck but they are identical in design so I'm positive they will not, and they want more than 3 times as much for them. My truck has been down for 2 weeks now. I've spent time looking for alternatives. So far no luck.

 

Read reviews on them, see what other folks have to say. The mild steel fellers will still be thicker than any cheap stainless headers..... probably last as long as well.

 

I stopped using headers a long time ago. The amount of power gains is minimal now days as the newer engines intakes and exhausts are very efficient. The reasons for me not using headers were several. They run supper hot under the hood so you should find the thickest steel available and then wrap them. Older headers would not last very long, they would crack and rust (maybe newer ones are better material. Also, headers change the stock exhaust scavenging and back pressure, so you may need to do some minor tuning so that you don't fry the rings.

 

The stock manifolds are a terrible design, that concentrate all the heat in the rear part of the manifold, hence, broken bolts..... Replacing them with some variety of headers, permanently solves the problem.

Headers also flow better than the stock manifolds...... In all likelihood, the actually scavenge better than the crappy stock design.

Yeah, quality IS an issue...... The not-overly-expensive stainless steel fellers are pretty thin, but, still last a good long time. If you want really good ones, you are going to pay 600 bucks or so for a set... Which does seem a bit excessive to me.

 

The issue with the heat expansion breaking the bolts is not a exhaust manifold design issue, if that was the case, FCA would have fixed that a long time ago. It is well understood in engine design circles that the issue is with the hemi head design and the cooling channels. The spherical shape and way the valves have to fit makes it impossible to get sufficient cooling to the very back of the heads. That is why it is always the back cylinders that have issues with bolts. Also, the manifolds are designed to work together with the variable valve timing where there is managed overlap with the intake and exhaust valves to reduce the amount of exhaust that needs to be re-burned via EGR. That is why the 5.7 hemi does not have an EGR valve.

 

All well and good, but, the way the manifolds are designed, ALL the exhaust from that bank passes by the rearmost cylinder. Hence, if you check temps front to back, the rear of the manifold is going to be hotter than the front, and not simply due to not being able to adequately cool the head. I different exhaust manifold design WOULD solve the issue of the bolts breaking, the fact that folks that have done shorties, or something other than stock manifolds..... ceasing to have issues with bolts breaking proves that. As it stands, the stock setup works *good enough* as far as the bean counters at FCA are concerned, so, dodge is extremely unlikely to spend the money to redesign a manifold, and then start replacing them, either under a recall, (dodge pays) a technical service bulletin, (warranty pays if still is still valid), or, the customer gets to pay for it.... (any other circumstance.....)

There are also dyno tests available in various places, that show an across the board power improvement going with shorties...... (and even MORE of an improvement going with long-tubes, and a better exhaust......)

Gotta remember, the dodge engineers are NOT concerned with getting the most power out of their manifolds, they simply want something that works, that is rather inexpensive to produce in MASS quantities. Otherwise, they would come with headers from the factory......

 

Ok so am i reading this right? please excuse my ignorance,,,, So headers should stop the bolts from breaking,,, but will require a new minor tuning? THat sounds pricey. From what i have read from many threads is the headers are a exact swap with no mods needed,, I agree the manifolds are poor design and dodge dont care as if the truck makes it past the warranty then cost falls to the owner.
To me if it was a poor head design and IF the water cooling cant work properly to cool. then why does it seem like its only the trucks breaking bolts,,, or do all cars and trucks with the 5.7 have bolts breaking? I believe headers would fix the problem from what i read, but again I am just an ordinary idiot person and dont know much about the hemi engines,, I read lots and hope to figure out all i can from these forums.

 

Switching to shorties will solve the broken bolt problem, and they are basically just bolt 'em on, and forgetaboutit. No tuning required. (though, a tune what get you a bit more out of doing them. Is it worth it? That's up to you. Probably only single digit improvements from tune.)