ENGINE - Header install

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to install a set of hooker comps on a 454? I won't need to raise the engine will I? Also are 2 in. primaries and 3 in. exhaust about right for a mostly stock 454? Finally what do you guys think of Torque Tech- they're one of the few supliers I've been able to find on the internet with a complete 3 in. kit

Thanks in advance for helping me out!

-Justin

[Guest]

The Torque Tech stuff is pretty nice, on a stock 454 you may want to use 1 7/8" primary headers instead of 2". the 2" will kill off some low end and midrange. also will reduce the throttle response on a street car!

Don

[wallaby]

I have been looking into this same application, and finding ANYTHING that is smaller than 2" has been a dead end for me.

I have had trouble finding even a header for Monte Carlo. The parts guys say Chevelle header is different somehow.

I don't want to spend an arm and a leg...heck, my iron manifolds work fine; but some extra HP and some extra MPG...that would be nice.

Don, do you know of a source?

[Guest]

I have these on my BB powered 70. You need to remove the plugs, and have the car high enough in the air so that you can push the drivers side header on prety steep angle and it should go very easily. be sure that you clean the head flanges very thoroughly before attempting to install. Use a little Hi-Temp silicone on the gaskets.

 

------------------

George Lines

[Pirate]

Here is what I did. The headers that I have are Hooker comp for A-bodies. They fit like a charm, and only place they close is the proportionning valve. Jacked the car up un did one mount at a time and used an engine lift to tilt the motor sideways. Went from underneath the car. There was no way to go from the top for me. Passenger side has to go in from underneath, especially if you have A/C. Only thing that I did was reduce the 3" collector to 2 1/2".

 

Pieter

[Guest]

My bad I should have said 1 3/4" pri. I have used the Hedman part #68190 before with no problems at all! A no ls6 stock or near stock 454 really isn't a HP motor its a torque motor. The 1.75" primary tube headers will support right at 575 or 600 hp depending on what's behind it. Headers,cams, carbs and cylinder head ports all have one thing in common, Bigger isn't always better! For a street or street strip application use the smallest cam,carb,head,header that will get you the power you need. bigger may sound better when bench racing but it will cost you power on the street. For example a few years back on of the magazines did an story on 580 hp 357 ci small block that you can build at home. Problem is they left out a few things like $750 dollars worth of port work they had done to the heads and that the eng was a turd below 4000 rpm's. Ok it did make 583 hp at 8100 rpm's but how many of you ever go much over 5500 rpm's? On a good tach not by ear! So in a street car that runs normally in the idle to 5500 rpm range that engine would only have a 1500 rpm powerband and would not make anywhere close to peak power! Remeber big HP numbers look good but it's torque that moves the car off the line. Race cars get away with the big stuff by high compression, not 10.5 I'm talking 14.5-16.1, High rpm use, deep gears and high stall speed converters. Take my car for an example, I have it running 9 flats at over 140 mph in the quarter, they way its set up in the car it works great as a package. If you take away any one or combination of things like compression, gear or converter it most likley would be a dog. For the way most of you all use your cars you need a wide flat torque and hp curve. Most of the time you should ask an engine builder that makes a living at it what you need, not your local "bracket racer bob" 99 times out of a hundred he only knows about his car.

Don