headers

Hey I am planning on putting long tube headers on my truck. I have a 97 Sierra with a 350. I was wondering what are some good websites for some decent price headers? If you could help me out I would appreciate it.

I was looking around for you and came upon this website http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/performance/brand.php?makeid=10&modelid=125&year=1997&partid=24 I don’t really know a lot about headers so when you said long tube I wasn’t sure what you were looking for this place seems to have some pretty good stuff let me know what you think.

- Kevin

You do not want to do it and it probally involves removing the cat which is a federal offense,with a fine of $10,000.00.You will also have the check engine light on all the time

If you get shorty headers it doesn't take away the cat. Everyone of my cars and trucks I've had done stuff to have stayed legal. I was going for shorty headers with high flow cat, back to my exhaust I already have on there.

i have 98 , and i put in headers and dual flowmasters with no change in the legal status. you can leave the catalytic converters and o2 sensors alone and get the upgrades in. i got my stuff from summit just make sure the headers are 50 state legal and have the air tube hookup on the drivers side.

Which headers did you get from summit? I was looking at the summit shorty headers. How does your truck sound? Also what motor do you have?

I got the summit brand headers, because they were cheaper and I it dont need all those exotic coatings , Pace Setter actually makes them for summit. they seem pretty good, I put them in at the same time i installed two 50 series flowmasters, it is not loud, but IT does sound tough, if you want a louder sound go with the 40 series FM's .. I have had a few trucks with headers and it seems to me that the sound all depends on the type of mufflers, it is a 5.7 350.
i would encourage you to use new header bolts maybe even the locking kind
to keep them from backing out.

I do have 40 Flowmasters. It good now, it's more of a muscle sound not just loud. A guy I work with said he use to have a 96 silverado with the 5.7 and he said when he put headers on his it was louder and more powerful sound than mine by a lot.

I didnt really mean "louder", like you said, 40s sound more aggressive, If you think about it headers will sound different just because they flow more gas and are more efficient , thats how you will get more power and sound from them than regular manifolds, the trucks where i installed headers i also did flowmasters at the same time. i never had flows on a truck before i had headers so i could not make the comparison for sound difference on headers. I do love the sound of 40 series FMs, but i have a family now and the 40s make a lot of interior resonance (at least mine did) I will probably put 40s FMs on a project truck in the future. I will add that I had JBA headers and they were really cool looking and were very well built, Gibsons are more expensive and i hear are nice. i have never used them. Summit carries both these and more.

Just wanted to get in on this and let you know that Gibson Headers are hands down the best! They are more expensive than most, but are worth it! I've performed a lot of header work for friends with the brands you guys have mentioned and have had many problems such as bad fit and finish, not lining up with the cylinder heads properly, not having a thick enough flange, bad tube angling (casting) which made it impossible to install some of the header bolts, and last but not least... in some of the applications (with the Summit/Pace Setters) the header actually bent in a little over a months time from engine torque (kick)! And two of those applications that I can remember had new engine mounts installed as well! If you like a neat and clean engine bay... these types of headers aren't for you. The paint coating comes off, they rust and just generally look like crap in a pretty short time. Gibson designs and makes headers specifically for truck applications and they are extremely durable and the fit and finish is outstanding. The flanges are 3/8 inch thick, the tubes extend out and down in a fashion that gives great clearance to install and torque down the bolts properly and changing the plugs is as easy as it is with the stock manifolds (no shorty header plug needed). You can get them in Stainless Steel, Nickel Chrome Plated or Ceramic Coated. They look great when installed and that look lasts even with the intense heat they go through. Gibson Exhaust Company has their own website, but you have to through a distributor such as Summit, Jeg's or Martel Bros Racing. Good Luck.

Forgot to mention that they are 50 State Street Legal and come with the CARB decal.

Jegs anybody?

Oh, and I have no cats or mufflers...

I got my shorties from JEGS, Flowtech's, bolted up perfectly same 3/8" flange, had them on a year now and only re'torqued them after the initial heatup, used quality felpro gaskets etc.
no not all headers are equal, but for the "daily driver" all mid priced headers are, a max $200.00 set of headers do the job just fine.
the job of the header is to open up the flow,
a set of expensive custom designed headers will knock a few mili seconds off the et of a serious performance machine, those high nickel chromed headers look nice on a show machine, but are un'necessary on an everyday driver, the extra money would be better spent on other goodies.
I got the "jet coated" Flowtech's to keep engine bay heat down but thats it,
the adition of headers will change the sound very little if the rest of the exhaust is left, as well the benifits from headers are few if the rest of the exhaust is left stock,
the whole reason for headers is "performance" not only horse power, but add'ed mpg, the change in sound and sound level comes more from a good high flow muffler and cat,
if anything get a mid'priced brand named set of headers and spend the money saved not buy'ing the high priced set of headers on the rest of your exhaust system,
Dont believe me though, install just the headers and run it, then change the rest of your exhaust to 3" and high flow componants, you'll see the difference only after the whole system is upgraded.

headers are a pain in the @ss and I don't think much benefit is gained on a stock engine. On a truck you are trying to improve your torque not so much your upper rpm hoursepower so you need to pay attention to that in what type headers you buy. THe other part is the aggrivation....a lot more underhood heat, melted sparkplug wirs, a royal pain to swap out spark plugs, exhaust leaks and the general fabrication of the exhaust if you use something other than the shorty headers that are designed to be a bolt on direct replacement. Personally I don't think headers are worth messing with on a stock truck, when I say stock I'm talking about the engine itself.