Air management/header question

Hi all,
This is my first post and about my first truck - a '89 c1500 shortbed stepside.
It failed inspection in September because the Hooker Super Comps (on the truck when I bought it) has a hole where one of the tubes meets the collector and he can't get the tip of his welder close enough. I've got to decide what to do. The Inspection station was not one I usually use and for the first time my setup was questioned. 'Where's the Air Pump?' they asked. I had no clue what they were talking about. I looked at my Haynes. They write as if the A.I.R. system is always there. I looked at my Chiltern. They seemed to indicate that it was only for California. The factory manual just says '... it's present on some engines.'
Question 1 :confused: is should it be there and if it is do I really care that it isn't.
Question 2 :confused: is about replacement headers. If the truck is illegal without the A.I.R. system then I might as well put illegal headers on too. I wouldn't go for the Super Comps because of cost but a Hooker Competiton or a Hedman would run $180 or $140 resp. (Legal Hedmans w/out the A.I.R. fittings run $350). If it's OK not to have the A.I.R. system should I go to the expense of legal headers or use the illegal ones?
Question 3 :confused: is are the $180 Hookers better than the $140 Hedmans?

As you can tell cost is an issue with me. The cheapest quote I got was $500 to replace the dual rear exhaust from the header back with 2.25 in. tube inc. a converter, a muffler but no tips. Doesn't that sound outrageous? The legal Hedmans come with the Y pipe and that would save me a bit on the $500 I guess but they're $210 more than the illegals. I might very well just get him to replace the converter and leave the rest of the exhaust as is for the time being.


FWIW, I intend to keep this truck forever and it's begging for money to be spend on it in other areas.

Thanks, David

If you are in an area requiring an emissions inspection, and if the inspection in that area is visual, they may require an A.I.R pump if the VECI label under the hood indicates the truck originally had one.

If you run headers, you'll need to get them with air injection fittings and an oxygen sensor bung installed. Personally, I wouldn't buy headers for a street vehicle without ceramic coating any more. The others just don't last very long. Further, with headers on an '89, you may have to use a heated oxygen sensor, since the exhaust gasses cool faster in headers and may not keep the sensor at 600º at lower loads and RPMs.

Uncoated headers can live a long time at least in the southeastern US (very little salt on the road) but coated headers do keep the heat out from under the hood and look better. Never had nor heard of any issues with the oxygen sensor running too cool, must be a problem up north.
My '88 (got it new) never had a VECI label, a point noted by the inspection nazis. But I left the AIR intact to avoid issues. My '88 has it, my brother's '89 didn't. Both new from dealers in Georgia, go figure. If your truck never had it, just put a set of decent coated headers in and forget it. If you don't need the fittings you'll just have to plug them up That's the cheapest thing. If you've got to have it, go to a junkyard and get all the AIR stuff since there's piping, fittings, and some wiring you'll need along with the pump. You could take it to a referee to determine if it needs the AIR but they may just give you a blanket statement that they all need it. Look at all your labels and decifer if it was ever there, if you can.
As far as replacing the rest of the system, $500 isn't that outrageous for 2 1/4 from the headers back with muffler and converter. You'll give $350 and up (way up) for a do-it-yourself catback system. I once priced getting twin converters replaced and got quotes from $450 to $700. I put a pair of high flow units in myself for $160.

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated. First thing then is to look for this VECI label. Never knew about this label. From memory though (and I took the engine out 18 months ago) I don't recall any unused pulleys or wiring connections. Might be a few days before I can look in daylight. I'll post back then.
Thanks again, David

Well, there was no VECI label under the hood. So I'm taking the ceramic header advice rather than get the painted. Thanks everyone.
By the way I've posted two new questions if you feel like helping me out a little more. David

Just spoke to a muffler shop. He say's that nobody in the area (Richmond, VA) can mandrel bend. He says would have to go to Maryland. Is this a big deal or not? Could get a Summit system mandrel bent and have him do the Y-pipe so only the Y-pipe is not mandrel bent. Is this more aggro than it's worth? Other than a RV cam, a Hypertech chip and the headers the truck isn't especially loaded with HP.
Thanks again.

not all TBI 350s have an air pump... My 92 does not.