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Does it damage anything with open headers?

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Old 11-19-2001, 09:46 PM
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Does it damage anything with open headers?

Well, thats my question. I'm going to install headers on my car and I'm going to drive to the exhaust shop to get the Y-pipe done. The shop is only like 5 miles away.

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88 Formula 350
Upper and Lower SuperRam, 1000 CFM Accel Throttle Body, ZZ4 cam, 24# Motorsport Injectors, Larger Gutted Mass Sensor, Homemade Cold Air induction, Custom Burned PROM, MSD 6a box, MSD Distributor, Accel SuperCoil, Taylor 8mm wires, TB Bypass, B&M shift Kit, 160* Thermostat, Flowmaster Muffler

Headers in the mail soon to be installed
Old 11-19-2001, 09:57 PM
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I've heard if you run it that way a long time its bad for valves or somethign, but 5 miles i don't think will be a problem. I know a guy who ran his TA for like a week or 2 after he dropped in the new vortech 350 and its fine.

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88 Camaro (The mighty LO3 SC!)
305TBI/700R4/2.73/123,XXX miles
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Next up: headers and gears
Old 11-20-2001, 04:34 PM
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i just did exactly what your asking about, and as long as no wires are gonna get melted, you will be fine.just make sure that everythign is out of the way.

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87 IROC-z 305 TPI
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Old 11-21-2001, 01:09 AM
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i drove mine 7 miles to work and 7 miles back, not to mention around the block a few times. i asked a guy from a machine shop and all he said was if u can avoid a ticket. i've heard u can burn valves if u have a lean mixture. 5 miles should be alright go for it.
Old 11-23-2001, 12:21 AM
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If you have a good scavenging header then you shouldn't have a problem messing up any valves. Having cold air hit hot valves has a bad effect on them.

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Old 11-24-2001, 12:40 PM
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I've heard that having open headers will bend valves because there's no backpressure on them to hold them in place or something like that. Not sure exactly how it goes, but it makes a little sense to me...
Old 11-24-2001, 04:26 PM
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it's referred to as "warping the valves" and as someone above stated, its when the valves are constantly heated and then cooled, thus warping the valves. I don't think youll hhave any problems with long tube headers, but shorties might be a little different.....I'm not positive, but I'd research more before you warp a valve....not fun. good luck
Old 11-24-2001, 04:59 PM
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I don't get it... how would having open headers allow the valves to be cooled? I thought only air goes OUT of the headers, and that it would be impossible for air to go in through the headers (assuming the car is running.)
Old 11-24-2001, 05:16 PM
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This is what was explained to me. When the car is shut off cold air goes up the pipes causeing the vavle warping.
Old 11-24-2001, 11:50 PM
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It does make sense now, if you think of a day at the track, you have the car on, do a run, and you shut it off to let it cool down. Repeat this 6 or 7 (or however many runs you do) times. I guess that is what's gonna cause the valves to get hot and quickly cool down. But doing it only once or twice I don't think would be a problem.
Old 11-25-2001, 06:09 PM
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What a load of BULL! What do you think hits the intake valves constantly ? That's right! COLD INTAKE AIR and HOT EXHAUST GASES!

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1992 Z28 5.7 TPI

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Old 11-26-2001, 08:33 AM
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Gee we have a bright one here!!! Yeah cold air does go past the intake valve, but hot gases do not pass it!!! It only gets hot on the bottom. Were talking about the whole valve here not just the bottom. When the exh. valve opens HOT gases pass over the entire valve surface, cooling that surface too quickly will possibly cause warping??? Are you learning anything yet?????????? If the headers aren't scavenging the gases out cold air can be circulated back up a pipe, coolong the hot valve. OK I'm done

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White 92 RS,388 cu.in.N/A
3.73 gears,auburn posi
Best 60 ft : 1.97
Best 1/4 : 12.679
Steve Spohn
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Driven Daily
installed motor with AFR's and my Hooker L/T's
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Old 11-26-2001, 01:02 PM
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the change in temp going from hot to cold like that will have the same effect as taking a pizza pan out of the oven and sticking it under cold water, it will warp the shape, in this case the valves will get the damage.

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Old 11-27-2001, 01:59 AM
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If you go to a drag race "pro" you'll see as soon as they shut down there engines they cap there exaust. There pipes are only about two feet long, but its always better to be safe.
Old 11-27-2001, 09:25 AM
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You should be fine with long tubes, or with shorties if you have extension pipes on them (mine do, they dump right in front of where the cat goes).
Old 11-27-2001, 12:46 PM
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I found out I can just go to my friend's exhaust shop and work on it there, so I won't end up driving it anywhere w/the open headers. Thanks a lot to everyone who helped.

------------------
88 Formula 350
Upper and Lower SuperRam, 1000 CFM Accel Throttle Body, ZZ4 cam, 24# Motorsport Injectors, Larger Gutted Mass Sensor, Homemade Cold Air induction, Custom Burned PROM, MSD 6a box, MSD Distributor, Accel SuperCoil, Taylor 8mm wires, TB Bypass, B&M shift Kit, 160* Thermostat, Flowmaster Muffler

Headers in the mail soon to be installed
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