Hey, so i just bought some cheap headers on ebay for my 82 firebird. Got them in the mail yesterday and i go down and do a quick bolt on fitment test and from the way it looks they are probably gunna hit every plug wire if not the plug itself.

So my question is, is are these shorty headers meant to be run with shorty header plugs, 90 degree plug boots, and plug wire heat wrap? As I look at the headers bolted on my engine while its on the engine stand I am also questioning the clearance of the K member. What do i do, im a 17 year old kid that wants everything to turn out nicely but i dont really have the funds to blow on some SLPs or Hookers...

I looked around and they look exactly the same as summit headers, flowtechs, and a couple other cheap ebay headers. How can they be selling these if they wont even fit!?



The first pic is of the ebay headers that i bought, second pic is of summit headers, third pic is of passenger side installed.

 

You need a set of Dyno Don's headers. The only shorty headers out there that are 1 3/4 with a ball-in-socket fitting. His headers will fit all types of heads(straight and angle plugs). Sell those off to somebody and get your money back. Dyno Don is on the southern cali board.

 

i had a really cheap set of headers on mine but i didn't have any problems. you might need those header plugs for those.

 

its normal for the plugs to be real close..you make sure plug wires are out of the way as much as you can and if you have to then put a couple of heat tubes on the wires

 

How close is too close then?

 

touching

 

well obviously touching is too close, but i want my plug wires to last if thats the route i go...

So would it be like 1/8 of an inch or about a 1/4? Obviously the more the better but whats the closest I could get away with?

 

You could always put some heat wrap on the headers if you're concerned. It's cheap. By the way, what seller did you get those from, and how much were they? The store they seem to be from just has some generic block hugger headers listed for third gens (see, e.g., these).

 

Just going to add I installed a set of Flowtech shorty headers on my 84 Z today. Did have some issues with reinstalling my plugs. I figured out both headers dropped right in from the top of the car so before I installed the right side header I put my plugs back in. I did reuse my autolite plugs and 90 degree plug wires there is at least a quarter clearance between the boots and tubes. Also I didn't have to drop the starter either. Push those others off on someone and try to find a set of Flowtech's or something else specifically for you 3rd gen fire chicken.

 

Hey i got the headers from speed daddy, just like the block huggers in your example link. I dont want to mess with heat wrap because i love the way the stainless looks and its kind of a show car. The quality of these things is amazing but im just having the fitment issues...

 

The thing is, is from what i can tell (from pictures) these are exactly the same style as the flowtechs and summits. And id be much happier with these good looking stainless headers too. You have a camaro as well, and when it comes to model; i dont think it has anything to do with being for a 3rd gen, cuz these headers clear the cross member and everything else, i think i am having an issue with the heads on my motor. Its not a stock block that came in a 3rd gen so the heads are different im guessing? I still dont know for sure tho.

 

Hmm...I wonder if the ones they have listed now are actually the ones you have and they're just using a generic pic, or if they don't have any more third gen specific headers and are just selling those generic ones.

 

well theres your problem, you got headers for a stock 3rd gen setup, when you dont have that setup. 9 times out out 10 if its not a stock block, there not stock heads. the best thing you can do would be to get rid of the ones you have find out what heads you have and get a pair of matching shorty's, try and find the ones closest the the ones you have now for clearance purposes.

 

Im guessing they are generic block huggers up for sale now, cuz when i bought mine they had those to chose from too, but i thought id have more clearance issues with those than the shorties

 

They are stock heads, but im not sure if they are the same style heads that came on the 3rd gen 350s.

 

With a little visual now, what does everybody think? Will they work if i throw in some shorty plugs and get 90* boots?

 

Looks like no matter what, even the 90 deg boot will touch the header. Maybe you can get someone to make a 1 or 2 inch spacer to go in between the head and header. Beats trying to get others and try to sell them.

 

Yeh but thats with long *** factory plugs, im talkin 90* boots with shorty plugs

 

Shorty plugs should help.

The 1-1/2" primary tubes aren't going to be very 383-friendly.

 

Its just a mild 383 tho, and im gunna be running a full 2.5 inch exhaust; no cat

 

2.5" single, or duals?

 

I have used these on my setup for about 7 years now.

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/insul-boot.php

You'll see 'em in my pic below

Haven't had any issues since

 

Single into a single to 2 exhaust and then do duals out the back.

 

Gregzz4: What do those covers run for? and how close are your wires/boots to your headers?

 

if short plugs and 90* boots don't work I got a hammer you can barrow. Moroso also sells wire holders that keep the wires away from the headers.

 

When I bought 'em in '03 they were $62/set CDN.

I haven't measured as some of the boots actually rest against the tubes but the ignition wires don't.
They are slightly discolored from the heat and so on where they touch but they don't burn.
I even wash my engine bay sometimes and they come back to life as if they were cotton.
Look how close they are to my uncoated headers



Third Pic shows how I recommend you stuff the boot against the head. It completely protects the plug from becoming brittle due to exhaust heat

Yes that was an Edelbrock I have replaced, and yes, those are Air Horns, just in case someone 'upsets me'

 

By the way, if you do buy these boots, I leaned the hard way......

There's an expandable ring inside the top of them that you can spread open to slip 'em over your plug boots and then squish back after.

Look at my pics and see how tight they are to the wires @ the top

That's the ring

Jeez, I gotta get some ceramic headers !!!!!

 

It looks like your plugs are really long. Just get some shorter plugs and use the 90 degree boots and youll be fine. I dont think you'll even have to get "header" plugs. Just try some plugs for a different year 350 and see if there are shorter. Or try cross referenceing the plugs you have with others and see if they are the same part #.

 

those covers look like they are made of nomax or some other type of burn proof material

 

You dont think that that is too close? Im 17 and this is my first motor build so I dont really know what to think, id think that the headers would get cherry hot tho and I would think youd want to be at least an 1/8 of an inch away...

But like I said, I truely do not know...

 

Well first of all, have you fully bolted the headers on with the gaskets then see how close the plugs are to the tubes? Try that first if you haven't done that yet. They will be closer when the headers are just hanging on there with a coulple of bolts and no gaskets.

 

The picture is with the gasket in there; but its a cheapo gasket, im sure I could get a thicker better one that would hold it out a little bit but its not gunna make the difference of it working or not.

 

I agree that is too close.
My boots don't get that close, nevermind the plugs.

 

i have a set of dynomax shorties that i have yet to install,anyone have any tips on em?ive done plenty of header jobs just on cars where space wasnt a issue.
this is my daily driver so once i tear everything out & theres no goin back i gotta get it done relatively quick,even if its just running open headers for the time being.i have no exhaust or even a y-pipe on currently so a bit more noise isnt a big deal.i'm worried about where they are gonna dump though,dont need to cook my starter.
murphys law always gets me so i'm trying to eliminate as many variables as i can prior so less chances of being without transportation.looking at a header install it always seems easy,esp on land arks,but once you start things just dont go so great.ive had rear end swaps & full brake replacements go much easier than headers.

 

I found that Bosch 7985 are about a half inch shorter than my stock ac delco r45ts and they are under $2 each. I just didn't feel like spending the extra on shorty accell.