Can I damage my engine by running open headers?
 

Can I damage my engine by running open headers?

Not likely.

As long as you dont do it for LONG, EXTENDED periods....If you do it every once in awile, it shouldnt hurt it..

valves?
 

i heard that it burn valves??? true?

Again not likely.
The only way you can ruin valves like that is if you run a really short huge pipe header. It happens when cold air or water hits the exhaust valve and warps, burns it up or damages it.
With any headers that you could run in a 3rd gen you will not have any problems

It will be fine. Guys have been doing it for 40 or 50 years now, since the small block chevy was invented.

if you are not careful though, you will float the valves

Please explain that one....

that is just what i have heard, i think it is due to the lack of backpressure. you have to have a little backpressure in order for the engine to function properly

Myth!!!:bs:

I could see floating the valves if you have no tach.....maybe not hear the motor truley due to exhaust noise.....

Re: Can I damage my engine by running open headers?
 

No, but it can be hard on the ears. . . :)

RBob.

1. the valve float myth you heard is outright stupid. lets pretend that it was true... so you're saying backpressure the kind that would push the valve OPEN is going to help it close?? think about it.


2. BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD! BACKPRESSURE = BAD!

there is zero need for backpressure.
valves dont need it
the engine doesnt need it
EGR doesnt need it.





now there IS a diff between exhaust gas velocity depending upon pipe size... a smaller pipe allows higher speed at low RPM, helping TQ... the size is smaller, but its NOT backpressure that helped the TQ.. its the more efficent pipe for the lower volume of air.


backpressure causes pumping loss... thats all it does.