Open Headers?

[M-Ten]

Can running open headers burn up your valves? My friend told me it would, but then the guy who installed my headers today said that's not true and I wouldn't have any issues it would just be really loud.

Reason I'm asking is because I had to drive home from the exhaust shop like this, and I'm not gonna be driving it at all until I get the rest of the exhaust on tomorrow, simply because it was really loud and the ride was really rough.

But I was just want to know who was right

[arenateam]

hmm.. wish i knew.

[red99ws6]

i would like to know the same thing. seems like everyone has a definate answer on this one but i keep hearing it will hurt and then it wont so who really knows

[Sarge]

Nah....you lose some torque...what he is talking about ( half informed) is a air leak around your exhaust manifold or a total lack of back pressure on the exhuast side will reduce the exhuast ability to evacuate...thus burning a valve from the extreme heat .....so no...open long tube headers will not burn up your valves....now shorties or just open exhaust manifold will build up tremendous heat due the lack of evacuation......but if we are talking long tubes (=evacuation) I wouldnt drive across the country that way...but for a few hours...nope...wont hurt anything.

[0rion]

Nah....you lose some torque...what he is talking about ( half informed) is a air leak around your exhaust manifold or a total lack of back pressure on the exhuast side will reduce the exhuast ability to evacuate...thus burning a valve from the extreme heat .....so no...open long tube headers will not burn up your valves....now shorties or just open exhaust manifold will build up tremendous heat due the lack of evacuation......but if we are talking long tubes (=evacuation) I wouldnt drive across the country that way...but for a few hours...nope...wont hurt anything.

the old man speaks the truth.

[M-Ten]

Is it normal for the car ride really rough? I didn't get on it at all... but it even seemed a little sluggish too, like I was pressing the gas down a little farther as I was going through gears.. I never got above ~1300 because I was driving through the city and it was loud, but to me it didn't feel right.

[Sarge]

You experianced why I tell these kids not to use cut outs. Open exhaust=no torque.

[M-Ten]

Oh ok that's what I was thinking, but I wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong..

[SandmanWs7]

I have a cut out...and sometimes at idle the car will be sitting at a cool 900 rpm then it goes all the way down to like 400prm or it will shut off. Is it the cut out being open. I have yet to close it since I put it on.

[01ws6er]

You experianced why I tell these kids not to use cut outs. Open exhaust=no torque.

Ah, thank you for verifying what I keep telling a friend! He is getting LT's and wants to just get tubing put in up to the axle, and then dumps with no mufflers. I keep telling him that his torque will be adversely affected, and that it will just be loud. But some guy he knows (that is a general mechanic) tells him that it the best way to avoid cost, and it'll add HP and torque. I told him that the guy is a retard, and to go ask any exhaust shop, and they'll tell him. Some people lol.

[Mr. Luos]

Ah, thank you for verifying what I keep telling a friend! He is getting LT's and wants to just get tubing put in up to the axle, and then dumps with no mufflers.

That sounds like true duals with dumps.
If the pipes go back a few feet, it will be a good gain.
Some kind of muffler would be a good thing though.

[01ws6er]

That sounds like true duals with dumps.
If the pipes go back a few feet, it will be a good gain.
Some kind of muffler would be a good thing though.

Wow, good to know! Its kind of like attenuation on a wire or peice of cable? (attenuation = loss/ distance) I know mufflers provide back pressure, which in turn helps build torque...without getting into it too much... and I just figured that with no mufflers, it'll just be ridiculously loud, and he'd lose torque. Thanks.

[Mr. Luos]

It would be loud.
Even dumped duals with mufflers are loud. Mostly because you can't fit much other than a bullet style muffler under the car.

[grouch0jr]

would putting a cut out after the y-pipe cause any significant loss in torque?

[Justin23454]

would putting a cut out after the y-pipe cause any significant loss in torque?

I wouldnt mind knowing, thats where mine (I pipe) is and i just installed my LT headers. Also, if I close it up, will that reduce rasp at higher RPM? Ill just try.

[hutch1999]

good info in this thread, I to was told by every know it all around here that I would burn up a valve running a straight pipe without a mufler.

[Justin23454]

Oh, I closed my CUTOUT and the RASP stopped. It doesnt sound as mean while idle or while getting on it, but not rasp at higher RPM, so I guess I need to look for an electric cutout so I can close it when going HIGH RPM.

[grouch0jr]

Oh, I closed my CUTOUT and the RASP stopped. It doesnt sound as mean while idle or while getting on it, but not rasp at higher RPM, so I guess I need to look for an electric cutout so I can close it when going HIGH RPM.

could you feel a performance difference?

[Justin23454]

I couldnt run it hard it was raining, but Ill tell tomorrow.

[35thAnniZ28]

i drove home open headers on the way back from the installation...noticed the needle went down a 1.2 of a quarter..(it was atleast 20 miles away)