What fluids and filters? (re-named!!)

[500hp_440]

What should I run in my charger? Its a 440 pushing 500hp someone told me that makes a differnece in my filter so does it?
Whats the best engine coolant, motor oil, oil filter, transmition fluid, fuel filter, and what ever I missed?
i'm currently running trick shift transmtion fluid, 10w-40 synthetic Penzoil, and a fram tough gaurd, is that bad? I'm going to change the oild before I test drive it becaus of all the crud I stired up, so what should I put it next time?

used to be-
i have a 69 charger with a 440 pushing 500hp, i was talking to don (he built the challenger for fast and furious) and he said i shouldn't use them i should put my stock manifolds back on but to do it i have to sawzall my passanger side header (can not get it off with out pulling out the engine) but i don't like that idea (back pressure and all) but should i keep my headers and wrap them with something or wrap my spark plugs (if i should then what should i use) i don't like the fabric exhaust wrap looks crappy, so any ideas, or suggestions would my much appreciated
thanks!

[mikesbbody]

Ryan, this is one of those "personal choice" questions. Myself i prefer headers as you know they breathe better and since your going for a performance build, id say stick with your headers Both have their pro's and con's like you said manifolds look ugly (i have to agree with you  ) but headers can leak from time to time. Wrapping them? i have never done it a good ceramic coating is good enough imo.
I have not heard of the plugs being wrapped.

[firefighter3931]

Get a set of ceramic coated TTI's....no leaks, no header wrap and no burnt plug wires. They're worth every penny ! 


Ron

[Silver R/T]

Get a set of ceramic coated TTI's....no leaks, no header wrap, no leaks and no burnt plug wires. They're worth every penny ! 


Ron

what he said

[69bronzeT5]

but to do it i have to sawzall my passanger side header (can not get it off with out pulling out the engine)

DO NOT do that. 

[bordin34]

I have headers, I like them but the are the biggest PITA in the world when you have to change spark plugs. Mine also burnt my wires so I had to make my own heat shields. Mine came with them so I'm not switching but they really are a pain, you have to slow down a lot when pulling into places and all that stuff. And they rust and the collector bolts get rusted stuck.

[500hp_440]

I have headers, I like them but the are the biggest PITA in the world when you have to change spark plugs. Mine also burnt my wires so I had to make my own heat shields. Mine came with them so I'm not switching but they really are a pain, you have to slow down a lot when pulling into places and all that stuff. And they rust and the collector bolts get rusted stuck.

i need to show u a pic of mine, i can barely get 4 plugs in it and only 2 bolts go in easy, the others in have to use and open wrench and 1/8 at a time

[Rolling_Thunder]

Get a set of ceramic coated TTI's....no leaks, no header wrap and no burnt plug wires. They're worth every penny ! 


Ron

except when they dont fit and require denting tubes...     

[Ghoste]

Wrapping them is an old drag racer trick that just helps them rust quicker on the street and even though I think headers look great underhood, wrapped ones always seem to look dirty.  Just do what Ron said.
If the cost of new TTI's is more than you can bear, keep the ones you have.  There are some drawbacks to headers but the performance and sound are worth it. 

[Hemidog]

Get a set of ceramic coated TTI's....no leaks, no header wrap and no burnt plug wires. They're worth every penny ! 


Ron

except when they dont fit and require denting tubes...     

I had to grind down my idler arm to be able too steer, and cut a bit of the tranny pan to make them fit.
Still, best headers I've ever bought. 

[defiance]

Well, there are really probably 4 distinct paths you can take, each with advantages/disadvantages:

-Manifolds

Advantages: looks stock.  No leakage worries.  No worries about rusting.  Last forever.  Cheap.

Disadvantages: MAJOR flow (power) restriction.  Looks ugly(no matter how well you finish, they'll be rust in no time).  More in the way of spark plugs than any headers I've seen.

-Inexpensive headers

Advantages: not really expensive.  From your dscription, you probably already have some, so this path is basically free.  At similar sizes, performance almost as good as expensive headers. 

Disadvantages: They will rust.  Inexpensive headers without any coating will probably last several years, but with the intense temperature changes they're put through, if they're not coated (and I don't mean painted), they will start rusting through in a couple years - sometimes less, sometimes more, but sometime.  Also, some people report that inexpensive headers have thin manifold flanges that tend to warp, thus giving you exhaust leaks.  Finally, this path dumps the absolute most heat into your engine compartment.  Spark plug wires can be routed around them, but remember that intake air temperature translates into power.  The cooler your intake air, the more power you get.  So the more heat your headers dump into the engine compartment, the more power you lose.

-wrapped headers
Advantages: Again, superb flow, but with nearly as little heat dumped into the engine compartment as manifolds.  Best of both worlds, right??

Disadvantages: Only for a VERY short time.  They'll rust QUICK like this.  We're talking less than a year in many cases.  That's why header manufacturers void warranties the second you put wrap on them.  It's great if you're using super-cheap headers on a drag car and will be changing them out regularly, but I'm betting you probably don't want to have your engine out for the annual header swap, so stay away from wrap!


-nice coated headers

Advantages: Again, superb flow, but with nearly as little heat dumped into the engine compartment as manifolds.  The coating does much the same job as the wrap, cooling the engine compartment - but instead of acting as a rust accellerant, it acts as a rust *inhibitor* - so life is also extended.  They still can rust, so they're not nearly as eternal as a cast-iron manifold, but I've seen reports of people having coated headers for 10 years and still looking good.  Finally, most headers require "dinging" to get them to fit around starters, steering components, etc; the more expensive ones are reportedly more easy to get to fit. 

Disadvantages: expensive.  TTI's have kinda set the benchmark here, and they're around $800 a set.  I personally went for a little less expensive set, ceramic coated hedmanns, and they were 300-something for the set.  I've not got it in the car yet, so I expect I'll have to do some dinging, but I'm hoping it will be minimal.


So that's what your choices really come down to, IMO.  I think the cost of nice coated headers is justified, and the performance advantages of headers as compared to the highly restrictive manifolds justifies the expense and comparative risk of deterioration that come with headers, but if you absolutely never want any chance of having to replace them, manifolds are your only real choice.

[Foreman72]

hedman headers will void the warranty if u wrap ur headers...just as a heads up...

[Steve P.]

Many times when you use aftermarket parts you have to make some room or move something a bit. One of the biggest problems with headers IS burning plug wires. The TTI's have a great track record and only a few I have heard of have any trouble with them. The second big complaint I hear about headers is that they rub steering components. In most of these cases a set of new motor mounts are needed. Sometimes they even need to be shimmed.

Nothing is 100% perfect when removing a factory part on a 40 plus year old car. Going to 99% of aftermarket parts means doing your homework and being ready to make some changes.

These cars make most hobbyists into great fabricators...

[500hp_440]

thanks 

[flyinlow]

Whats a header warranty?

[Foreman72]

Whats a header warranty?

right off of their PDF catalog
Warranty
Hedman Manufacturing guarantees each new Hedman Street Hedder to be free from defects in materials and workmanship, including tube cracks
and welds. Should a part become defective it should be returned to the original selling dealer and MUST BE accompanied with the sales receipt
and Hedman Guarantee Certificate.
If there is no dealer in your area, call the factory for a return authorization and return your defective part PREPAID to the factory for inspection.
HEDMAN MANUFACTURING reserves the right under the provisions of this Guarantee to replace or repair the alleged defective part and return
said part freight collect. This guarantee covers the replacement/repair of the product only and DOES NOT cover the cost of removal and installation
or customer applied aftermarket coatings.
Damage or defects resulting from collision, improper installation, off-road use, road hazards, the use of exhaust insulating wrap or like products
or RUST occurring after installation, IS NOT covered by the guarantee. This guarantee extends only to the original purchaser.

Heatwrap Info
Hedman does not recommend these products to be used
on any of our hedders because they are designed to hold
extreme engine temperatures inside the hedder. By doing
so, cool air is not allowed to circulate around the external
surface of the tubular construction. Thus the internal
temperatures reach almost molten stages causing the
hedder to become highly fatigued, which will cause tubing
to crystallize and crack, blowing out sections of tubing.
Thermal wrapping will destroy your hedders, and
void your warranty!
If under hood temperatures are an issue, we recommend
using Hedman's HTC Thermal Barrier Coating. Our
coating is applied to the outside of the hedders. It is
corrosion and heat resistant up to 1400°F, and will reduce
underhood temperatures. Holding exhaust temperatures
inside the hedder increases the exhaust gas velocity
producing more horsepower.

[4aThrill]

Wrapping them is an old drag racer trick that just helps them rust quicker on the street and even though I think headers look great underhood, wrapped ones always seem to look dirty.  Just do what Ron said.
If the cost of new TTI's is more than you can bear, keep the ones you have.  There are some drawbacks to headers but the performance and sound are worth it. 

Header wrapping will cut your header life by half, itching as hell  so have fun changing spark plugs. been there done that 

[500hp_440]

Wrapping them is an old drag racer trick that just helps them rust quicker on the street and even though I think headers look great underhood, wrapped ones always seem to look dirty.  Just do what Ron said.
If the cost of new TTI's is more than you can bear, keep the ones you have.  There are some drawbacks to headers but the performance and sound are worth it. 

Header wrapping will cut your header life by half, itching as hell  so have fun changing spark plugs. been there done that 

$60 for wires and 1.5 hours, and $15 for plugs that 4 i can bearly reach, it they melt my plugs im trashing them

[Runner]

 i dont mind headers. some of the plugs can be a little tough, a starter might take a little longer to install but that stuff doesnt bother me. i typically dont have problems with plug wires unless i route one incorrectly.   you can always buy wire boots to protect the close ones.   

[4aThrill]

i dont mind headers. some of the plugs can be a little tough, a starter might take a little longer to install but that stuff doesnt bother me. i typically dont have problems with plug wires unless i route one incorrectly.   you can always buy wire boots to protect the close ones.   

the wire boots work great but they do cost alittle though but it's better than buying new wires 

[CB]

Well, there are really probably 4 distinct paths you can take, each with advantages/disadvantages:

-Manifolds

Advantages: looks stock.  No leakage worries.  No worries about rusting.  Last forever.  Cheap.

Disadvantages: MAJOR flow (power) restriction.  Looks ugly(no matter how well you finish, they'll be rust in no time).  More in the way of spark plugs than any headers I've seen.

-Inexpensive headers

Advantages: not really expensive.  From your description, you probably already have some, so this path is basically free.  At similar sizes, performance almost as good as expensive headers. 

Disadvantages: They will rust.  Inexpensive headers without any coating will probably last several years, but with the intense temperature changes they're put through, if they're not coated (and I don't mean painted), they will start rusting through in a couple years - sometimes less, sometimes more, but sometime.  Also, some people report that inexpensive headers have thin manifold flanges that tend to warp, thus giving you exhaust leaks.  Finally, this path dumps the absolute most heat into your engine compartment.  Spark plug wires can be routed around them, but remember that intake air temperature translates into power.  The cooler your intake air, the more power you get.  So the more heat your headers dump into the engine compartment, the more power you lose.

-wrapped headers
Advantages: Again, superb flow, but with nearly as little heat dumped into the engine compartment as manifolds.  Best of both worlds, right??

Disadvantages: Only for a VERY short time.  They'll rust QUICK like this.  We're talking less than a year in many cases.  That's why header manufacturers void warranties the second you put wrap on them.  It's great if you're using super-cheap headers on a drag car and will be changing them out regularly, but I'm betting you probably don't want to have your engine out for the annual header swap, so stay away from wrap!


-nice coated headers

Advantages: Again, superb flow, but with nearly as little heat dumped into the engine compartment as manifolds.  The coating does much the same job as the wrap, cooling the engine compartment - but instead of acting as a rust accellerant, it acts as a rust *inhibitor* - so life is also extended.  They still can rust, so they're not nearly as eternal as a cast-iron manifold, but I've seen reports of people having coated headers for 10 years and still looking good.  Finally, most headers require "dinging" to get them to fit around starters, steering components, etc; the more expensive ones are reportedly more easy to get to fit. 

Disadvantages: expensive.  TTI's have kinda set the benchmark here, and they're around $800 a set.  I personally went for a little less expensive set, ceramic coated hedmanns, and they were 300-something for the set.  I've not got it in the car yet, so I expect I'll have to do some dinging, but I'm hoping it will be minimal.


So that's what your choices really come down to, IMO.  I think the cost of nice coated headers is justified, and the performance advantages of headers as compared to the highly restrictive manifolds justifies the expense and comparative risk of deterioration that come with headers, but if you absolutely never want any chance of having to replace them, manifolds are your only real choice.

thanks for the résumé
CB

[Belgium R/T -68]

My experience with cheaper headers is also that they are almost always touching the ground or are lower, especially with E-bodys.

[Foreman72]

hey instead of starting an entirely new thread, i'm also looking for peoples thoughts on the new title of this thread...