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Unequal lengthed headers...

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Old 11-10-2004, 08:52 PM
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Default Unequal lengthed headers...

Whats the design purpose of the unequal lengthed headers sold for our motors?
ex. thorley's, arizona's. exc....

Never heard why, and thought I'd ask.

Kyle
Old 11-10-2004, 09:05 PM
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i always figured it was more in space that was the cause of the designs more than true performance. i mean the best performance with the space we have.
Old 11-10-2004, 10:24 PM
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So are all the long tube headers un-equal length? I've been wondering, because I've never seen them being advertised as equal length. That blows if they aren't.

I don't buy space as a valid excuse for not making them equal length. There's a lot more room on a truck than there is on most cars, yet they have equal lengths for them. I can't bring myself to spend $700+ on a set of non-equal length headers with bullshit, tiny *** collectors. I can't believe that as popular as our trucks are that they don't have something better/more affordable. I'm venting and rambling...sorry.
Old 11-10-2004, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by vanillagorilla

I don't buy space as a valid excuse for not making them equal length. There's a lot more room on a truck than there is on most cars, yet they have equal lengths for them. I can't bring myself to spend $700+ on a set of non-equal length headers with bullshit, tiny *** collectors. I can't believe that as popular as our trucks are that they don't have something better/more affordable. I'm venting and rambling...sorry.

I am not going to sink that kind of money into long tubes that I will have to modify with a 3 inch collecter. Yep I am giving up a few horsepower running shorties but I only paid 200 bucks for my Edelbrocks.
Old 11-10-2004, 10:31 PM
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i beleive that in a whole they are equal length. but they are designed differently from one side to the other
Old 11-10-2004, 10:37 PM
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Hey Denali, that's a good point! I never thought about variances from side to side. I just thought they were different from tube to tube on one side. Geez, that's crazy if they're all different. That can't be good.

I know equal length headers aren't totally equal lenght. Sometimes they're up to an 1" off, but looking at pictures it seems that the long tubes for us aren't even close. I would love to call all the manufactures and give them a piece of my mind.
Old 11-11-2004, 05:50 AM
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yes sir im with ya. not to harp on it. but i think space is a big factor in it. they have to design them with the cats in place to get all the BS certifications. on the asm's one set is sort a straight through down the past the frame. the other seems to dip down then go out. wonder if it is space or are the trying to equal flow due to the exhaust routing.
Old 11-11-2004, 06:54 AM
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From the factory, the cats aren't placed equally from the cast manifold. I wonder what the reasoning behind that is?
Old 11-11-2004, 08:23 AM
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If I recall right, TOG's or ASM's are definitely unequal length, but the primaries are different sizes to 'simulate' equal lenght header exhaust timing at the collector.

There is also the 'firing order' at the collector to think about. I think 180* is optimum, but it might be 90*.

Here is an article I posted way back... Kinda cool. Talks about all things in header design. You'll be interested to hear about the collector sizes.

http://www.ssheaders.com/header.htm
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