4.3 Headers

[GCash]

i thought there would be a bunch of these threads. but what's everyone running for headers, i got an 03 S10 4.3. I see on ebay there's those oxb headers, they any good, how's the coating hold up. but they say they only fit up to 01, i thought they were all the same unless theres different emissions crap.

[MINTSICK]

There are 1000's of threads about headers on here, not sure what you searched.

[GCash]

I just looked through the exhaust pages, there's only a few. but thats ok, i got a helpful pm with the response i was looking for.

[BlazerH/O]

I have heard personally from a few people who have installed the OBX, JBA, and Gibsons that "they are not worth the money and headache for the minimal power gains they felt". I have heard that the Edelbrock TES headers are nice because they include a new y-pipe as well, therefore a little better gains. Still not worth it in my opinion unless you have a forced induction 4.3L! or at the very least a very nice and aggressive Cam!

[bg's]

^^ What has been told to you is true. I have JBA's and
they are really only noticeable at higher RPM's.

[Toyota h8r]

i bought JBA headers for my s10 while ago and was the biggest waste of money ever!

all i did get was a different sound lol........biggest hp/tq gain was rippin the tbi 4.3 out and droppin a mild 350 in

[Solid10]

in my opinion, these 4.3s are not worth putting any headers on.
If you have a TBI 4.3, your heads suck. And your headers will only flow as well as your heads. And if you keep those stock heads, your stock manifolds will do fine.

Now if you have the "W" vortec motor, your heads flow great because they're vortec heads. Congrats. And once again-the stock manifolds are fine and headers are a waste of money and will just get on your damn nerves from having to re torque them every so often.


NOW.

If you want to throw in a cam, new heads, and THEN headers-be my guest.
Or you could just save all that cash, use your truck as a dependable daily driver, and buy you a damn motorcyle.

[GCash]

I'm not really after the headers for hp gains, i'm just want them for the looks, everything under my hood is hidden under the dash and the firewall is shaved and 2-toned, so when you open the hood all you see is motor. and the rusty ugly manifolds arn't really doin it for me. i guys my real question, what company has the best coating that'll hold up, i was told obx ones get discolorded after as short. we have a local ceramic coater i can take them too, do they have steel headers for my truck?

[s10v8drew]

yea i got a pair of obx headers on mine, and the exhaust tube on the #1 spark plug was touching each other, i had to dent the tube in halfway just to use them, sucks, but worthless if i didnt...

[Solid10]

Quote: Originally Posted by GCash

I'm not really after the headers for hp gains, i'm just want them for the looks, everything under my hood is hidden under the dash and the firewall is shaved and 2-toned, so when you open the hood all you see is motor. and the rusty ugly manifolds arn't really doin it for me. i guys my real question, what company has the best coating that'll hold up, i was told obx ones get discolorded after as short. we have a local ceramic coater i can take them too, do they have steel headers for my truck?

Looks huh? I hear a good bit about Edelbrock's Ti coating.
Would you be willing to wrap a pair of headers?
It would look kinda old school...but not rusty and it keeps the heat in...

Just don't get chrome like all the idiots around here, nobody likes hot chrome that turned into a rainbow...

[Toyota h8r]

Quote: Originally Posted by Solid10

Looks huh? I hear a good bit about Edelbrock's Ti coating.
Would you be willing to wrap a pair of headers?
It would look kinda old school...but not rusty and it keeps the heat in...

Just don't get chrome like all the idiots around here, nobody likes hot chrome that turned into a rainbow...

i had my chrome coated JBA's stripped and then ceramic coated grey.......


looked alright until i remembered how much i spent on headers that got me almost no hp

[Solid10]

Quote: Originally Posted by Toyota h8r

i had my chrome coated JBA's stripped and then ceramic coated grey.......


looked alright until i remembered how much i spent on headers that got me almost no hp

JBA's got you almost no power gains??

[Toyota h8r]

Quote: Originally Posted by Solid10

JBA's got you almost no power gains??

mind you it was a 89 TBI....not vortec motor, and yes the truck wasnt much faster....if any.


the motor ran out of breath stock at 4500rpm.......with headers on it it ran up to 4800rpm better

i put in a monte carlo 305 HO with a better cam and finally seen 1/4 mile times wort talking about hahahaha

[Solid10]

Quote: Originally Posted by Toyota h8r

mind you it was a 89 TBI....not vortec motor, and yes the truck wasnt much faster....if any.


the motor ran out of breath stock at 4500rpm.......with headers on it it ran up to 4800rpm better

i put in a monte carlo 305 HO with a better cam and finally seen 1/4 mile times wort talking about hahahaha

[Toyota h8r]

dont get me wrong........a well built 4.3L is awesome........but i found out TBI 4.3's suck lol........now a vortec on the other hand

[GCash]

I know most hearders are coated from the factory, can i pick up a set of raw headers for the 2nd gens? that way i can just have my local coater coat them for me. and it'll be cheaper buy them raw too.

[bg's]

The TBI version may not have a lot of power, but one has
to admit it's right up there for torque. I have a chip, headers,
a reworked TBI and free flowing exhaust and it goes ok
for what it is. It'll never be hot rod, but it gets me going
to where I'm heading..Now it's true a little more aggressive
cam and relieved reworked heads would help it a lot,
but trying to get it to pass smog here in Ca, would be
like pulling your upper lip over your gourd...It's not
going to be easy and surely a memorable pain in the
a**

[yz85608]

do they make any longtubes for the 4.3?

[12sws27]

Quote: Originally Posted by yz85608

do they make any longtubes for the 4.3?

Yes, but not for 2nd gens. They can be made work, it's just a PITA. Hedman and Hooker make some.

Gcash, if you're patient you can find good deals on eBay. I just lost out on a pair of brand new JBA titanium coated headers. These are close to $700 headers and they sold for $227. I keep hearing that all the coatings kinda suck. So getting them coated is the way to go. Look out for some used ones. They pop up all the time. Here's some headers that I just recently became aware of. I know nothing about the quility, but here's a link:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=DTE%2D362%2DC&N=7 00+4294923429+4294924666+4294908216+4294839039+429 4840129+115&autoview=sku
They're ceramic coated 14 gauge tubing with nice thick flanges and bolt up to your "Y" pipe. They're shiny too

[bg's]

Doug Thorley's are some of the best headers around. They've
been around a LONG time here in SoCal. I used to run a
sweet little header on one of my VW's from Thorley years
ago. It had a very distinctive sound and really did a great
job of scavenging exhaust gases.

[Solid10]

I never heard of Doug's headers before! I'll have to look into those when i get ready to swap to vortec heads on this 4.3

[Solid10]

Quote: Originally Posted by Toyota h8r

dont get me wrong........a well built 4.3L is awesome........but i found out TBI 4.3's suck lol........now a vortec on the other hand

I got a TBI i put exhaust-intake and shorter gears on and it'll spin tires when it snatches 2nd gear!
And it's an automatic
And if i'm not mistaken, my ZQ8 wheels are wider than stock.

I do envy those vortec heads though, just not the leaky FPRs and Spider injectors underneath the manifold!

[Skwerl]

i have a 4.3L and when it gets going it will break traction on second gear.

[GCash]

Quote: Originally Posted by 12sws27

Yes, but not for 2nd gens. They can be made work, it's just a PITA. Hedman and Hooker make some.

Gcash, if you're patient you can find good deals on eBay. I just lost out on a pair of brand new JBA titanium coated headers. These are close to $700 headers and they sold for $227. I keep hearing that all the coatings kinda suck. So getting them coated is the way to go. Look out for some used ones. They pop up all the time. Here's some headers that I just recently became aware of. I know nothing about the quility, but here's a link:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=DTE%2D362%2DC&N=7 00+4294923429+4294924666+4294908216+4294839039+429 4840129+115&autoview=sku
They're ceramic coated 14 gauge tubing with nice thick flanges and bolt up to your "Y" pipe. They're shiny too

i may have to look into a set of these, and i've been checkin ebay every now and then seeing if something pops up.

[12sws27]

Oh and BTW. Vortec heads or the way to go of course. But dont forget that the syclones and typhoons dont have vortec heads. They're far from slow. Non-vortec and vortec heads share the same exhaust ports.

[Solid10]

Quote: Originally Posted by 12sws27

Oh and BTW. Vortec heads or the way to go of course. But dont forget that the syclones and typhoons dont have vortec heads. They're far from slow. Non-vortec and vortec heads share the same exhaust ports.

I didn't know that thanks!

I figured since they were turbo'd that they'd have some crazy super mega wild heads with ports as big as my fist

[12sws27]

Quote: Originally Posted by Solid10

I didn't know that thanks!

I figured since they were turbo'd that they'd have some crazy super mega wild heads with ports as big as my fist

Them guys actually go through alotta work to get them to work with the syclone intakes. I seen adapters some where once. Apparently its a PITA but well worth it.

[Solid10]

adapters? Yeah sounds like a pita

[leadsled2020]

Quote: Originally Posted by 12sws27

Them guys actually go through alotta work to get them to work with the syclone intakes. I seen adapters some where once. Apparently its a PITA but well worth it.

actually you can send your lower intake to Race Proven Motors and they will port match it to a set of vortec heads and send the new built heads and the lower intake..... thats what i'm doing with mine right now.... i sent it two weeks ago.... they can have it for up to at least six weeks

[FCKNLOW]

headers dont even sound great on 4.3's they bring the raspyness of a 4.3 out...where as stock manifolds with exhaust doenst.

[leadsled2020]

Quote: Originally Posted by FCKNLOW

headers dont even sound great on 4.3's they bring the raspyness of a 4.3 out...where as stock manifolds with exhaust doenst.

most people who go through the trouble of puttin headers aren't looking for sound quality.... they are goin for upgraded performance

[12sws27]

Quote: Originally Posted by leadsled2020

most people who go through the trouble of puttin headers aren't looking for sound quality.... they are goin for upgraded performance

Exactly. I dont care much for what