Thread: upright headers bending valves

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Hello there I have upright headers on my mud drag pickup. It is 50 degrees outside right now. I heard that if it is too cold outside I could possible bend a valve or something with open headers is there any truth to that.

It is possible. Not as often as you think it could be. We always built a tennis ball set up with a chain attachment to it so it could easily be installed or removed at the track on short style Zoomies. The Funny Car had insulated pipes so it wasn't a threat to our valves. How big is the inside pipng on your exhaust? Yes, cool air can hit the "Tulip" and cause a slight bend, just not as often as most people think because of rapid heat tranference and good metal technology in the valves themselves.

What is the purpose of the tennis ball thing? I just always assumed to keep dirt out of the engine.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

What is the purpose of the tennis ball thing? I just always assumed to keep dirt out of the engine.

Don

you dip the tennis balls in gas and shoot them out i think it just keep rain/ dirt . birds and small rodents out???? my dad did that on his hilborn

Denny, Pat....don't you see?....when your in staging and things get slow, it gives you some target pratice! We are dumb, but yet we are no so dumb.

Seriously, if he can find a fabricator to build an aluminum cap to place over the headers, it will ease his mind of cool air bending the exhaust valves. By the way, have you ever built and played with a potatoe gun? It's is so much fun, it's better than s**.

Allegedly the balls in the tubes will retain enough heat on the valves to keep them from warping....

never ask a Irishmen if he has a potatoe gun

Sorry Pat, I wasn't thinking

what about tractor rain caps??? those would look pretty stupid, but be pretty neat all at the same time LOL

what about tractor rain caps??? those would look pretty stupid, but be pretty neat all at the same time LOL

Hee-hee! That would look ? ? ? silly?, funny?, wild?? Eight little "birds" all flappin' to the tune of a lumpity cam.

Originally Posted by Matt167

what about tractor rain caps??? those would look pretty stupid, but be pretty neat all at the same time LOL

Are you sure you are from NY.
That sounds more like a "hillbilly" thing.

actually. I was thinking of the episode of Monster Garage where they took the Chevy Impala ( newer, late 90's ), stuffed a SBC into it, and turned it ito a Zamboni. the exhaust came thru the hood, and used tractor rain caps. now it was pretty funny, but I wouldn't do it myself.