Thread: my engine swap

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Originally Posted by jyardgirl

will see about one today or tomorrow.

Yes please...Sounds good..

okay guys. got the bar leak tablets and was ready to go with the instructions. my neighbor stopped me and told me that i can not run my engine for 15 minutes because my headers are not hooked to my exhaust. that it would ruin my seals. is that true?

I hear that from time to time, but I think it is one of those urban myths. Look at all the cars running around with open headers all the time (my old 23 and my 27, from time to time) I've heard burned valves too, but I think that is in the same category. We'll see what some of the others say though.

Don

He probably just didn't want to listen to the noise. I don't see a problem, someone else might have a different answer.

Barb,

It depends on how long your headers are. Long tube headers are fine but if you are running the shorty headers that are not much longer than a stock exhaust manifold, the issue is when you shut it off. The cold/cool air coming back into the headers could warp a vlave. The long tube headers will heat the air before it reaches the valves.

At least that is what I was always told. I have had brand new engines with long tube headers run for over an hour on first fire up and never had an issue.

I agree with NTFDAY, your neighbor just does not want to hear it. But you have to live next to them. Do you really want to make them mad?

my neighbor does not mind at all. he loves the sound of my engine. i am running short hugger headers.

I wouldn't worry about it Barb. Even short headers or open manifolds will prevent cool air from warping a valve, I've done it for years on a multitude of engine and never had a problem. Where I have seen parped valves is running an engine with no manifolds of headers. In that case the valves ARE exposed directly to cool air when the engine is shut down.

See Barb, everyone has done it different and has had no issues.

The only other problem that might come up is the heat and sometimes fire that comes out of the headers burning something.

Fire that puppy up, Barb. Tons of us have done exactly what you want to do with no problems.

Don

I can't even think how many times I've run an engine with or without headers long tube and short. In over 40 years I've never had an engine related problem.

Yep did the same on all my rebuilds.

Maybe your neighbor was talking about the seals in your ears. Those will be ringing for a while.

Don

thanks guys will do so first thing in the morning. being sunday i will wait until everyone goes to work tomorrow.

I wouldn't run a motor with no manifold or header at all, but if you have shortys on there, holler "FIRE IN THE HOLE" and light 'er off.

thanks tech