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Of Headers and Manifolds...

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Nunyas

Nunyas

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So, I've subscribed to a new forum due to the new wheels. However, I'm finding out as I read the forum that a large portion of the forum members that own the same car as I do are first time car owners, haven't been around cars for very long, or mod'ing cars for a very long time. This normally isn't a problem for me. I like to share my knowledge with all who will listen, and I like to absorb others knowledge when they want to share it.

So, for the past couple of weeks, I've been reading their forum posts about this after market item or that after market item, and making a couple of comments here and there.

So yesterday, I find a thread about an exhaust system. The poster (who is not a "vendor") called the exhaust system "header back". After seeing about 50 posts, another member and myself had to ask what the others meant by "header back". At that point, I got a couple of "lol... how can a car not have a header" responses, which prompted me to make a post explaining the difference between an exhaust manifold and a header.

I just couldn't take the "lol look at the newb" explanations without giving them a correctional, civilized, and educational response with regards to correct use of terminologies. Especially, when there's a good chance that I've been working on cars longer than some of them have been alive.

So... I decided to throw a poll up here to see if what ya'll think of the two terms...
 
d'oh! I guess I should have paid attention to the start time of the poll before I posted my thread! lol
 
heh... "What's a henwway?" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
IMHO - header back is referring to replacment of the exhaust after the exhaust manifold all the way back with a free flow system (and one of em M80 flufflers meebee sum neons).

Exhaust manifold = header = not replaced
 
My personal definition of a header would make that tough. You’d wind up missing about a foot or two of pipe. Hey Rob, you can always send them to Wikipedia, they have examples of each. manifold vs header
 
Theoretically, I suppose they are the same, but I voted that they are distinct in how the terms are generally used. That doesn't mean that an OE style manifold can't be a header. The late TR4A's and I guess some of the TR6 manifolds from the factory could definetly be called a header due to their design. The same applies to my Miata. One look at that, and the average car guy would call it a header.
 
The factory MGB exhaust manifold when atached to the head pipe theoretically becomes a 'header'....
 
Art said:
The same applies to my Miata. One look at that, and the average car guy would call it a header.
Click to expand...

Same with 105 series Alfa manifolds. Cast iron but flow pretty well. Two seperate two-into-one castings.

I voted to keep 'em seperate also, but imagine a "header" can be considered a manifold (in the purest definition).
 
DrEntropy said:
Art said:
The same applies to my Miata. One look at that, and the average car guy would call it a header.
Click to expand...

Same with 105 series Alfa manifolds. Cast iron but flow pretty well. Two seperate two-into-one castings.

I voted to keep 'em seperate also, but imagine a "header" can be considered a manifold (in the purest definition).
Click to expand...

So what is an extractor??
 
Blast-n-dam... Now we muddy th' water even MORE! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
 
SteveL said:
So what is an extractor??
Click to expand...

WHOA! Flashback to my VW days!
 
TR6BILL is an "extractor" with regularity, I'm sure. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif


...as is that "Grabit" thingie th' TeeVee says will be the best twenty bucks I ever put in my toolbox...
 
off on a tangent, but I'll add that a lot of "car" forums are full of guys who seem to delight in making fun of other guys. And they don't seem to know much about their cars, fer shure fer shure.

T.
 
Much unlike us, here. WE make fun of our "other guys" (mostly eachother) all-a time and know a LOT about our cars. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif


...wouldn't change it for th' world. I love you guys! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
my sentiments exactly!
 
GB1 said:
IMHO - header back is referring to replacment of the exhaust after the exhaust manifold all the way back with a free flow system (and one of em M80 flufflers meebee sum neons).

Exhaust manifold = header = not replaced
Click to expand...
Thing is, if I were to go to Moss Motors and order the Pico "header back" exhaust system I would not expect it to bolt up to the stock manifold. I would expect to have to create my own down pipe, or install a header to make it fit.

Where if I got one of the 'manifold back' systems I would expect it to bolt right up to the stock manifold.

doc... what's with all this love stuff you're talking about... someone put something in your water of summfin? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
 
Doc - get your hands of off me /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

I have a younger friend who has a modified 944t, and calls the stock manifold a header (think it is a younger thing ~ sounds cooler) even if it is incorrect in my book.

Yes it is true alot of great friends here /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
GB1 said:
I have a younger friend who has a modified 944t, and calls the stock manifold a header (think it is a younger thing ~ sounds cooler) even if it is incorrect in my book.
Click to expand...
I think you're on to something there... The first time I encountered some one trying to talk to me about exhausts they were calling my MGB exhaust manifold a header too, and they were 'younger' as well. He wasn't really a 'car guy' so I chalked it up to him not knowing the diff...
 
Nunyas said:
GB1 said:
IMHO - header back is referring to replacment of the exhaust after the exhaust manifold all the way back with a free flow system (and one of em M80 flufflers meebee sum neons).

Exhaust manifold = header = not replaced
Click to expand...
Thing is, if I were to go to Moss Motors and order the Pico "header back" exhaust system I would not expect it to bolt up to the stock manifold. I would expect to have to create my own down pipe, or install a header to make it fit.

Where if I got one of the 'manifold back' systems I would expect it to bolt right up to the stock manifold.

doc... what's with all this love stuff you're talking about... someone put something in your water of summfin? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
Click to expand...
I have a new Peco header in inventory along with a couple of very goud used 3-into-1 headers; plus several OE manifolds.
 
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