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Hooker Blackheart - no reducers - preferred way to connect?
Hey all,
My friend ended up going with a Hooker Blackheart setup for his LS3 swap into his 1st Gen. I noticed these headers have no built-in reducer with flange. Is there a preferred way for connecting these to an exhaust system? Are people mostly welding a ball/flange setup on these, using some sort of coupler, or another option? It's a shame because these are already ceramic coated, but if I have to grind to weld on a flange or coupler that will be a little let-down.
His exhaust is a 3" system and I believe his headers end in a 3" tube as well.
Great. I've used these before, but never at a header connection point. Didn't realize some companies were moving away from a gasketed or ball/socket joint at the header and relying on slip fittings now.
You can get those clamps at NAPA. But lately I've been using the narrow band clamps like they use on late model cars and trucks. NAPA has those also. I take my first piece of the exhaust pipe that attaches to the header down to the exhaust shop expand it just enough so it fits over the 3" collector. Then I put 4-5 3/4-1" long notches in the exhaust pipe so the band clamp can compress it down. I've never had a leak.
I do the same thing with the mufflers. The 3" exhaust pipe should fit inside the inlet end of the muffler. Notch the muffler inlet tube so the band clamp can compress the tubing. Then on the outlet side of the muffler expand the tail pipe so it fits over the outlet of the muffler. Notch the tailpipe so the band clamp compress the tail pipe tubing.
A little muffler paste will seal any tiny leaks.
Uhhh... don't you think it might be kinda neat to be able to disconnect the heasders from the rest of the system??
. . . I just meant the use of welded flanges, or butt-welding pipe further downstream. Is everyone just switching to slip couplers at every joint, or is anyone still butt-welding or using welded flanges? Obviously, I'm not just welding the headers to the rest of the system directly, hence the original question about what people are doing with headers that don't come with a flange on the reducer.
Great. I've used these before, but never at a header connection point. Didn't realize some companies were moving away from a gasketed or ball/socket joint at the header and relying on slip fittings now.
Guess I could still do that but with a slip clamp, and then weld some of the larger runs tonight with a disconnect point half-way.
I've never seen anyone use a flex joint on a header connection. I've used the lap/slip joints for years and never had a problem, They never have come loose and there are no gaskets to blow out.
Back in the day (we are talking 40 years ago) when I was a chev line tech we were the first in the area to get a muffler/pipe bending machine. We had training from the supplier rep. He told us unless it's a really long run to the muffler the first exhaust hanger should be at the back of the muffler. That gives some "flex" to the exhaust pipe after the exhaust manifold or header.
I've done the same thing in the pic above on a few hot rods as LLLosingit has done. Again zero failures. Now I just use the 1" wide clamps.
Because my hot rods aren't mega HP after the 3" collector I do weld the 3" to 2.5" reducer to the exhaust pipe.
I welded flanges on to my headers, reducing the 3" exit down to a 2.5" tube. At one point I did have flex pipes on the exhaust, I went through two sets before deleting them because of leaks.
You could weld up a reducer (in what ever size you need) to a 3" slip fit, slide that over the collector, and clamp it using the clamps show above in @LLLosingit 's post. That way you don't have to grind off the ceramic coat on your headers
My recommendation would be to use the Torca coupler clamps that the headers were designed to be used with (they are packaged with the related Hooker Blackheart exhaust systems that attach to the headers). They are the same clamps that have been used on OE exhaust systems for years now and you can purchase a 2-pack of these clamps right off of the Holley website as part number 41173HKR.
I welded flanges on to my headers, reducing the 3" exit down to a 2.5" tube. At one point I did have flex pipes on the exhaust, I went through two sets before deleting them because of leaks.
You could weld up a reducer (in what ever size you need) to a 3" slip fit, slide that over the collector, and clamp it using the clamps show above in @LLLosingit 's post. That way you don't have to grind off the ceramic coat on your headers
Were you using the braided stainless flex pipes? Are those the ones that eventually leaked for you?
Were you using the braided stainless flex pipes? Are those the ones that eventually leaked for you?
Whatever these are. They ended up being unnecessary as with hangers placed 3/4 of the way down, and then again at the mufflers and tips I have sufficient give to prevent cracking.
09-03-2022, 08:41 PM
Hooker Blackheart - no reducers - preferred way to connect? 
