What are the advantages/disadvantages of using one or the other? I know the turbo headers are way more expensive, but are they really worth it? They look bad ***, that's for sure!!

 

Headers:
-Bling
-Keeping A/C
-Better routing options for pipes

Manifolds:
-Cheap
-Work to well in the 7's
-Cheap
-Sturdy
-Cheap

Did I mention the maifolds were cheap.

 

Not sure if Josh mentioned it but the manifolds are Cheap.

But in all seriousness they are proven to work well and car have run very impressive number. But the Turbo headers allow you to control where the outlets are and can work with keeping factory accesories in stock locations

 

IMHO because the gases get bottled up at the rather small entrance to the turbo the advantages of flow from headers is negated. Heat retention with the cast manifolds is better too. Also they're pretty cheap.

 

but with header style you can choose the length and placement of the primary tubes as they go into the turbo itself. If you are running a single turbo with a Y pipe then it doesn't matter as much as if you were running twin turbos. There are theroies out there as to how the pulse of each tube and placement in the flange effects how the turbine spins and its efficiancy. And the motor is still an air pump so primary lengths do still play a part. but it is up to you what you are looking for for power, cost, looks, etc. That will determine what you run. Just my $.02

 

Cast FTW, only things moved in my goat were the radiator, and battery.

 

But you also need to remember that to help spool you want to keep the temps in AND keep velocity of the exhaust gas up. So a large tube header will actuall hurt spool on a turbo car. This is why guys like Fireball and Phill only have 1 5/8 primaries and 2.5 cross over pipes feeding a T6 106mm turbo

 

Headers have the ability to help with spool time if properly designed, length can be a tuning tool to help the driver stage a slightly tighter converter or larger AR than the manifold deal. That being said the manifolds are cheap and work well.

Kurt

 

turbo headers are nice but that it imo

 

I have an 85 Truck that I am building w/o AC or power steering so accessories don't matter. I should have plenty of room for routing. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't short changing myself.

 

u can also go with a log

 

josh what the cost on turbo headers now days

 

actually 1 3/4 primaries...want to at least match the exhaust ports...

 

yes but in your case you are flowing way more CFM through your motor than most of us. Everything must be matched in any system for it to work well

 

I had a set of tubular headers I made for the 5.3 in my Nova. I took the engine out and put in my TA with manifolds... spooled 500rpms sooner and lost nothing on the top end.

 

Kind of hard to see in the cell phone pics but you can keep A/C, acc's in stock location and have all the piping over the k-member with manifolds if you have a tubular k-member...which can be bought with the money saved by not buying/making headers....it also offsets some of the weight.
Oh, nobody mentioned manifolds are cheap...that's another bonus.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...turbo-kit.html

 

Spool is going to be better on a 6.0 compared to a 5.3

 

For a big motor 427"+ we've had good luck with 1 3/4" and a 2.5" crossover. These would work on a smaller motor but I think there could be some gains to be seen with smaller tubes that would keep the velocity of the airflow higher closer matching what we're seeing now. You need a header that does not shroud the exhaust port, most of the exhaust ports are 1.6 x 1.4 for most of the street heads so a 1 5/8" would work without shrouding the port.

If I were to build 1 5/8" headers, I would open up the hole on the exhaust flange and have the ends of the tubes flared just slightly larger so its got a taper. Sure its a path less traveled but I think there are gains to be had on the smaller motors.

Just a few years ago it was not uncommon to see 1 5/8" headers on a 350" motor but the market wanted more horsepower and 1 3/4" came to be popular but on most of the dynos, the 1 5/8" showed the same or more torque at a lower RPM(600-800). The turbo will take care of the top end, fix the bottom end power curve and it should rock.

 

I have a set of both so you can come check them out if you want. Just hit me up on rwhp.us

 

I agree with what everyone has said. I personally plan on using the truck manifolds because they are cheap and WELL within my power goals LOL