Exhaust headers enhance the performance of cars with 4-cylinder engines. They replace the exhaust manifold and reduce the backpressure in the exhaust system. Exhaust headers enable the engine to expel gases faster and make room for new air-fuel mix.
There are several types of exhaust headers available on the market. They differ in several ways, so it’s vital to select headers that fit your car and deliver the performance you want while staying within your budget.
The 4-into-1 header is the most prevalent exhaust header type. It’s named after the four primary tubes that combine into a single tube called a collector.
Each primary tube carries exhaust gases from one of the engine’s cylinders. The tubes deliver the gases to the collector for mixing before entering the exhaust system.
While an exhaust manifold mixes the exhaust gases as soon as they enter it, the 4-into-1 header keeps the gases separate until they reach the collector. By combining the gases right before they enter the exhaust system, the header prevents hot gases from returning to the engine.
One of the two main variants of the 4-in-1 header, the long-tube header takes the original layout to the next level with longer primary tubes. Intended to mix the exhaust gases from each cylinder in the right order, the extended primary tubes also prevent the gases from returning to the engine via one of the pipes.
Thanks to its improvements, the long-tube header generates more horsepower and torque than the exhaust manifold, especially when the engine runs at low and mid-level RPM. Since street-legal vehicles generally stay within the low-to-middle-RPM ranges, they can benefit from the long-tube’s performance gains as much as racing cars do from the higher ranges.
Unfortunately, long-tube headers are physically incompatible with the stock exhaust system found in most vehicles. Their longer primary tubes prevent you from bolting them to a factory-issue mid-pipe.
If you plan to install a long-tube header, you’ll need an exhaust kit with a mid-pipe of appropriate length to keep the exhaust length consistent. You’ll also need to tune the engine to get the best use out of the exhaust header.
The other common 4-into-1 header variant is the shorty header. As its name indicates, the shorty’s primary tubes and collector pipes are shorter than the ones used by other exhaust header types.
Thanks to its shortened tubing, the shorty header occupies less space than other types of exhaust headers. The typical shorty is roughly as big as the stock exhaust manifold in most vars.
Its compact size enables the shorty header to fit in engine bays that are too cramped for a bigger long-tube header. Additionally, many shorties can use the same bolt holes and mid-pipes as the exhaust manifold. You can install the shorty header directly in the same spot that the manifold occupies in a stock vehicle.
With a shorty header, you don’t need to modify the engine bay or spend extra on an exhaust kit with a suitable mid-pipe. You’ll also have an easier time removing the shorty and restoring the old exhaust manifold. There’s also no need to tune the engine to work with the shorty header, making it appealing to the daily driver who wants a little more oomph in their ride.
A shorty header doesn’t produce as much power as a full-length or long-tube header. However, it can still deliver more power and torque than the exhaust manifold, especially in the mid-RPM range. The shorty can also provide significant power gains at higher RPM.
The block hugger header is another compact version of the 4-into-1 header. Instead of shortening the primary tubes like the shorty header does, the block hugger reduces its size by using a slender header package that hugs the engine block.
First appearing during the early days of hot rodding, block hugger headers enjoyed a renaissance in modern times because they lent themselves well to engine swapping practices.
Block hugger headers pay for their compact size in a couple of ways. First, they sacrifice some performance, generating less horsepower and torque. Second, you might need to alter or move engine parts and accessories, such as brackets and motor mounts.
Many block hugger headers aren’t just sold by the engine application, but also by the specific vehicle fitment.
The tri-Y header gets its name from the trio of distinctive Y-junctions. Its four primary tubes combine into two larger secondary pipes, which then merge into a single collector pipe.
Compared to the 4-into-1 header, the tri-Y header has a wider torque curve. The secondary pipes enable the exhaust gases to keep moving faster for longer periods, enhancing flow into the collector and the exhaust system.
The lake-style header evokes the early sprint cars that roared across dry lake beds (hence its nickname of Lakester) during the Thirties. Its primary tubes jut out into a collector that resembles a funnel.
Similar to 4-into-1 headers, Lakesters come in several forms. There are lake-style headers that resemble a megaphone (and sound like one) and emerge ahead of the doors. Other headers extend down the hot rod’s entire body. A third design lets you open or close the megaphone, adjusting the noise produced by the engine.
When you think of classic hot rods, you immediately think of the zoomie header, an arrangement where turned-up exhaust tubes stick out from the engine.
In the earliest hot rod designs, the zoomie header was mounted higher up. Funny cars moved it down, leading to the zoomie’s tubes sticking out from under the car’s body shell.
Compared to 4-into-1 and tri-Y headers, zoomie headers are less effective. However, they give hot rods a classic appearance than many fans love.
Installing an exhaust header can enhance your vehicle’s performance. It’s important to know which one is best for your car.
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