Are Flow Tech headers really that bad?

martyd

New Member
Nov 15, 2008
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TN
The only reason I ask is because they are priced very low compared to some of the larger brands. I can get a set of long tube Flow Techs for around $150 or so vs say BBK's or Hooker's for well over $500. I understand they may not flow as much as the bigger brands but will I be cutting myself short by getting them?
 
I have them on my car. They work good. I picked up 6 tenths at the track going to longtubes over my bbk shorties and h pipe. Just went to 3" xpipe and flowtech longtubes.

Mine are actually relabled summit brand and are under $100 if you buy them that way. Same headers just summit brand.
 
flowtech has ben branded with poor fit up issues and over all bad quality. they flow the same but you may need a BFH to get them installed correctly.
on the flip side I have heard nothing but good things about summit headers for 99 dollars. they come in shorty and full length flavors.
 
i got em on my car bfh was needed to make them clear my battery stud on my starter. my car is a c4 but they also leak in the slip fits till they warm up. other than that i picked up 2/10s on the 1/8th over equal length shorties
 
From what I have gathered from the mixed reviews is that they are hit and miss. I also see that the summit brand has a pretty got following on the quality per price front. I guess I'll go with them.
 
i got BBK. no fitment issues. i had MAC's on my last and it was not a flanged header. used. had to use a pry bar to get them to line up. we put summit brand headers on my buddies 95 GT, fit perfect.
 
i got BBK. no fitment issues. i had MAC's on my last and it was not a flanged header. used. had to use a pry bar to get them to line up. we put summit brand headers on my buddies 95 GT, fit perfect.


That to me is one of the most important aspects...whether it has a solid flange at the header or not. Also the cheaper headers have much thinner tubing so once rust sets in (and they're almost guaranteed to rust at some point) they'll rust through that much sooner. I've got Mac now, but when they come off i'm getting ceramic coated BBK's.
 
Buy the summit's or flow techs. Weld the slip fitting and enjoy your headers. I have no issues with the flowtechs on my 331. They are not the best looking and yeah they rust just like every other header. But my car runs in the 6's in the 1/8 with no problems.