driving with open headers OK?

L

leakyfaucet

Member

Dec 19, 2003

273

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16

North Carolina

Mar 30, 2004

#1

• Mar 30, 2004

• #1

I just took my H pipe off and now my car has open long tube headers. I am kind of curious as to how it will sound and I was wondering if it would hurt anything if I took it for a ten minute drive?

My main concern is all that hot exhaust frying something under the car. It looks like it exits kind of close to the transmission mounts...

Other than getting a ticket, should I worry at all by doing this?

Thanks!

 

BlackFox5.0

Founding Member

Aug 7, 2000

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Massachusetts

Mar 30, 2004

#2

• Mar 30, 2004

• #2

I drove a '95 Cobra with only the stock catted h-pipe for maybe 3-4miles and back (had to run to the hardware store for new bolts)

As long as it's not extrememly hot, you should be able to take it around the block, but I wouldn't drive it far or long since there is nothing stopping flames from coming out....

 

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DaveB

Founding Member

Jul 13, 2002

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Middlesex and Pomona, NJ

Mar 30, 2004

#3

• Mar 30, 2004

• #3

I didn't have any problems when I drove my car with just LTs around the neighborhood. Talk about loud though . I was afriad to take it over 2500 it was so loud and I was afriad to being pulled over. Only downside is a complete lack of lowend torque. For a 10 minute drive, I wouldn't worry about a thing.

 

86T-Top

Founding Member

Jun 29, 2001

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Dublin, PA

Mar 30, 2004

#4

• Mar 30, 2004

• #4

You most likely won't damage anything but your hearing. Although there is a chance you could shoot some flames out of the exhaust, but that only happens if unburned fuel is coming out of your exhaust. I have run my car with open shorties b4 but that was only to back it down the ramps the car was on. BTW it sounds cool.

Mario

 

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Chetly

New Member

Aug 6, 2003

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Mar 30, 2004

#5

• Mar 30, 2004

• #5

its going to sound awsome. BTW a prolong period of time will burn a hole though your floorboards. But dont worry about 10 minutes

 

Rootus

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Feb 8, 2003

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Portland, Oregon

Mar 30, 2004

#6

• Mar 30, 2004

• #6

When you fire it up, make sure you have a spare pair of undies ... Especially if it's in an enclosed space like a garage...

 

408stroker5.0

The world would be a better place if all males jus

Mar 10, 2004

639

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Bonnyville, Alberta, CANADA

Mar 30, 2004

#7

• Mar 30, 2004

• #7

There is no problem's except that you don't want the valves to cool off to fast, which can happen with open headers. If the valves cool off to fast they can warp and that is not a good thing. With long Tubes you should be pretty safe especially if it's not cold outside. If it's quite cold outside it may be a good idea not to run the car for to long.

 

88stangmangt

Active Member

Nov 25, 2003

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Stafford,VA

Mar 30, 2004

#8

• Mar 30, 2004

• #8

other than geting tons of carbon on the underside of your car and trans for just ten mins you souldnt do to much damage to anything but you could melt the rubber trans mounts.

 

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leakyfaucet

Member

Dec 19, 2003

273

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16

North Carolina

Mar 30, 2004

#9

• Mar 30, 2004

• #9

Okay. I just started it up. WOW! Way insanely loud. I wish it was legal to drive around like that.

 

90LX306

Founding Member

Oct 21, 2000

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Warren, R.I.

Mar 30, 2004

#10

• Mar 30, 2004

• #10

I have also heard that this burns up 02 sensors, any truth to that?

 

Iowa91LX

Founding Member

May 6, 2001

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Grundy Center, Iowa

Mar 31, 2004

#11

• Mar 31, 2004

• #11

Exactly like stated above. Be careful not to shut it off if it is cold out. If its cold out find a warm garage to shut it off in, or pull it up on ramps and shove rags in the headers so that the valves wont cool down to quickly and warp stuff. Ive never had it happen before but I always shove rags in my headers after I shut it off or pull it in a warm garage.

 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

15 Year Member

Nov 11, 2003

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Northern KY

Mar 31, 2004

#12

• Mar 31, 2004

• #12

You're mostly going to damage your hearing, if anything. I drove my '88 around the block with open shorties once, and it was just about the loudest thing i've ever heard. Sounds crazy cool though at WOT!

 

S

StreetStang37

Founding Member

Apr 23, 2001

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San Jose, CA

Mar 31, 2004

#13

• Mar 31, 2004

• #13

i drove my car about 15-20 miles with the open long tubes to an exhaust shop, no problem at all. its really obnoxiously loud though. im sure open shorties are even louder. on the street I run open cutouts about 75% of the time right behind the H on the hpipe and still feel thats too loud as well. open long tubes @ WOT was crazy loud though