Stock 5.0L headers?

Boss 351 · Apr 5, 2004

I found some "stock" exhaust parts from an 88-90ish Mustang. But it looks like a set of shorty headers unlike stock cast-iron manifolds we see often. Did Ford put actual headers in Mustangs or did I get a good deal for both headers (sandblasted) and a stock H-pipe with O2 sensors and 4 cats for only approx. $70 US ($100 CAD). Because the same headers are being sold for around $225 CAD at a good used parts place.

Also with the 4 cats, I won't need any mufflers right? Or just cut off the last two cats and no mufflers?

Mavrick · Apr 5, 2004

Ya, you will need mufflers.. thats not a bad deal if the o2's are still good and the cats arn't FUBAR.

Boss 351 · Apr 5, 2004

Hey cool, thanks... I can't belive someone was selling stock headers for $225 CAD ($170 USD). I can get full length Headman headers for around that price.

Are the stockers any good?

70stangcoupe · Apr 5, 2004

Stockers, of course, aren't as good as aftermarket type headers.

I do have a set of stock headers I'm looking to sell, though.

Mustang5L5 · Apr 5, 2004

I tossed my stock headers in the trash. Weren't worth diddly to me.

sleeper89 · Apr 5, 2004

Mustang5L5 said:
I tossed my stock headers in the trash. Weren't worth diddly to me.

ditto...

boss 351 - FYI stock headers are good to around 300hp, after that they'll become a real restriction. most stock combos will give up performance by swapping in aftermarket headers.

-steve

MAC'n89Blckstng · Apr 5, 2004

yea, ford did the stupid thing to weld the pipes to the flanges on the inside. The headers on the out side look like a decent size, but once you see the inside its pathetic. The inside is about 3/4 tall by about 5/8 wide. They are TINY. Im sure someone would get really good gains from having headers installed on a stock car. The stocks are just plain bad.

sleeper89 · Apr 5, 2004

MAC'n89Blckstng said:
yea, ford did the stupid thing to weld the pipes to the flanges on the inside. The headers on the out side look like a decent size, but once you see the inside its pathetic. The inside is about 3/4 tall by about 5/8 wide. They are TINY. Im sure someone would get really good gains from having headers installed on a stock car. The stocks are just plain bad.

i thought the same thing when looking at the stockers. i mean, how much could those pinched pipes possibly flow? then i read an article which stated the stock headers actually flow more than enough for the stock combo and that the average header swap, while it may increase peak hp will reduce power under the curve. i was still skeptical. since then i've seen numerous posts on this site and others where people actually ran slower at the track after the swap to 1 5/8" shorties. maybe 1 1/2" mandrel bent shorties would show gains, maybe not, but from my research/experience the headers aren't worth squat on a stock motor.

-steve

Boss 351 · Apr 5, 2004

Ok thanks guys. I will get the stock parts and worry about exhaust once I get more than 225HP lol. But I think I will skip the mufflers and just go straight to the tail pipes depending on how it sounds with just the cats

98SteedaStang · Apr 5, 2004

I paid $25 for used '90 GT headers and $55 for the stock H-pipe

87tbird50 · Apr 5, 2004

You're right you don't need mufflers with the 4 cats, it ends up being relatively quiet.

Michael Yount · Apr 5, 2004

I think you'll find it both too loud, and not a very good sound to run with no mufflers. The two cats do different things - one handles the reactions for HC and CO; the other for NOx - so if you need to pass emissions you can't just cut one off.

Regardless of how the stock headers look, the note above about them not being a restriction until around 280-300 HP seems to be correct. My intentionally mild combo puts out about 265 at the crank - I LOST 3-6HP peak; minor losses throughout the curve when I swapped out my stock HO headers for FRPP 1 5/8" shorties.

willys1 · Apr 5, 2004

I replaced my factory headers with unequal FMS shorties.I wish I kept the stock ones on and got a high-flow catted h-pipe,with a nice sounding cat back!!! I lost a good amount of low end torque Dude keep the stock headers till you get to about 290HP,then change them Having good low end torque is a blast

Ray III · Apr 5, 2004

1-5/8" primary long tube headers will show a boost in low end torque on a stock motor though right? The reason aftermarket short headers don't work so well is just that, they're still short, and on top of that you reduce the scavenging effect at low RPM because the engine isn't flowing enough to get the exhaust stream up to good velocity with a larger size.

Michael Yount · Apr 5, 2004

On mine Ray the hp/torque loss at low rpm was negligible - 1 or 2 ft-lbs; starting about 2500 it was up to three and gradually increased up to a 6 HP/ft-lb loss at peak. Go figure. Agree with you - Long tubes should show a marked increase down low; probably not much difference up top if you believe MM&FF's latest test.

willys1 · Apr 5, 2004

Long tubes on a 5.0,,is there really a ground clearance issue? Im not being a wise @ss,I heard they hang pretty low.

Ray III · Apr 5, 2004

thanks for the details Michael... I guess it's not a bad loss for a stock motor if you know you're gonna be making more power shortly after.

Michael Yount · Apr 5, 2004

Yup Ray - seems the crossover point is somewhere around 280-300; won't help me though. Perhaps I'll sell my pretty ceramic coated shorties, pick up another stock set (usually folks give them away) have them coated and put them back on. Mine's running too much like I want it to change anything else. Funny - going back to stock headers to pick up a few ft-lbs. Who knew?

willys1 · Apr 5, 2004

Michael Yount said:
Yup Ray - seems the crossover point is somewhere around 280-300; won't help me though. Perhaps I'll sell my pretty ceramic coated shorties, pick up another stock set (usually folks give them away) have them coated and put them back on. Mine's running too much like I want it to change anything else. Funny - going back to stock headers to pick up a few ft-lbs. Who knew?

Mr. yount,are you *****in me?? Just heat up the ones you have on there and crimp them up

Ray III · Apr 5, 2004

lol that sounds like a good idea.

I was talking about long tubes actually. If you put 1-5/8" longtubes on a stocker would it benefit was what I was asking...

Stock 5.0L headers?

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