Headers vs oem manifolds

popeye766 wrote:
I have just gone this route..new manifolds and a complete dual exhaust....I did an exhaustive search for headers for F53/460 including calling factories.....the only ones available were banks.....So, if any one finds ANY OTHERS IN STOCK AVAILABLE ANYWHERE PLEASE POST IT HERE....I can afford banks ,just rebel at the cost.....

http://dougthorleyheaders.com/products/searchType/vehicleSearch/year/1996/make/FORD/model/%20MOTORHOME%20&%20P_SLASH_UP%20460%20F.I./sfID1/9/sfID2/40/sfID3/32 Good for '96 Motorhome, so I would assume F53.

Its pretty well established that Fords did not breath well, up until the latest version V10. It will be critical to use a free flowing muffler, in other words stay away from Flowmaster. I did a bunch of experimenting with mufflers on the 454. The only Flowmasters that ran well were the 40 series, but those are unbelievably loud - and I like loud! The drone will kill you. The Magnaflows I am running now are quiet, unless you really get on it. They breath very well, because they are straight through. Get the 24 inch, as the longer length will reduce the noise. Tri-Y headers give the best over all performance - meaning they have a very broad RPM band. After the mufflers, you can choose to go with a single 3 inch, or keep it dual 2.5. Single 3 inch will do slightly better off the bottom, dual 2.5 will be slightly better in the high RPM.

It should be pointed out that long tube headers (such as Banks) have a narrow powerband, so they are not as suited for RV use as Tri-Y. They also use thinner gauge steel than Thorley for the tubes, which means they are louder in the engine compartment.

Go with the Banks System, well designed, works great, a lot of research and development went into them. I paid 1900 and installed them myself. If you try to build your own you will spend almost as much and not have a system that will work nearly as well. Spend the money, put it on and forget it for the life of the motorhome.

popeye766 wrote:
Whats wrong with your heads?

Chunk broke away @ rear port on DS. Thought I had a broken bolt until I got in there and started to look a bit closer.

Seems to me that the majority favors a header system over the OEM manifold. I also see a lot of support for the banks system, It is expensive but I've pretty much made up my mind to go with it. Now I just need to save up a few more pennys to finance this deal.
Thanks folks for your input. I will update when we getr done.

Daveinet wrote:

popeye766 wrote:
I have just gone this route..new manifolds and a complete dual exhaust....I did an exhaustive search for headers for F53/460 including calling factories.....the only ones available were banks.....So, if any one finds ANY OTHERS IN STOCK AVAILABLE ANYWHERE PLEASE POST IT HERE....I can afford banks ,just rebel at the cost.....

http://dougthorleyheaders.com/products/searchType/vehicleSearch/year/1996/make/FORD/model/%20MOTORHOME%20&%20P_SLASH_UP%20460%20F.I./sfID1/9/sfID2/40/sfID3/32 Good for '96 Motorhome, so I would assume F53.

Its pretty well established that Fords did not breath well, up until the latest version V10. It will be critical to use a free flowing muffler, in other words stay away from Flowmaster. I did a bunch of experimenting with mufflers on the 454. The only Flowmasters that ran well were the 40 series, but those are unbelievably loud - and I like loud! The drone will kill you. The Magnaflows I am running now are quiet, unless you really get on it. They breath very well, because they are straight through. Get the 24 inch, as the longer length will reduce the noise. Tri-Y headers give the best over all performance - meaning they have a very broad RPM band. After the mufflers, you can choose to go with a single 3 inch, or keep it dual 2.5. Single 3 inch will do slightly better off the bottom, dual 2.5 will be slightly better in the high RPM.

It should be pointed out that long tube headers (such as Banks) have a narrow powerband, so they are not as suited for RV use as Tri-Y. They also use thinner gauge steel than Thorley for the tubes, which means they are louder in the engine compartment.

I like the Thorley try Y headers they are designed to produce power and torque at lower rpm where you can use it. The biggest mistake people make when looking at headers is they by “Race” headers with 2” tubes or larger tuned for high rpm usage.

“It should be pointed out that long tube headers (such as Banks) have a narrow power band, so they are not as suited for RV use as Tri-Y. They also use thinner gauge steel than Thorley for the tubes, which means they are louder in the engine compartment.”

You may want to do some more research on that stamen. Banks, Thorley and Gibson are almost the same design and all work well for a motor home.
Bill

The Banks system is stainless steel and have the thickest header flanges of any headers. They will not warp and leak. I bought my system from Performance Truck online for 1900. with free shiping.

WILDEBILL308 wrote:

You may want to do some more research on that stamen. Banks, Thorley and Gibson are almost the same design and all work well for a motor home.
Bill

Every bit of research I have been able to find that compares Tri-Y to long tube headers shows the Tri-Y perform much better in the midrange, as well as the "low" top end. Look at any Dyno graph comparison, and below 4500 RPM, the Tri-Y out perform long tube on the same engine, same test. Basically the wide RPM boost starts in the low mid, and carries out to above 4K. My seat of the pants also confirmed this, once I finally got decent mufflers. There was a huge boost right out of the hole.

I'm am a little curious that you state that Banks, Thorley, and Gibson are all the same design. How can they be the same when one is Tri-Y and the other is single long tubes?

There are definate advantages to headers... NORMALLLY I would not recommend the Banks or any other header with the possible exception of Ultra Power because I do not feel you will ever recover the cost..... NORMALLLY.

However yours is a special case.. In your case you are already replacing the manifold, so the labor cost for installing headers approaches zero, and the cost of the new manifold is deducted from the cost of the headers and that very likely cuts the cost down by over 50%..

I'd say GO FOR IT.

I installed a new set of Thorley Tri-Ys on my 454 P-30 in April.. When they came they looked great, but I have habit of checking out all parts before installing.. When I put a straightedge on the header flange I found it was warped from the welding process about 1/8" to 3/16". Instead of sending them back to the left coast and waiting a couple more weeks, I took them to a neighborhood machine shop and we put them in the hydraulic press and pressed the flanges straight, and then used a large 30" horizontal belt sander to sand them perfectly flat.. There was minimal material removed, but the moral of the story is that if I had put those new headers on like that, They probably would have eventually leaked too.. The Thorleys really helped on performance and heat removal..

My ceramic coated Thorleys fit as tight as OJs glove.