[santak]

if you really fit those headers on your 91 let me know, 'cause I've been looking into them before, but Thorley says, they're only up to 87, since Dodge supposedly changed the frame back then, so the headers, according to Thorley, won't fit on my 88.

 

[santak]

good to hear, that they did not change the frame....that was bugging me now for some time....

regarding the smog in CA, correct me if i'm wrong, but as far as I'm informed you need a CARB # for any engine related stuff added. So, strictly, the Thorleys would be illegal on any 88+ Dodge in CA, since they do not have a CARB for those years.
Or, is the CARB independent from the vehicle year and it's just the part, period?

 

[santak]

if I call Thorley again, they will probably tell me the same thing as before:

The headers won't fit because Dodge changed the frame in 87, so smog-legal is not an issue for 88 and up....

Thank you, Thorley

 

[santak]

Too bad Doug Thorley isn't running Thorley anymore. If you want true blue Thorley headers, you should buy them from his new biz, Doug's Headers. Problem is, they don't make big block headers for our trucks.

Gotta check into that a little....

BTW, does that mean, you don't want your BB anymore?

 

[santak]

since I am getting ready to get a new exhaust on my truck, I was searching the boards for older posts on this topic and came across this one. If anyone is still interested what's up with those Thorley Headers in California, here is some of the stuff I found:

Bose mentioned above, they fit post 87 trucks, although Thorley states otherwise. Now, I was then speculating, if they might lack the CARB# for them for post 87 trucks, and I did some search on the Air Resource Board Website (http://www.arb.ca.gov) and came up with this information:

EO: D-200-21
----------
3/15/01 Doug Thorley Headers, Inc.
-------------------
Exhaust System/ Exhaust Modification
-------------------
Part Number: 114Y
-------------------
1982-1993 CHRYSLER TRUCKS, 273-360
-------------------
Note: long tube style header that may require a Y pipe . For OBD II equipped vehicles, the oxygen sensor is located either in the header collector or the top of the Y pipe.

So, in plain english, if I understand that correctly (and please keep in mind that english is my second language), the Thorley Headers, Part Number 114Y have a CARB number through 93 for engines 273-360, will fit my 88 RC and therefore can be legally used in California. Is that right? That would be just sweet....
Well, of course, Thorley's Partnumber would be 114Y-S, with the Smog hookup, but it's still the same thing in my opinion.

Oh, and if anybody on this board, who reads it, knows a thread about 2.5" single exhaust vs. 3" single exhaust, I'd sure appreciate a link, I couldn't find something so far, but I'm sure it was covered before.
Thanks

 

[santak]

when i bought my hooker headers they came mith paper work regarding smog equipment and statad that there was a air tube hook up kit, maby a option for some of you guys due to there lower price

Yeah, I saw that too, funky thing is, that Hooker tells me, they're not smog legal in CA although the have the Hookup...why? no answer to that. Just like Thorley tells me, their headers won't fit on 88 and above trucks....but for different reasons.
what's that with these header manufacturers? They seem to have people on their phone and techsupport who have very little knowledge about their own stuff...

 

[santak]

well, I gotta warm up this old topic again.

I just got my exhaust done today and guess what, yep, exhaust leak at the manifold, passenger side, that whatever-it-is-called valve that controls the warm/cold air flow when the engine warms up. And around the air tubes as well.
So, my options are now: yank of both manifolds and get new stock manifolds and don't worry about the whole smog regulations, or pick up a pair of thorley 114Y-S headers and put them.
Now, the CARB/smog issue here in CA seems to be clear from what I heard from CARB people and all, now the question is: what problems can I expect from headers? I don't want to repair an exhaust leak every two weeks, just because the headers don't sit tight. I was talking to about 3 muffler shops around here before, and 2 won't even fit headers and the 3rd was like: yeah, uhm, if you insist...
What about the starter and related heat problems from the tri-y's?

Anyone got any good info for me, before I spend like another 500 bucks to get my exhaust leak fixed?

 

[santak]

well here is what I found today:
right side manifold from chrysler: 630 bucks
left side manifold from chrysler: 340 bucks
everything else needed to replace everything there comes to about 1500 plus tax in parts.

now, that being said, I have some more questions:
did pre 88 trucks have the heat riser?
I assume that does no longer work with the thorleys, right? According to my smog guy, I need this, since I have it, to bring it through the smog.

Since another muffler shop today was like: well, we really don't want to invest in the time to do such work, I'd have my local Dodge dealer install headers, if I decide to go that route. But I'm still really unclear of what to think about it, a lot of people don't like them. Complain that they leak, that you need to retorque them every 2 weeks, that your starter dies from heat every month...in short: nothing but trouble. Other swear by them. I'm confused.

Anyway, if anyone has more helpful info for me during my decision making process, I'd be glad to read it.

 

[santak]

And a third time around

first off, congrats Mike and Good Luck in round 2 with another one

Secondly, I finalized my plans, I'm spending the money on thorleysinstead of getting manifolds for essentially more money. Question is, which ones, normal nickel plated or ceramic coated? It's a price difference of 200 bucks, but by parts bill for manifolds and all other stuff is even 200 bucks above the ceramic coated stuff, so that doesn't really bother.
I was thinking about getting them jet coated but my main problem here is: my truck's a daily driver and I can't afford having my truck down for 10-14 days driving a rental, that's getting too much for budget. That, plus Thorley mentioned something about a void warranty if you "wrap" your headers.
What does that ceramic coating really do? What is it good for? I assume heat reduction, rust prevention

That, and if anyone has a part# for ARP header bolts for a Chrysler 318 engine, I would love to hear it. Every part# I looked up tonight at Summit turned up as a 340/360 only part#. Is there a difference in the header bolt size?

 

[santak]

Would it matter if I first fit the headers, drive around with them and then jet coat them? Or does that only work on brand new header? Because, as read above, first coating and then fitting is probably not the best thing to do...although, it would be the same with the ceramic coated ones, wouldn't it?

Gotta get some sleep, can't think straight no more.

Thanks for the alternative for header bolts, looks good to me right now. Gotta look again in the morning...how you east coaster can still be around at that time, I don't know...gotta be already 4am over there

 

[santak]

sooner or later everything will rust, my experience. And I don't expect it to be any different in that case. The question is just when it's going to start. I'll have mine jet coated once I get them and that should prolong their lifes dramatically from what I hear.
The normal chrome plating holds up better than paint I guess, but even with that, I read about these things getting tiny cracks in the plating and then it's open for rust. This takes some time, but it's all a matter of time, since it is not stainless steel and any plating is also just rust prevention, it doesn't 100% protect it.

So, my final answer to your question would be a simple: yes.