Headers questions?

[ChevyV8Racer350]

Hello I am going to be doing a 350 swap into my 88 4.3L s10 pretty soon and i have some questions after looking under the hood of my truck. The stock manifold on the right side is almost right against the steering shaft do the shorty 350 headers go over the top of the steering shaft or do the just go beside it like the factory headers do. Also do any of you guys use the 80\'s 305 TBI Camaro low performance manifolds in your 350 s10s? I also have some more questions about exaust, I will be putting this truck through the emmisions testing that the 4.3 went through so the 350 from 1970 that I am putting in it will be getting dual catalitic converters and dual flowmasters, which cats. should I use so it would have more of a chance of passing emmissions. I was also told that I can make the 350 pass easy just by leaning the motor down before i leave to go take the test and richen it back up when I get home. If I decide to go with shorty headers which ones require no notching of the frame and a basic bolt in instalation like you can do with the 305 TBI camaro manifolds. Thanks for any help

[mommasboy]

I used the Headman Longtubes, No notching of the frame and they come out in a very handy place to get too. If you use the shortys you will have to have the muffler shop bend and flex and do all sorts of crap just to get your exhaust outa the engine compartment.and then you have to get the cats on! Not fun. Dont be cheap , just spend the extra money and get longtubes!

[ZZ4Blazer]

Shorties were easy to install on my truck. Muffler shop had no problems getting pipe to the collectors. It was pretty easy. The shorty style wraps around the steering shaft. Hedman makes tehm, as well as sanderson. I wouldn\'t run long tube\'s unless your going all race. Too many clearance problems, and a bitch if its lowered.

[mommasboy]

The longtubes are\'nt any lower than the frame on mine.They are right beside the tranny pan, no lower but just even with it, also they wrap around the steering shaft just like the shorties. Also another BIG BIG advantage that i have found to the longs is that you can take them out in 3 peices(each side) which makes it easy to change, starters, plugs, header gaskets, and just about anything you want.

[91s10350]

don\'t the long tube headers leak? i ordered a set and as soon as i saw that they slip together i sent them right back

[mommasboy]

I have never never had them leak! They do slip together but they do so very tight. I thought the same thing too but i used them anyway and had no problems.

[Jim]

I did my conversion 11 years ago and used the 305 TBI manifolds. I used them because there really wasn\'t a set of headers that went into my vehicle (85 2WD S10 Blazer) without doing some radical stuff like putting a hole in the floor pan on the passenger floor board to get to the collector. The stock manifolds worked well and was simple. I\'m running AC so I had the bigger heater box to worry about too. Even after moving the steering column as far outboard as possible I would still pick up some occassional rub from the steering universal knuck rubbinbg the manifold. I eventually went with one of those slim racing steering knuckles (can\'t recall the brand but they were out of Conn.) and that took care of the problem.

[rudedogg]

i work at a muffler shop as my extra job and have done many longtube swaps as i have long tubes neither of the two were bad nor did the longtubes leak.we did however get ane s10 that had some kind of hedder that absolutely SUCKED longtube,all kinds of headaches http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif and chosen nasty words!!!!! but i use the hedman shorties they dropped in the way the engine did,EZ. running the exhaust was no problem at all with the o2 sensor also,needed on my tahoe.and i have found a long time ago,the cure to the factory steering knuckle blues w/ or w/o hedders.the steering shaft from an astro van,remove the upper part of the shaft from van and remove the upper from ur s10 put those 2 pieces together and notch the shaft pokin through the firewall thread the bolt through and you now have 1-1.5\" of clearence,no more than 20.00.... http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

[rudedogg]

oops i meant as many longtubes as i have shorties........sorry guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif

[LS1S10]

rudedogg, do you have any pics of your steering shaft. Sounds like it works good!

[rudedogg]

I HAVE NO PICTURES,of my truck yet,i will go get one of those disposable cameras and go to 1 hr.photo,i think a friend of mine has a scanner......