No Hijack here........ This thread is here to help everybody out with a conversion and we welcome good input. Thanks for the interest and I think you will end up selling some headers if things work out for you. This thread is full of great information with some good guys helping out...
My headers finally came in today, but I don't see how they are going to clean the steering shaft. Are you guys using the stock GN steering setup?
Never mind Ted, I found the pic I was looking for. Looks like about an inch or possibly a bit more had to get chopped off on those primaries to get it to fit that steering shaft. Thank you so much for posting this stuff, and these pics.
Why would you want to use mild steel? It will definitely be putting rust flakes through the turbine. I've had the stainless FMS ones in a turbo kit on my Mustang for years and they work awesome. They are cheap also.
All I have ever used is mild steel headers on the turbo V8's and never had issues. Sure it will spit out a little rust if it sits for a while but never had any turbo issues because of it.
Is this an LQ4? How much power did this car make? I am thinking about doing a similar build with an 80mm.
This is SO cool, thanks for posting. I want to do a 5.3L "budget lol" build in my TR. Read a lot of threads on LS1tech about guys putting rod bolts, head studs, cam and valve springs on a stock 5.3 and FLYING. Just gotta figure out if I wanna go XFI or try stock PCM, I am on a budget lol.
Ted, the BBK's look very similar to the Ford Motorsports headers. Primaries are the same size, price etc. Do u have more details on the headers u guys converted, like how much was cut of the primaries? How long the piece of pipe that was welded to them & what diameter? Also will they work with LS3 (heads)? Thanx.
They will fit fine, driver's facing back and pass side flipped facing forward with some cutting/welding/grinding. Check out "The Build" link in my sig. Good Luck.
Sorry I just now saw your post. I could have made the passenger side Ford headers fit quite easily, but I don't know how Diamond got the driver's side to fit. He's a magician. I also am running truck accessories so the power steering pump sits right in my way. I gave up on the Ford headers and I am running truck manifolds pointing forward and down (yes you read that right, DOWN!). I cut the flanges off (plus quite a bit of the metal pre-flange) and I'll be welding some 2.5 mild mandrel tubing. It's going to snake down under the ps pump (barely clearing the steering shaft/box and ps pump lines) and then to a vband, then a crossover. It's going to be a PITA but it should look really clean once it's all done. Also spark plug access will be a breeze, it will take 5 minutes to change all 8 plugs.
Once I get them finished, I will definitely take pics and post em up. The driver's side is going to look wild, but it will be underneath the ps pump so most of the piping won't be seen unless you are under the car. I just didn't want to flip them up and have a lot of piping clogging up room in the engine bay. And low buck, absolutely. I got the manifolds free (they can be had for ~$50) and I bought all the 2.5 inch pipe for like $130 (it was a lot more than I will need) and the vband setups (2 of them) come in at $50 shipped.
