are new headers supposed to look like this?

[boostedbuford]

wow those look rough

 

[Blown&Injected]

not on the bandwagon

It is not all that bad.

I thought it would be a back purge issue until I looked at the pics.

These are not ready to install - The junk needs to be cleaned before it finds its way into the turbo.

The undercut would technically cause it to fail a weld inspection, but that does not mean it will fail.

I wonder if the best headers are welded with no undercut and post weld machining to ensure a flat sealing surface - How much did these headers cost?

 

[jsta6]

I thought that there was a member of this board who works at Postons? Wonder if they are going to chime in?

 

[T Spool]

My observations with pics...

1. For those who want or need "stock style" headers to fit existing DP, these are the only ones available besides the actual stock headers so we should not be comparing them to TA's, ATR's or eBay headers.

2. The fact is, the Postons headers have ugly welds, yes, but the ports are larger than stock headers and larger than the ports on the heads themselves(see pics) so it really doesn't matter what the welds look like. I agree, a little clean up is necessary, but if you are running stock unported heads and Felpro 1400 gaskets as pictured the exhaust ports on the heads are the restriction due to the fact that they are the smallest opening. Look at the pics and compare how much meat is covering the gasket opening on the heads and on the stock headers. Then look at the Postons, they have the largest opening and the ragged welds are covered by the gasket so who cares what they look like? I'm sure I will get flamed, but I got both sets in front of me and I know what I see.

3. Bottom line IMO, if you're running stock unported heads and gaskets on a street car these are a good alternative to stock headers and will outflow stock headers. If you have a race car with hogged out heads then go for the TA's, ATR's...........

BTW, no I don't work for Postons....:biggrin:

 

[jsta6]

1. For those who want or need "stock style" headers to fit existing DP, these are the only ones available besides the actual stock headers so we should not be comparing them to TA's, ATR's or eBay headers.

2. The fact is, the Postons headers have ugly welds, yes, but the ports are larger than stock headers and larger than the ports on the heads themselves(see pics) so it really doesn't matter what the welds look like. I agree, a little clean up is necessary, but if you are running stock unported heads and Felpro 1400 gaskets as pictured the exhaust ports on the heads are the restriction due to the fact that they are the smallest opening. Look at the pics and compare how much meat is covering the gasket opening on the heads and on the stock headers. Then look at the Postons, they have the largest opening and the ragged welds are covered by the gasket so who cares what they look like? I'm sure I will get flamed, but I got both sets in front of me and I know what I see.

3. Bottom line IMO, if you're running stock unported heads and gaskets on a street car these are a good alternative to stock headers and will outflow stock headers. If you have a race car with hogged out heads then go for the TA's, ATR's...........

BTW, no I don't work for Postons....:biggrin:

Thanks for the pics.

you do have a good point.

However, your headers still look far different than the ones I had. Can we see some pics without the gaskets laying on top of them?

 

[PsYcHo GN]

I thought that there was a member of this board who works at Postons? Wonder if they are going to chime in?

They might be too embarrassed.

Also, if you pay good money for a set of headers, you shouldn't have to put in the time and effort to clean them up. That should've been done after the fabrication was done and before it goes to get coated. That is what you're paying them for. Here's a break down of a product. (product = parts + labor)

 

[T Spool]

Thanks for the pics.

you do have a good point.

However, your headers still look far different than the ones I had. Can we see some pics without the gaskets laying on top of them?

Yeah, they do look better than yours. I am not trying to argue or talk anybody into or out of anything. I just wanted to provide some pics that kind of speak for themselves. I am happy with mine and I'll be keeping them.

They are $613 including crossover. (when you buy both you get a discount)

 

[tthorngen]

The fact is, the Postons headers have ugly welds, yes, but the ports are larger than stock headers and larger than the ports on the heads themselves(see pics) so it really doesn't matter what the welds look like.

being a 3rd gen welder... the looks of welds DO matter. If you weld messy it WONT hold.
Engines rattle like hell. You do a crappy weld and it will crack. NOT GOOD!
I can weld underwater better then that.
If anything came out looking like that i would scrap it.

 

[jsta6]

Yeah, they do look better than yours. I am not trying to argue or talk anybody into or out of anything. I just wanted to provide some pics that kind of speak for themselves. I am happy with mine and I'll be keeping them.

They are $613 including crossover. (when you buy both you get a discount)

Thanks bro.

Can we get some more detailed pics of the insides on the flange side? And a pic of the inside where the hole is for the 02 sensor?

TIA!

 

[DR BOOST]

Rick did NOT send his headers back for "poor workmanship".

I talked with him a couple times and he said he did not want to use gaskets with any header on his iron heads. Since the ports on our headers are rather large, we recommend using gaskets on all installations.

Since he had already re-installed his stock headers, I just had him return them for a refund.

Our header ports are large enough to match race ported heads and do not require further work. If any welding is done on our header flanges, this will probably cause warping, and probably do the same to any header.

To put our headers in the same catagory as the e-bay headers is "the most rediculous item of the day"!:biggrin:

the ports on the header were bigger than the sealing surface of his champion irons. a gasket is to help seal between two mating surfaces not make up for areas of missing flange. maybe it would be better to offer a street header to fit street heads and a race header to fit race heads.

 

[jsta6]

the ports on the header were bigger than the sealing surface of his champion irons. a gasket is to help seal between two mating surfaces not make up for areas of missing flange. maybe it would be better to offer a street header to fit street heads and a race header to fit race heads.

I thought that if your header port was bigger then your head exhaust port, than you would want to trim away any excess gasket material.

 

[jsta6]

the ports on the header were bigger than the sealing surface of his champion irons. a gasket is to help seal between two mating surfaces not make up for areas of missing flange. maybe it would be better to offer a street header to fit street heads and a race header to fit race heads.

I don't see how that would be doable. For the 109 block, you would have stock / untouched heads, stock ported heads, stock race ported heads, champion steel heads, champion aluminum heads, TA aluminum heads, etc...

 

[d0n_3d]

Gosh I have Poston headers on my car in which I got about 3-4 years ago and they didn't look as bad as the ones you just got. Mine has some slag but not as horrible as the ones pictured. I'd definitely talk to them and ask them why they are that bad. Hell I'm sure there's do-it yourselfers on here that could make a set of headers look better than the ones you got! Not a bash on Poston's either...they are a good vendor...just those headers don't look like they used to.

 

[tomcatturbo]

Ouch! Looks like a bad Colonoscopy! It seems You got a sloppy set of headers there.

Perhaps the person who worked that shift was sippin on a little happy juice that day he casted them?

I had Poston's headers and mine didn't have weld marks like yours did either. Mine looked fantastic.

Sure those aren't those Ebay Headers from Taiwann? I sure hope not.

 

[TurboBuRick]

the ports on the header were bigger than the sealing surface of his champion irons. a gasket is to help seal between two mating surfaces not make up for areas of missing flange. maybe it would be better to offer a street header to fit street heads and a race header to fit race heads.

Thank you, thats what I'm talking about.

 

[TurboBuRick]

I don't see how that would be doable. For the 109 block, you would have stock / untouched heads, stock ported heads, stock race ported heads, champion steel heads, champion aluminum heads, TA aluminum heads, etc...

IMHO, It should ALWAYS be up the the indaviduial to MATCH PORT.

 

[Googs]

I've bought 4 sets of headers in my short time modifing cars (1 sbc, 1 4.3L, & 2 TB). Every set I've had to go in & smooth the welds out. Granted none of them looked that horrible, but all did require a small amount of work. I agree with Rick87GN, it is up to each person to modify to their application, it just needs to start off with a better base than that.

 

[stugots]

I made the mistake 2years ago buying the poston headers.The cermaic coat burned right off in spots and the turbo wouldnt lin up with the up pipe.