Review on Flowtech 11578FLT Shorty Headers 1982 2004 by Wayne Ohlrogge

The product seems to be of decent quality, especially for the price; I would buy them again. A few things to note: The manifold flanges on the cylinder head are very good, but the fixings were wrong, wrong bolt diameter. The manifold bolts are of very poor quality and the heads of the manifold fasteners are bumping against the flange weld. Plan to purchase the correct fasteners. Installation isn't difficult if you plan to use the factory oil cooler lines, but it does require some line massaging to clear the #7 tube on the oil pan. I also had to remove a corner from the head of the refrigerant line to get a clearance of about 1/16 inch. I also had to relieve the left upper arm around the rear hub so it doesn't touch when the suspension is loaded. it could be due to the leveling shims (my car has a couple of shims in the upper arm so this may or may not apply to you, but check first to be sure.) If you're using factory arms you might need to make about 1/ lighter. 8 inches to allow full rotation of the control handle. - Had to shorten the motor mount on the left side. I made my own mounts so again this can't be the collector's fault, I made my own mounts. When installing headers, especially if you are using A/F connectors, it is difficult to insert fasteners into them. If I hadn't removed the inner and outer fenders and evaporator cover (left side) and pulled the left side brake line down the frame, it would have been very difficult if not impossible to install, even with a hoist. Just thought it would be easier to install these headers before installing the gearbox. Unlike other headers I've read before buying, the factory tie rod cleans well. I installed the spark plugs after installing the manifold, it was difficult. I was thankful I hadn't installed the evaporator cap and fenders yet, servicing the spark plugs would be difficult with the air conditioning in the truck. - I wasn't impressed with the weird welded/two piece header pipe for #8 cylinder, it looks like it was cut on an angle and welded together rather than a nice mandrel bent pipe. It's not really going to cause any problems, but it's something you won't find in a quality, more expensive title. This connection will most likely allow the fabricator access to the manifold for welding, but the connection could be smoother. If you look very closely at the picture, you can see this joint, but not in detail. I would also think it would be better if the outer tubes of the collector were completely welded, as in the photo, I don't have them. I don't see this as a problem, but I expected the same quality as the picture. Also these headers are a great value purchase, I would buy them again. I have found that in all user applications you should make changes and be prepared for them. I just wanted to share my experience with those doing this exchange so you know what's involved with using this product and what exactly to expect. The only thing that worries me is that I think the manufacturers will have to try a little to put the right fasteners in the box and deliver a fully welded product like the one in the picture. I hope this review helps you in your decision. DocDoc's Garage