Got a 95 with a header cracked badly at the collector. ALso getting awful gas mileage (about 11 to 12 MPG combined so I'm also trying to combat that). What's the go to option for an affordable header now days? I see a bunch of 80ish dollar options on EBAY, 100-150 options though Quadratec/Crown ect. And of course the 400+ dollar performance options.

(Cross posted to NAXJA)

 

The Ebay and dorman manifolds I purchased had an issue with the head flange thickness. It was too thin resulting in en even clamping between the intake and exhaust landings. I tacked some washers on to the manifold to fix the issue. I would go Ebay and save the money.

 

I'd use a good quality stock header with the expansion joints in it. What usually causes the header to crack at the collector is the long upper tubes expanding and putting pressure on the collector welds. The expansion joints in #1 and #6 tubes helps take out the stress.

 

That's what I was thinking, and I've found favorable reviews on the Ebay headers but the newest one I found was from 2016 or so. Wanted to make sure that nothing major had changed with them.

The EBAY headers do have the expansion joints in the 1 and 6. The OEM manifold is between 4 and 600 dollars. At that price I might as well go to a "performance" header. I did think about putting a high quality flex pipe into the down pipe after the o2 sensor. FWIW Trans and engine mounts are good to go.

 

Yes, a braided flex section might help keep it from cracking. IDK.

 

I tried 2 different eBay headers and neither one fit right so I sent them back. I ordered APN header from Summit and if fit great, also much better made.

 

How long have people got out of the APN headers? They don't have the flex bits from what I can see so I hope the different routing means they don't crack like the OEM one does.

 

In the my green Cherokee I've had the factory one which cracked, an apn which cracked, a dorman (I believe is what it was) with the flex joints crack, the replacement one I received hit the side of the block and I had to beat it in with a hammer to fit, but has been leak free since summer. The Comanche the factory one cracked, I got a factory one from the junkyard and welded up the cracks, but it sounds like it's cracked again. The white Cherokee I just picked up has a cracked factory one. The green Cherokee has brown dog rubber mounts and has had a couple new rubber trans mounts. The Comanche has new poly mounts for engine and trans.

 

I have an APN for 3-4 years now. Cracked and re-welded twice. Cracked again now just need to fix it.

 

Great news then! Lol.

I wonder if there is an issue with such a long iron head and the difference in thermal expansion between it and the steel/stainless steel headers or is it down to vibration/movement in the exhaust itself?

 

i went the ebay washer weld way 2 times but now I just keep welding up my factory one whenever it cracks

 

I think I'm going to just order EBAY header (which holes need the washers and how thick were the washers) and reweld my factory header and stick it on the shelf. When the ebay header cracks I'll swap in the repaired factory header and weld the ebay header and stick that on the shelf then just rotate them lol.

 

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/wha...ckness-243414/

Here is what I did.

 

I see Mopar is selling the Dorman/Chinese/accordion style exhaust manifold.
Although in typical fashion. they are just marking it up more.
Manifold - Mopar (4883385)

Perhaps an admission to what a POS the OE ones were.
You can find the same thing on eBay for less than $70.
That's the route I'm taking in my current rebuild.

 

Hey guys, I'm in the middle of taking off my header but well, here's a picture of what I'm having an issue with. The front most bolt I think is stripped and I'm not sure how to approach getting it off and I have no idea how to get the 4 bolts off the flange as indicated by the pictures. None of my sockets fit!