The VooDoo Reverend

Yeah, so I'm going to be swapping my intake manifold for the horseshoe and I figured while I'm at it I'll ditch my cracked headers. I'm curious if Hooker makes a performance header for the Cherokee 4.0... I know there is one for the YJ but if I recall that isn't going to bolt back to the pipe.

If there isn't, what do you all suggest for a good header with a bit of power gain?

xjheep92

this is what i will be getting
http://www.ineedparts.com/auto-parts...sl=EN&currency=



170 shipped same design as the banks one
life time warranty
cant really beat that
I'm gonna replace my whole exhaust and have a flex pipe welded in as well

The VooDoo Reverend

...oh WOW... I feel like I've just been let in on an ancient family secret! Thank you!

That's a HELL of a deal. How much bigger are these from the stock?

TheJerm

Its a direct bolt in for stock manifolds and it does have much bigger tubes than stock which makes getting the lower middle manifold bolt alittle tricky. Some massaging may be required with 99+ intakes.

jth877

99+ intake can interfere a little, but you can make it fit. Swivel head gear wrenches are a must for the bolts. Once you get them you'll find about 100 different uses that work better than an open wrench or socket.

The VooDoo Reverend

Oh I'm in no shortage for tools. I might skip the 99+ manifold for now though. I have a freshly broken door hinge pin to repair first... How much are you gaining with the intake swap anyway?

jth877

Not much I could tell from helping a friend switch it out. Some people swear it helps throttle response and mileage. I always had the 99 intake with the APN, I never did any header/intake work on my 87 or 96.

Door hinge pins suck. The doorman repair kit kinda sucks too. I did both of my driver hinges last year.

The VooDoo Reverend

The girlfriend opened the door with a look of terror on her face when it fell crooked . I did notice the previous owner cut the top off the hinge though. I have no idea why he'd want the doors off, it's already too loud with the window rolled down.

What is this doorman kit you speak of?

jth877

I think it's in the "help" section. Napa also sells the kit. Pretty much the only one out there. The plastic spacer has to be sanded down and the replacement pin needed the raised section right under the head taken down some to fit in the bottom hinge hole. There was a great write up I followed: http://www.quadratecforum.com/showthread.php?t=97847

Don't take the bolts all the way out of the door. The nut they are bolted into will fall inside the door then you are stuck taking off the door panel to recover them. A long rod also helps remove the pins once you cut them.

The VooDoo Reverend

I already tore it apart and found the hinge is broken at the body as well. Stuck a bolt through there for the time being and it worked out alright. It's time for me to buy a new Cherokee and transfer the engine and all the running gear. Mine is too rusted away.

Anyway, the headers are in the mail, can't wait to try em' out!

xj^REMY

hey voodoo, u got me curious about headers....i've been interested for a while now, on getting one for my 98 (when funds allow) & ive have done some researching as to which brand/design/material/etc is the most reliable & has the best overall performance

did u order the one off ineedparts.com??...seems a little too good to be true...im not a metallurgist, so i looked the difference between their "high alloy 321 stainless steel" & other manufacturers (banks, pacesetter, borla, & rugged ridge, gibson)...i read on stainlessworks.net that grade 409 is used in most OEM applications, & so far I've seen 409 is used for most performance headers (including the banks one, that this is compared to).....further reading here says 321 has higher heat resistance than 304 & 409....now most headers, made from 304 or 321, ive not found priced under $250....& most name brand grade 409 are upwards of $300

so this obscure, no name, header being a "high alloy 321 stainless", with LIMITED lifetime guarantee, is $170 shipped? im confused & curious of the actual quality....i've come to learn, in most cases u get what u pay for

The VooDoo Reverend

What exactly is your point here. Sorry if I don't understand, but all I got from that was that you're interested in new headers and you looked up different grades of steel. What are you getting at? These don't get that hot, unless you're constantly on the limiter for 20 minutes. They can't be worse than the originals, and it's not even half a paycheck. Plus, there's a bunch of reviews and people here swearing by them.

xj^REMY

mainly just over-analyzing & skeptic of random parts website with a few reviews....& really was just seeing if u did order this header, but i ended up goin on a lil rant/sharing info i researched on the performance qualities of headers....i was going to start a thread on this to get feedback, but figured i could start here

ive read stock exhaust manifolds have the reputation of cracking & causing a pressure loss...in turn lowering performance, milage, & leaking exhaust fumes which in turn leak into the cabin....so, 1) is there one header manufactured better than another that wont fail after time (prices ranging $200-500, i'd like to spend wisely)

i realize the design of the stock manifold allows for good flow, but im sure better flow could be engineered....2) maybe one of these aftermarket companies have done this....again, one better than another??

as far as temps....the exhaust manifold is the hottest part of the engine bay...any reduction of heat to me is a plus....so 3) how true is it that this obscure brand header priced at $170 & made from the best heat resistant grade metal, & others made similarly are priced over $300??

just observations i thought could be addressed

Metlic53

i have the header from ineedparts and it is great. been running it for a year with no issues and my exhaust got alot louder. running that header, 2.5 in exhaust to magnaflow high flow cat, super 40 flowmaster dumped before axle. i set alarms off everywhere.

xj^REMY

ok, so after a little more researching (specifically on that header, technically the Auto Parts Network, APN) i've not read bad things about it....only thing is in some cases, the mating flange was not precisely flat & caused a leak, & in minor cases it interfered with the intake manifold, but both problems were easily remedied....LIMITED warranty allowed return & exchange for those with mating issues, & grinding solved it for those with clearance issues

as far as performance, the xj's exhaust was already designed pretty well from the factory, to the 4.0's close to maximum performance....improvements are minor & come with complete exhaust upgrades

basically, the APN header IS good, & most importantly, friggin cheap!