Picked up some doors

 

it is a factory installed 117a alternator that i had rebuilt.

 

Good option.

 

My header at the collector is fine. But that seems to be a common occurrence . Guessing it comes from flexing and also vibration. Be nice if that product would work. I figure the guys needing something will check it out. Thanks.

 

The rapid uneven hot and cold expansion and contraction is probably the greatest influence of fatigue on headers. Cast manifolds crack from this even though they have no flex, The fractures start from this then the flexing and vibration exacerbate these.

 

Makes sense. That would definitely fatigue the metal.

 

To add to that, another factor that comes into play is the leverage from the weight of the exhaust system. Worn hangers and an old trans mount can allow quite a bit of movement

 

Definitely a main stress point.

 

Absolutely, back in the hotrod days replacing headers was a regular maintenance service item because of all the physics working against them. They are a "perishable" part, even cast headers had issues. lol

 

I wonder if hard mounting the collector to the block with a bracket would help? Probably wreck havoc on the rest of the system. I think they might actually need this flexibility and give because like you say the engine moves independent of the body and frame.

 

Guess it's just the nature of the beast. As common a problem as it is you would think by now if there was a solution some aftermarket manufacturer would have solved it. Even the best that's out now crack.

 

I think so, just one of those regular replacement items. lol I often wonder if these would have been better off with an old school cast manifold.

 

Or maybe a two piece header. Would make for smaller collectors. Probably not enough room though.

 

Tri-y

 

From what I have seen here some of the newer ones with the inline 6 do have two piece headers and run two pipes into a single further back. Tell you what, I would be splitting these into duals!

Back in the day we used to take cast manifolds and cut and weld them into what we called "spit manifold" dual exhaust systems. I don't know if it was because of the firing order or what, but they really sounded GOOD! lol