Exhaust manifolds verses header

[1moreshot]

We have taken the old rusted out headers off and I'm thinking going back with manifolds. Can anyone advise me on the pros & cons of the two. Also I live in Texas and I'm looking for manifolds.

Thanks

 

[Torxhead]

Headers will create a better exaust flow, but use up a lot more room and give off a lot of heat. Probably good for a hot rod but not a rock crawler. Just my .02

 

[thetank]

i have done both...prefer headers for three reasons
1. i have fenderwell exit so it makes more room inbetween my frame i dont have to deal with the gas tank or frame to route it out
2. with the exaustbieng outside...makes trail repairs easier....no hot exaust to burn my hands on
3. i didnt have to pay an exaust shop to do anything and it was cheap. i bought mine from summit...headers and purple hornies for about 200 shipped to my door

some people really like the manifolds i dont know the pros to that maybe someone else can enlighten us...i would really like to know that two considering i have had to replace more doughnut gaskets then header gaskets

 

[Purple77CJ7]

I run Edelbrock shorty headers on my 401. They take up the same space as the stock manifold. I think they flow a lot better than stock. I use the stock three piece manifold gaskets and have had better luck with them than the so called header gaskets, that always blew out. For collector gaskets I use copper for the same reason as manifold gaskets, copper doesn't blow out. I don't think headers are any hotter than stock manifolds. Also I'm using stage 8 header bolts.

 

[Incommando]

AMC Header Test Results - International Full Size Jeep Association

Not CJ specific but some interesting results

 

[1moreshot]

Thanks guys, that gives me something to work with now. I'm sure I'll need more advise as we move forward.