i just recently purchesed a set of headers for my 95 fomula. the guy that is installing them said that i could not run open headers ( for local car cruz ) because i would not have any back presure and that it would mess something up. im not great with this stuff and would like some other opinions of people that might have tryed or done this before?

thanks for any info,
chris thomson

 

Are they shorties or LTs. I wouldn't do it with shorties but it'd be OK (but very anoying) with LTs. He's right in saying the lack of back pressure will effect the way it will run.

 

The problem with running open headers depends on the location of the O2 sensors. If they are in the collectors, the air backwash will cause them to read "lean", and the PCM will be adding fuel the engine doesn't need, causing it to run very rich.

You don't need "backpressure" in an exhaust system. Make believe you never heard that word.

 

Maybe we should make a sticky about the "backpressure myth."

 

i agree.....i use to believe the backpressure myth....so many people tell me that.....

 

+1. I've seen it come up several times on this board and many many times in personal life. I gutted the cat on my 93 and my dad said that it wouldn't run right because of the loss of back pressure. Turns out it didn't run right after I gutted it. It was only coincidental though because I changed the plug wires and all was well again.

 

i ran open headers for a very short time after i installed my headers and let me tell you it aint fun my rear view mirrow was vibrating so bad along with everything in the car the radio literally will not go loud enough it is completely obnoxiously loud i cant imagain what it would have been like with a auto