BBK header quality

[fxnytro17]

Here’s a picture of my headers I installed 16 months ago.
Chrome plated BBK shorties
Tried contacting bbk directly 2 days ago still no response.

 

[crackerjack1957]

Looks like ****, probably rusted from inside out if only chromed on outside......doesn't say much for BBK
How long did chrome stay on?

 

[Tim Garceau]

Where do you live, the material is 14 gauge mild steel with a thin chrome plate not meant to withstand 1400 degrees.

Salt just accumulates on the headers, of course they’ll oxidize and corrode.








We’ll see how much longer mine last.

 

[BrewCrew]

Here’s a picture of my headers I installed 16 months ago.
Chrome plated BBK shorties
Tried contacting bbk directly 2 days ago still no response.

View attachment 165431

Bummer i was looking at these and saw mixed reviews. Maybe ill just go with the Longtubes.

 

[HemiMax05]

If looking for a good quality shorty header go with the JBA silver ceramic coated, been having on my truck since 2014 and still going strong. The price is a big difference from BBK to JBA but well worth it. I noticed that the prices have gone up on them from when i bought mine which is kind of ridiculous so try searching around known online stores for discount prices and even on ebay for a set of used JBA shorties.

 

[Tim Garceau]

Would've went with JBA's myself but they're only 1-5/8" instead of 1-3/4" primary diameter.

.125" can be the difference between a moan and a scream.

 

[BrewCrew]

If looking for a good quality shorty header go with the JBA silver ceramic coated, been having on my truck since 2014 and still going strong. The price is a big difference from BBK to JBA but well worth it. I noticed that the prices have gone up on them from when i bought mine which is kind of ridiculous so try searching around known online stores for discount prices and even on ebay for a set of used JBA shorties.

Thanks for the info! Did you go witht he Gasket included or did you buy a new OEM one?

 

[HemiMax05]

Would've went with JBA's myself but they're only 1-5/8" instead of 1-3/4" primary diameter.

.125" can be the difference between a moan and a scream.

On longtubes it will but with shorties i seriously doubt it will make that much difference as it still has to go through the cats, now having the supporting mods for the engine to breath good and excel good help these shorty headers scream.

 

[Tim Garceau]

Cats will be leaving the building shortly, along with the garbage y-pipe. I’d put the setup against any longtube in terms of shear torque and power with the OEM cam.

Swapping in a higher lift cam, sure you’re going to make more power but it’s going to just be a track/dyno queen and be useless for truck stuff.

 

[Brandon-w]

Not happy with mine 7 months and the collector is leaking. Wrapped them them And everything. Kinda wishing I hadn't went down that road. [emoji17]

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[Doodoo972]

Hello guys I've got BBK silver ceramic coated shorties and they sound like leaking. I've put felpro gasket and some sealant. I've inspected the gaskets and the connection between the headers and the Y pipe but not a single black mark... it's maybe their "natural" sound... strange.
The "leaking sound" arrives not all the time : when I go up a hill at low rpm or just on some rpm when cruising it depend how far I go on the pedal.

Is it that case for you too Brandon?

 

[Brandon-w]

Hello guys I've got BBK silver ceramic coated shorties and they sound like leaking. I've put felpro gasket and some sealant. I've inspected the gaskets and the connection between the headers and the Y pipe but not a single black mark... it's maybe their "natural" sound... strange.
The "leaking sound" arrives not all the time : when I go up a hill at low rpm or just on some rpm when cruising it depend how far I go on the pedal.

Is it that case for you too Brandon?

Yes this is the exact case. If you take a piece of garden hose you can stick it in the collector and hear it very clearly ticking. Definately a collector leak in my part.

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[Doodoo972]

Do you find where the headers are leaking ? Is it the both sides like me ? I didn't find a single trace of leakage like black marks from the exhaust gas

 

[Brandon-w]

Do you find where the headers are leaking ? Is it the both sides like me ? I didn't find a single trace of leakage like black marks from the exhaust gas

Where all the pipes connect there's welds in there on the inside that connect them all together. It's leaking in the middle of mine. Poor weld quality. I was going to weld them better but didn't think I needed to. Half regret that decision now! Frig!

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[Brandon-w]

Do you find where the headers are leaking ? Is it the both sides like me ? I didn't find a single trace of leakage like black marks from the exhaust gas

They leak here.(SEE PIC)

If you stick ur hose in where they all. Collect together and put your ear to it while Running you should hear the ticking/muffled noise.

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[Doodoo972]

Ok thanks for the pics. It's surely the same thing on mine. It's very irritating...

Yours are leaking on the both sides?

 

[Brandon-w]

Driver side is much worse passenger is starting though. [emoji53] Not too pleased. Stainless long tube headers here I come, even if they warranty them.
Hella irritating!!!

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[Doodoo972]

Yes exactly the same thing for me driver side sounds worse but maybe it's because we ear it better because we are in "the driver side".
I wondering if I'm not going to reinstall my oem manifolds... or maybe like you going long tube but not BBK. It's very frustrating to have spend all this money for a crappy thing.

I see you are from Canada which part english or french ?

 

[Brandon-w]

Yes exactly the same thing for me driver side sounds worse but maybe it's because we ear it better because we are in "the driver side".
I wondering if I'm not going to reinstall my oem manifolds... or maybe like you going long tube but not BBK. It's very frustrating to have spend all this money for a crappy thing.

I see you are from Canada which part english or french ?

If BBK warranties them ill just stick em on eBay for cheap and get some Long tubes. I reside in Alberta but I work in bc Alberta and Yukon.

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[Buddy]

So with the shorty headers, it appears BBK has issues. So that leaves JBA (coated 409 ss) and AFE (304 ss) and ****** (409 ss) and it's almost log style shorty. So whats the best header?? Like "good, better, best"???