Shorty Exhaust header upgrade question

[JTDFW]

Exhaust Header questions.
I have a 2021 RAM 1500 Limited truck with a Hemi 5.7L engine in it. Love the truck, but now after about 45k miles, I have that infamous exhaust header leak. I went to the dealership and it is covered under a 60k PowerTrain warranty, but the parts are back-ordered. Instead of going back to the flawed stock design, I was thinking about upgrading. I decided to go the route of replacing the stock exhaust headers with new Shorty Exhaust headers and currently I have the stock exhaust. Before I go to an exhaust shop or performance shop I figured I would ask some questions from the gurus here in this RAM forum. I do not want to replace my entire exhaust system but just the stock exhaust headers at the front of the engine, using stock placement and mid-pipe. I have seen many brands such as BBK, JBA, AFE, Kooks, FlowTech, and many others but some do not offer shorty exhaust headers for my year of the truck yet.

I am sort of leaning toward the BBK as it seems many have used them. Are there others that are better built that will not cost me 1,000 for the set?
So from those who have actually swapped out the stock exhaust headers, what would you recommend to do and what to buy?

This is what I was thinking of purchasing below:
Did I miss anything and do I really need that extra Fel-pro Manifold gasket as others suggested? <?
> BBK 40150, Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi 1-3/4" Shorty Headers Polished Silver Ceramic 19-23
or the BBK 4015, Ram 1500 Truck 5.7 1-3/4 Shorty Exhaust Headers Titanium Ceramic 19-23
> FEL-PRO Exhaust Manifold Gasket Set, Part # MS 97083
> Stage 8 MOPAR Hemi V8 Header Bolt Kit, part # 8916
What else would you recommend?

Also, will an exhaust for 2019 also fit my 2021?

 

[ricksomerville40]

I'll be following this thread - I have a 2017 Ram 1500 5.7 with warped exhaust manifolds / broken bolts and I'm wondering if switching to shorty headers will solve this problem. As you mentioned there are many brands and styles. I'm hoping to get a recommendation for headers.

 

[Highway]

I had 2 broken manifold bolts on each side and i replaced them with JBA shorty headers. I wasn’t concerned about performance gains just no more broken bolts. I went with rimflex gaskets per suggestions on this knowledgeable forum and i have had zero problems. Some of the bolts are a little tricky tightening up on the shorties but with a 3/8” ratchet wrench and 3/8 and 1/8 drive sockets and extensions it wasn’t bad at all. Had to tweak the dipstick tube a little as well

 

[DILLIGAF]

AFE Shorties
Remflex Gasket
ARP Bolts

 

[JTDFW]

I am thinking of maybe switching from the BBK over to the AFE headers. So I read where it comes with gaskets but many are recommending other brands. So Should I also get the FEL-PRO Exhaust Manifold Gasket Set or the Remflex Gasket or is the one that comes with the AFE HEaders good? Also, do you still use the heat shield from OEM ?

 

[JHoward]

I am thinking of maybe switching from the BBK over to the AFE headers. So I read where it comes with gaskets but many are recommending other brands. So Should I also get the FEL-PRO Exhaust Manifold Gasket Set or the Remflex Gasket or is the one that comes with the AFE HEaders good? Also, do you still use the heat shield from OEM ?

What @DILLIGAF suggested and you won't be using the factory heatshields.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

I went with the JBA titanium ceramic coated shorty's with a pair of SRT 3-later gaskets and 16 x SRT bolts.

I then had a thick heavy bead of ultra copper RTV put on the collectors where they connect to the cats to ensure no leaks at that connection point.

I've had them on for several months now and no leaking, no issues, no codes.
While LT headers will net much better gains in torque, they aren't a direct bolt on mod, and sometimes they require tuning as well to optimize their potential.

Nonetheless, the shorty's do contribute to a bump in torque and moreover are a significant flow improvement over the stock choking manifolds. And you won't need to worry about the dreaded cracked or leaking manifolds ever again.

I would also consider getting a new y-pipe installed too. This is a huge improvement in flow and opened everything up as well. The stock y-pipe has a pair of 2.5" pipes smashed together and stuffed into the collector and it's a major choke point for the HEMI.

I had one custom made and it's night and day improvement over the stock garbage that was in there.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

BBK have been known to fail over time, also fitment is hit or miss. JBA has been known to have their welds fail over time and fitment is not good at all. They normally (not all the time but very often) hit the steering knuckle.

AFE is the way to go for shorties! The AFE hardware is very good. I wouldn't spend the money on different hardware. For the gaskets the AFE ones are good but many do go with the Remflex ones.

message me for a quote on headers, I would be happy to help.

 

[Wild one]

Exhaust Header questions.
I have a 2021 RAM 1500 Limited truck with a Hemi 5.7L engine in it. Love the truck, but now after about 45k miles, I have that infamous exhaust header leak. I went to the dealership and it is covered under a 60k PowerTrain warranty, but the parts are back-ordered. Instead of going back to the flawed stock design, I was thinking about upgrading. I decided to go the route of replacing the stock exhaust headers with new Shorty Exhaust headers and currently I have the stock exhaust. Before I go to an exhaust shop or performance shop I figured I would ask some questions from the gurus here in this RAM forum. I do not want to replace my entire exhaust system but just the stock exhaust headers at the front of the engine, using stock placement and mid-pipe. I have seen many brands such as BBK, JBA, AFE, Kooks, FlowTech, and many others but some do not offer shorty exhaust headers for my year of the truck yet.

I am sort of leaning toward the BBK as it seems many have used them. Are there others that are better built that will not cost me 1,000 for the set?
So from those who have actually swapped out the stock exhaust headers, what would you recommend to do and what to buy?

This is what I was thinking of purchasing below:
Did I miss anything and do I really need that extra Fel-pro Manifold gasket as others suggested? <?
> BBK 40150, Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi 1-3/4" Shorty Headers Polished Silver Ceramic 19-23
or the BBK 4015, Ram 1500 Truck 5.7 1-3/4 Shorty Exhaust Headers Titanium Ceramic 19-23
> FEL-PRO Exhaust Manifold Gasket Set, Part # MS 97083
> Stage 8 MOPAR Hemi V8 Header Bolt Kit, part # 8916
What else would you recommend?

Also, will an exhaust for 2019 also fit my 2021?

Save your money on the Stage 8 bolts,odds are you won't be able to get all the locking tabs on,and if you ever have to remove the headers,you'll want to strangle the guy that sold you the bolts,plus they also have a rep of rattling which can cause your knock sensors to pull timing.The bolts that come with most header kits are more then suficient,as most header gaskets only call for 20 lb-ft of torque. Remflex 6022 gaskets are about the best gasket you can use on a set of headers,as they don't require constant re-torquing like a multi-layer gasket does

 

[Floodload]

I installed the shorty header and wrapped them. Towed travel trailer and half way thru trip had problem shifting into park then back to drive. After stopping at dealer and a lot of trouble shooting the inside of shifter cable was melted. I replaced cable and wrapped it with a heat sleeve. No problems since. Wrap heater core lines too as they are close to headers. Good luck

 

[blackbetty14]

If you got the money get the AFE and remflex gaskets. If you want to save some money go with powergo Stainless on ebay and get reflex gaskets and ARP stainless bolts. The AFE are 409SS I beleive which is decent but won't last much over 10 years. The Ebay/china 304SS is about as good as USA 409 if not a slight bit better and should last 10+ years. Do not wrap the headers, traps water and can hold to much heat in causing cracking. Ceramic coat them if you really want to do it right inside and out. I have had the powergo on my 2018 and my only issue was getting a good seal at the collector and when I got them they were under $300 for the headers, $30 for the gaskets and $30-40 for the ARP bolts. I believe the AFE are like $1k now.

 

[Wild one]

If you got the money get the AFE and remflex gaskets. If you want to save some money go with powergo Stainless on ebay and get reflex gaskets and ARP stainless bolts. The AFE are 409SS I beleive which is decent but won't last much over 10 years. The Ebay/china 304SS is about as good as USA 409 if not a slight bit better and should last 10+ years. Do not wrap the headers, traps water and can hold to much heat in causing cracking. Ceramic coat them if you really want to do it right inside and out. I have had the powergo on my 2018 and my only issue was getting a good seal at the collector and when I got them they were under $300 for the headers, $30 for the gaskets and $30-40 for the ARP bolts. I believe the AFE are like $1k now.

I've been wrapping headers since the late 80's and have never had a set crack from heat,and the idea of it holding water is a wifes tail,the exhaust runs to hot for any wrap to hold moisture for more then a couple minutes at most,plus most exhaust systems rust from the inside out,not from the outside in.I'd also rather replace a set of wrapped headers every dozen years,then put up with the heat damage they cause from being unwrapped.Any wiring/hoses etc. in the vinicity of the headers is going to degrade fairly rapidly.Wrap also helps keep exhaust flow velocity up,promoting better cylinder scavenging,and will also keep your knock sensors happier,as they won't pick up the pinging in the pipes and pull timing on you. The benefits to wrapping them,out weigh the disadvantages.My JBA's have been "double" wrapped for 9 years on my nitrous fed truck,and are still in pretty decent shape for their age.
Here's a pic of my cheap JBA midpipe after being double wrapped for 5 years,and i soak the hell out of it on a weekly basis,as i'm a bit picky about keeping things clean,not even any surface rust to speak of

 

[1SloRam]

@Wild one nailed it.
Never had water intrusion or rust issues when wrapping headers. Coating with help some with protection and reduce heat.
Wrapping will protect all your under hood electronics. Headers get HOT.

 

[blackbetty14]

I've been wrapping headers since the late 80's and have never had a set crack from heat,and the idea of it holding water is a wifes tail,the exhaust runs to hot for any wrap to hold moisture for more then a couple minutes at most,plus most exhaust systems rust from the inside out,not from the outside in.I'd also rather replace a set of wrapped headers every dozen years,then put up with the heat damage they cause from being unwrapped.Any wiring/hoses etc. in the vinicity of the headers is going to degrade fairly rapidly.Wrap also helps keep exhaust flow velocity up,promoting better cylinder scavenging,and will also keep your knock sensors happier,as they won't pick up the pinging in the pipes and pull timing on you. The benefits to wrapping them,out weigh the disadvantages.My JBA's have been "double" wrapped for 9 years on my nitrous fed truck,and are still in pretty decent shape for their age.
Here's a pic of my cheap JBA midpipe after being double wrapped for 5 years,and i soak the hell out of it on a weekly basis,as i'm a bit picky about keeping things clean,not even any surface rust to speak of

I don’t disagree, I have wrapped pipes on my turbo system for most of what you stated. I have however had two different headers (different manufactures and platforms) crack and they were wrapped. They were the only ones I wrapped and then moved the creakote and wrapping if needed but usually not headers. From what I’ve heard about headers rusting it’s from high temp silicone spray sealed header coatings that go on top of the wrap and those cars probably sit for long periods which condensate and it sits in the now waterproof wrap.

 

[Wild one]

I don’t disagree, I have wrapped pipes on my turbo system for most of what you stated. I have however had two different headers (different manufactures and platforms) crack and they were wrapped. They were the only ones I wrapped and then moved the creakote and wrapping if needed but usually not headers. From what I’ve heard about headers rusting it’s from high temp silicone spray sealed header coatings that go on top of the wrap and those cars probably sit for long periods which condensate and it sits in the now waterproof wrap.

A turbo system does run hotter then normal exhaust temps,so i could see it happening on a turbo log manifold,lol.My old 68 with a Dyers 6-71 on it,would make the headers glow cherry red after a hard run,so i never attempted to wrap the Hookers on it.But for the most part with a naturally aspirated engine wrapping them is pretty safe,even a newer boosted application with 02 sensors and a safe tune,you'd be okay wrapping them,but if you're tuner subscribes to the theory of "lean is mean" with his tuning,then you might want to check and see if your headers are glowing cherry red in the dark after a hard run,and if they are,you might not want to wrap them,but i'd also be having a chat with the tuner to,lol

 

[Shawn Burns]

After a bunch of research, I replaced my manifolds with JBA shorties. They seemed to be the right balance of quality and price. Others were twice the price with an unclear amount of quality upgrade. They bolted right up to the stock exhaust perfectly. As others have indicated, I used remflex gaskets with the bolts that were supplied with the kit. Hopefully the snapped bolts aren't below the surface. That makes extraction harder. Mine were below which required drilling rather than the welding a nut onto the broken stud trick.

 

[Hydrasport23]

I installed a set of ceramic coated BBK shorty headers a few years ago. They cracked about a month after warranty expired. I repaired them several times and recently learned that BBK added a support to the headers between the collector and head flange. That may help but the tubing is not good material. Since you have already installed JBA headers, I would recommend wrapping components near the headers such as shift cable and oil dipstick tube. It also looks neater. The ceramic coating helps a lot but a little extra protection for the nearby components will help in the long run. A reasonable gap, if you can get it, near high heat components are all you need as proven by the components near the 1500* cats. Some people may tell you to wrap the headers. All header manufacturers will tell you that wrapping their headers will void the warranty and some will go even farther and tell you the truth about wrapping headers. The wrap may be good for motorcycles and race cars running constant high RPM looking for a little extra horsepower, but it is not recommended for street use by any header manufacturers.
If I had to do it over again, I would save the money or use it for something that might make horsepower or spend the money on new performance brake components.

 

[Wild one]

I installed a set of ceramic coated BBK shorty headers a few years ago. They cracked about a month after warranty expired. I repaired them several times and recently learned that BBK added a support to the headers between the collector and head flange. That may help but the tubing is not good material. Since you have already installed JBA headers, I would recommend wrapping components near the headers such as shift cable and oil dipstick tube. It also looks neater. The ceramic coating helps a lot but a little extra protection for the nearby components will help in the long run. A reasonable gap, if you can get it, near high heat components are all you need as proven by the components near the 1500* cats. Some people may tell you to wrap the headers. All header manufacturers will tell you that wrapping their headers will void the warranty and some will go even farther and tell you the truth about wrapping headers. The wrap may be good for motorcycles and race cars running constant high RPM looking for a little extra horsepower, but it is not recommended for street use by any header manufacturers.
If I had to do it over again, I would save the money or use it for something that might make horsepower or spend the money on new performance brake components.

Benefits of Installing Exhaust Wrap on Headers and Exhaust Pipes

Installing exhaust wrap improves exhaust system and engine performance, along with reducing underhood heat and damaging heat exposure to underhood components

www.heatshieldproducts.com

How Exhaust Wrap Can Increase Performance | Thermo Tec

Exhaust wrap protects your hands from those hot-engine burns–reason enough to use it in your high-powered racing vehicle. But did you know it also improves the overall performance of your car? Exhaust wrap gives you an edge on the track by making the most of your engine’s capabilities.

www.thermotec.com

Header Wrap: What You Should Know About Wrapping your Pipes

Header wrap is a controversial product. Experts make valid points regarding performance, and they agree the decision is ultimately up to the user.

www.chevyhardcore.com

 

[mopareg]

Does anyone make a shorty header for the 6.4 Hemi ?

 

[1SloRam]

Does anyone make a shorty header for the 6.4 Hemi ?

From what I’ve read the SRT’s factory manifolds are basically shorty headers. Guys were swapping Jeep manifolds onto their trucks awhile back when they were cheap. I’d see them posted for a little of nothing because the owners would install long tubes.