Alfa Romeo Forums banner

105 Headers Comparison/shootout!

40K views 126 replies 32 participants last post by  Jerry Ehlers 
#1 · (Edited)
Window shopping for the best sounding headers:


1. Classic Alfa


Price: $722.40
Includes gasket: ?
Ceramic option: no
Notes:


2. Centerline


Price: $379.00 / $469.00 (ceramic option)
Includes gasket: yes(heavy duty)
Ceramic option: yes
Notes: claimed “10-15% increase in top end power”

3. Alfaholics


Price: $670.80
Includes gasket: no
Ceramic option: no
Notes:

4. Vickauto


Price: 299.00
Includes gasket: yes
Ceramic option: no
Notes: 1.5” OD tube and 2.0” OD collector

5. Spruell motorsports


Price: $889.00
Includes gasket: ?
Ceramic option: yes (included in price)
Notes: claimed 3-10 hp increase
“Tri-Y design”



Anyone know which one would sound the best? Perhaps the one with the largest diameter?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
See less See more
5
#3 ·
Take a close look at the angle between the flanges and the primary tubes. The tube should follow the direction of the exhaust port which is not at 90 degrees to the tube. IAP headers were incorrect at one time. The headers with long primaries and shortish secondaries are (I think) more like GTA headers.
Claims of HP increase depend upon what system they are being compared with. The Alfa one piece manifolds from about 75 to 99 strangled the engine and anything decent is an improvement. The factory 2 piece manifolds are probably as good as any headers at low to mid rpm but you are unlikely to see them on a race motor.
I think that your choice should be based upon your engine preparation and beware of headers with large bore tubes which can kill the low to mid range torque.
 
#6 ·
Secondly, which product has large bore tubes?
I doubt that anyone has details on all of the listed headers - a good project :smile2: Call the vendors and ask them what are the primary, secondary and final tube diameters.
I don't know if any of your list have the flange issue but it would be more likely on cheaper ones and less likely on ones from performance oriented vendors.
If you search the ABB you will find reports on different headers which should help.
I would find a good used factory two piece manifold if I had a motor that was not built to make HP at high rpm.
 
#7 ·
My 2 cents the Spruell headers are very close to a design a buddy of mine came up with years ago on a 1600 race engine which he was extremely pleased with. As far as tonal quality who knows. Unless you are building a screamer engine, the stock alfa cast header, was ....engineered for the car.
 
#8 ·
I'm a fan of the Spruell header, but using it in a road going car creates issues, the third and fourth primary tubes come close to the over flow tank, and brake booster, so some sort of shielding needs to be addressed to prevent the the 4th primary tube from melting the overflow tank and number three goes close to brake booster. Food for thought.
 
#10 ·
Window shopping for the best sounding headers:

Ahem . . . Headers don't "sound" (at least not much, anyway). Moreover, on a stock engine they may add a few hp but, IMHO, are more for looks and street-cred---not that such values are in any way bad . . . If you are looking for a better sounding exhaust, look to your exhsust system. Just putting on a straight "stinger" exhaust pipe will sound a lot better and cost a lot less money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: andylarry
#14 · (Edited)
+1 for a stock 60's exh mani they are pretty darn good if your motor is near stock. they more dimensionally stable and dont have the extreme radiant heat to cook things around them in the engine compartment

they also have a proper engineered slight bevel on the mounting flange but i had open mine up for the anti reversion step along with the sloppy fitting gasket to go with my modified ports. a big thing with the aftermarket headers is you might have to bevel them yourself and make sure the gaskets aren't interfering with the ports. they can be misaligned in both planes if i recall correctly. I spend a day trimming and hogging them yourself because most engine builders will not go to these lengths unless you want to pay em a few extra $$$

And apparently the guy that bought 'em is just sitting on them. Sigh . . .
jake still have the jigs? come to think of it mine might be for the TS... i cant remember

Second that! #AlfaRomeoNoodleClub
sweet, medusa headers are quintessential italian looking!

ive been warned that sperry's are fragile and a motorcycle flex type coupling is needed after the collector to avoid any stress fracturing.
 
#18 ·
I have the Spruell's. I do not know if they are better than the others. I got them because, I think, they are the only ones that have each tube equal length. Also - they look cool. (but not as cool looking as the Shankle ones.)

My engine is very strong and has a lot of mods that all finally came together well for an incredible street set up- not sure how much power to attribute to the headers but at least they look badass...
 
  • Like
Reactions: pinshaw
#22 ·
the heat shield seems to work well. It is a '69- i run it hard without both of the dual boosters and it brakes well so i guess it is fine. I have the fancy, centerline, wilwood front brake set-up (6/lb per wheel less unsprung weight!) which offers excellent stopping power. If you want to have the boosters (a must for the originality police) then it may be a tough fit. I have had a '69 with the 2 boosters and the current one without any. I notice no difference between pedal feel and stopping power from either set up. With brakes, it seems to me, it is best to have fewer points of failure...
 
#26 · (Edited)
Agree on the "sound" portion in regards to headers.
Alfa's original cast iron headers are sequenced with the firing order so that alternate pulses come out of the two branches and it generates that unique Alfa pulsating sound when an exhaust system is set up right.
My GTV has the cast iron headers, an Abarth front resonator, a Centerline Magnaflow center muffler and Centerline's stinger. Sounds fantastic and it isn't too loud. My duetto is about to get an identical set up.
 
#27 ·
Ports 1&4 and 2&3 are always paired in 4-2-1 headers so that the pressure pulses in them are evenly spaced. That is for performance. Sound is a byproduct.
One of the top Alfa engine builders in the US has a set of modified IAP headers that he uses on motors on his engine dyno. He has shared data that shows how the HP peak varies with the length of tube from the collector to the open tail pipe. An engine can make upwards of 5 HP more tuning that length.
One of his customers paid Burns big bucks for a custom 4-1 system with an engineered collector and it made less power than his modified IAP headers. He was able to adjust some pipe lengths to get the Burns unit to equal his standard setup.
 

Attachments

#29 · (Edited)
I have the Spruel Headers in my 1750.

https://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/engine-repair-diagnostics-rebuilding/546233-s2-1750-rebuild.html

The engine has 10:1 overbore Spruel pistons for ~1870 displacement
Custom shorter guides, and new seals. Narrow valve stems (BMW I think). Ported and matched to the intake. Work done by Progressive in WA.
Rj cams: Intake: 429, Exhaust: 776 (11.3 lift)
40DCOE webers with 34mm venturi

135hp @ 7400 rpm according to one dyno.

The issue with these headers so far is clearance and heat. They are coated but still throw a lot of heat and are close to the brake booster and air can for my cross over intake (Euro 68 GTV 1750). I've considered wrapping them or coming up with some sort of heat shield. Still torn on how to go there.

They look very cool and the sound is good except for a distinct drone at 4K. (Talked with Paul and it is common if you run a single silencer) I have the stocks pipes with the rear silencer and a stinger so I may opt to redo the pipes in the same diameter as the header (2.5" I think) and run two Borla or Magnaflow silencers. My friend says it sounds like a Ferrari when you go through the range.
 
#32 ·
The design of headers like Spruell's along with the similar Darstan headers sold by both Vintage Customs Alfa and Wes Ingram show a curved #3 primary in very close proximity to both the steering box and brake master cylinder. If you are running these headers it is a very good idea to fabricate a heat shield between the primaries and the other components. Looking at the original Alfa TI Super/GTA headers along with modern interpretations is a good indication that there is some disagreement over whether there is any advantage to be gained by designing such all-equal-length primaries.

As Ed's photo shows, there are lots of very stout engines running headers with designs similar to the original TI Super/GTA's. With this in mind I chose the full Alfaholics system for my hot-rod 2 liter build. In all my years of Alfa driving I've never had headers that didn't require at least a small amount mechanical persuasion in order to fit properly. Not so with the AH full stainless system. I was mentally preparing for a session of skinned knuckles and the obligatory blood sacrifice but to my great surprise the AH headers slipped right on with no trouble at all. Initially, the sound of the AH exhaust system was a little louder than a stock exhaust. It was a good sound although lacking in some of the drama that we closet "boy-racers" might like. Over time, however, the AH exhaust has opened up and now has a real Jekyll and Hyde character---relatively quiet around town but definitely prominent as the revs go up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pinshaw
#34 ·
135hp @ 7400 rpm according to one dyno.
How did he measure RPM? The right way is from an ignition pickup. A less satisfactory method is where the operator "calibrates" from the roller rpm. If he overestimates it you get inflated HP (torque * rpm) and rpm. If he underestimates it you get low HP and a great torque curve at low rpm.
 
#35 ·
Im in the same camp as others, the Spruell headers coated are the best bang fpr the buck performance wise.
Im able to get them in n out without drama on my race car, but they are tight n theres no room for hickups. Im dealing with vibration at full tilt that makes me think my motor mount needs replacement or shimming.

I also agree sound is factored more with intake n exhaust than the headers. I have quieted both my racers recently. The GTV got ss rear pipe added, the spider got a bolt in CA system. Both have webers with minimal filters n are rev happy, full on race engines. They still sound amazing.

For a street car, my gut tells me go w a stainless system n then go drive it.
 
#36 ·
For a street car, my gut tells me go w a stainless system n then go drive it.
On our fall tour in November I had a couple (visiting profs from Italy, I think) following me because they liked the sound my hot-rod Super made with its c/r gears and stainless Alfaholics exhaust. That was fun and it does sound good when driven hard. Then my motor blew up: cracked head, blown head gasket, sundry failures, etc. We're doing a rebuild now . . .
 
#37 ·
I’m currently running, stock headers, Original California cat, borla mid pipe and a stinger.

Would love a little more volume!

Are you guys sure a set of Alfaholics headers and maybe a new catalytic converter won’t put a grin on my face?

Unfortunately I have to run the Bosch fuel injection system so I don’t have Webber’s [emoji53]..

Does anyone know if a cold air intake would make me happy sound wise? (Are they even available anywhere??)
 
#40 ·
If stinger is yet again another muffler, try removing it. Doubt a cold air would make much dif noise wise for the better. Stock headers n ss Borja mid should be ok. Loosing the cat, would also wake it up. ?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top