Hot Rods Sanderson Headers SUCK. Who makes a SBC header for Saginaw Power Steering box?

Weasel says:

"- went back to my cheap Hookers...."

Could you provide some phone numbers? Hookers around here seem to be real expensive...and most of them don't speak English.

 

Just asking why are the headers so rusted inside.I been running Sandersons zoomies for a year and still look good.

 

Yeah I thought I should mention the rust. I had them repaired by Sanderson and at the same time I bought a new set of the CC4 so I set these on the bench out side of the back building not really caring what happened to them.

 

Make sure your timing is not retarded, which moves a lot of heat into the exhaust.

Can you try filling the exhaust with smoke to make sure you have a good seal at the heads?

I agree with the rust comment, you have waaaay too much rust in there. I think that is causing the problem.

 

First as far as the rust I answered that earlier. This is a set the Sanderson repaired and at the same time I bought a new set of CC4's and never used the pictured ones again. Just set them on a bench outside by the back building.

I just installed a new harmonic dampner and found top dead center with a piston stop and set the timing at a true 10 TDC. New centrificul advance weights and springs and new vacuum advance. Nearly ready to get it running again. Timing on the dampner was the same as the old one when I finished.

 

***

 

You guys got too many hangers on your exhaust or not enough.

The exhaust has no place to flex so when the motor torques over the entire exhaust has to roll with it. Wit to many hagers or incorrectly placed hangers the pipes cant move properly placing a lot of stress on the collector flange.

Hevent ever used these headers personally I cant say anything about quality and may be shit, dunno. I can say that there are many factors involved when cracking headers.

 

350 forget all the tuning issue non sense, I would bet dollars to dougnuts, its a manufacturing issue. A couple of thousand pipes cut a little too short, the ends not prepped right, collector to pipe not a good fitment, worn out fixtures, are they using robotic welding? A simple program faupaw, and the welders dwelling to long in one spot. Again I'd bet some of Weasels cheap Hookers its manufacturing. Weasel, PM me and I'll tell you were you can send over 2 for my birthday, thanks buddy BDM

 

Maybe the cheap Hookers are doing the welding at Sanderson, just sayin

 

Wow very interesting.
I tend to agree with you!!! You guys want to see some PO'd peoples''' do this search...."I want to replace my Sanderson headers" This link is part of the ones you will find;
http://www.s10v8.com/archive/index.php/t-1073761700.html

You will not see many pro Sanderson people in here.
Read the Copy and Paste from o07wray
See what Donna has to say...........Not Good!!!
I talked to her 3 times on my headers......Get this, she said send them in for repair and my people will analyse the exhaust soot and tell you how the engine was running and if this is a problem, BS.
I sent both sides in and they repaired both . I did that because I could get both sides re coated with Ceramic.
I did not ask about the analysing when I called to ask about the repairs but waited to see what would be said. I asked to talk to the repair tech in charge...asked how the repairs were going....he said fine, I asked if there was any problems with the repair, he said NO.
What a line of BS from Donna!!!!!!!
I really do like the gasketless mounting of the Sanderson though. Just use Black High Temp sealer...no gasket....that part has worked well.

 

the cracking and rusting maybe be a real downfall, but i really like their universal beat to fit design.

 

Something that comes to mind is the primary length. If you have one you may be wise to use an infared thermometer to check the individual tubes at the engine and see if they are even temperature as well as checking the spot the repair was made.

Supposedly back in the day a trick to tuning your collector/extension overall length was to paint it and where the paint was burned away was where you'd cut. Just saying that it may not be the best idea to assume the temp is even through all the tubes.

Besides that flex joints sound like a good idea. Having some where for it to flex wouldn't be the most terrible thing.

 

i have had the sanderson cast iron headers on my car for about 10 yrs now coating on them is good as the day i installed them ,never tightened them since they were installed no leaks nice and quiet

 

$1200. for a set of custom Sanderson's & the flanges were upside down with the welds showing & one is an inch higher than the other at the collectors. Not good for a roadster.

 

Had nothing but good luck with sanderson. had many sets. ceramic coating is excellent .


Sorry..........Love the sanderson Brand.

 

I have 12 yr old Sandersons that don't have a bit of rust in them. There is some WTF going on right there. I will admit the first set of Sandersons I ordered at that time came in with the wrong tube size, the wrong finish, and a clearly visible hole in a weld. Lots of old names in the parts game forgot what quality was a long time ago.

I ran a set of Butler/Hedman Tighttubes on a truck and once the flange got a bit warped, they would never seal again. I have seen many folks run short block huggers with the same issue.

Take a look at the Edelbrock headers. They are like block huggers but move the flange away from that hot spot. I am currently running two sets of them.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-65753/

65742 is the shiny version. Dimensions mounted on an engine are on the Edelbrock site.

 

If you do decide to go to cast iron stock exhaust manifolds look at early 70's Chevy pu. Get two passenger sides and turn one backwards on the driver side to clear the steering. had that on my last 40 sedan, worked great. No leaks also. I have one and can take a photo for you. Used to be hard to find and expensive, now I see at swap meets for cheap.

 

hmmm, I was going to run a set on my '54 panel with a 390. the fe's are super limited on stock manifolds.

 

Headers have always been a pain. Think of all off the thermal expansion in all of the different directions. They are going to crack sooner or later and eventually start leaking.

 

I concur with the absolutely shamelessly poor long term quality of Sanderson Headers... In 2009 I bought a set of CC3 ceramic coat block huggers for my 64 K10 running a 355cu.in sbc.

From the getgo I burned up set after set of plug wires boots nearest to the collector until I bought Wrench Rat Spark Arms (which are no longer listed on his website for some reason) .. this stopped burning up plug wire boots, but the exhaust leaks continued .. I always thought it was the collector gaskets...

turns out my headers were cracked all over the place like the above post with the great pics...

*** also has anyone else noticed they did not weld the tubes together in the collector??? it's some form of goop that emits noxious gas when you are trying to weld near it...

I had my brother weld them and reinforce a few areas that weren't leaking and I installed them on my fresh 383, only to have the rim of the collector crack...

for years I have fought these things. they cost me a premium, and were substandard from the getgo, I just didn't know it until it was too late.

they say you get what you pay for but that is not true in so many cases. I suspect for some time they must have cheaped out and bought mexi/chinese steel... The head flange may be top notch, but everything else downward from that is junk!!!

 

I just put a set of Pertronix on my Red 39 Coupe with 351W - block hugger style. So far - so good. I have another set of Pertronix block huggers on my 39 Convertible - 302 engine. The factory Ford iron manifolds really flow poorly for 289/302. I feel like a cheap skate for not buying the Sanderson - but really - the coated Pertronix have performed well. My other 39 - gold Coupe has a 327 Chevy - I went to a new stronger flaming river Vega box to allow clearange for the 2 1/2 inch Corvette rams horns. For street - they really flow nice vs factory small block Ford offerings - I prefer the vette rams horns to headers.

 

You must have the right size header pipes attached to the headers. Too small, the headers will eventually open up at the collection area above the flange

 

I used 2 1/2 inch mandrel bends for the pipes vs muffler shop crush bends. It takes a while - but I do not have to pay my self.

 

I have nothing but bad luck with Sanderson headers. I had a set with the Saginaw steering and they cracked as described. I did the repair and they are still working. I had a set of the cast headers and they cracked immediately. I was told it was my engine's fault. I threw them away and went with Rams horns which are still perfect. I don't disagree with engine tuning causing a hot spot but with other brands, on the same engine and no hot spots — makes it hard for me to believe it is not a quality problem. I still use Sanderson headers but I have problems that they never seem to admit to being theirs!!!

 

I went through three sets of Sandersons on three different of my friend´s cars and all failed and cracked. I replaced one set of their block huggers for sbc with the cheapest set from summit ( I had aölready used them on my 34 Plymouth) , and guess what: the cheapy summit block huggers never leaked and are still good after 13 years and 80000 miles...maybe I just was lucky