289 HiPo Exhaust Manifolds???

[Sign of Cobra]

Hey guys,
since it doesn't appear that OBX or Torque Monster are available anymore, would the Scott Drake 289 HiPo exhaust manifolds physically bolt to my 2001 Explorer 5.0? I realize that the H pipes and exhaust will have to be remade to connect to the new manifolds. Do you guys think this would work???

 

[Mbrooks420]

A standard header won't fit due to the extreme lack of clearance.

 

[CDW6212R]

The steering shaft basically goes right through one of the primary pipes of any normal header. It'd be the #6 or #7 primary. The rest of the space around the manifolds is still very tight, but that shaft is a deal breaker. You can see about altering headers, but nothing will come close to bolting in.

 

[SWIGIN]

Did either of you guys even look at what he's talking about?

Lot's of negativity for not even looking at the subject at hand. Those MANIFOLDS (NOT HEADERS) might be promising but I have no idea if they will fit or not.

 

[boominXplorer]

Any "standard" style header with all 4 pipes coming outward on the drivers side just won't work. Thst is unless you have a steering box mounted outside of the frame. If not there is absolutely no clearance at the steering shaft.

The only factory / close to the right shape shape fitting manifolds I have found would be the 11-14 coyote 5.0 manifolds. Of course the flanges would have to be swapped and body clearance might be an issue (they go kinda far back). They look pretty close to the discontinued Ford Racing headers I run.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Did either of you guys even look at what he's talking about?

Lot's of negativity for not even looking at the subject at hand. Those MANIFOLDS (NOT HEADERS) might be promising but I have no idea if they will fit or not.

V8 manifold alternatives have been discussed as great length. If there were other viable options, I'd think they'd be widely known.

 

[Centaurus5.0]

Lopo's are the closest I've found to fitting, visually. For $150 they'd be worth a try if you had gt40's. I can see gt40p's being a problem with the plug angle. Hipo's manifolds ain't happening. With P heads, you'll just have to wait for a used set of TMH's to pop up, then get your wallet out as fast as you can...

Lopo's:

That's all I got.

 

[Sign of Cobra]

The steering shaft basically goes right through one of the primary pipes of any normal header. It'd be the #6 or #7 primary. The rest of the space around the manifolds is still very tight, but that shaft is a deal breaker. You can see about altering headers, but nothing will come close to bolting in.

Don, thanks for the info. Looks like there is no hope anymore.

 

[Sign of Cobra]

Any "standard" style header with all 4 pipes coming outward on the drivers side just won't work. Thst is unless you have a steering box mounted outside of the frame. If not there is absolutely no clearance at the steering shaft.

The only factory / close to the right shape shape fitting manifolds I have found would be the 11-14 coyote 5.0 manifolds. Of course the flanges would have to be swapped and body clearance might be an issue (they go kinda far back). They look pretty close to the discontinued Ford Racing headers I run.

boominXplore, I appreciate your help. Like I told Don, looks impossible now.

 

[Sign of Cobra]

Lopo's are the closest I've found to fitting, visually. For $150 they'd be worth a try if you had gt40's. I can see gt40p's being a problem with the plug angle. Hipo's manifolds ain't happening. With P heads, you'll just have to wait for a used set of TMH's to pop up, then get your wallet out as fast as you can...

Lopo's:

That's all I got.

 

[Sign of Cobra]

Centaurus 5.0, your right, they look very close. Do you have any more info on these manifolds? Lopo's??? Where would I purchase them? I have the P heads, so again I'm out of luck. Don't you agree that there isn't much to be done in the way of performance until I have headers?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Headers are very much a bottleneck of the system, and you won't make a lot of power over stock with them retained, unfortunately.

 

[CDW6212R]

I glanced at the right manifold again this morning at work. The #7 cylinder is where the steering shaft goes close by. I'm going to have to make something for mine.

I think the best way will be to run the front two pipes(5/6) out and down slightly, and out around the shaft. The #7 cylinder needs to come down quickly, like a normal stock header. The #8 can come out easily to meet the rest. So I'll bring the # 5/6 together and around the shaft, and downward/inward to meet the # 7 and 8 pipes, with the collector being right there behind the #8 port. So it won't be pretty like a header, but the pipe size will be 1 5/8" at the ports, and 2" or bigger as the primaries merge with the next ones, collector being 2.5" I think as a first attempt.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Can't wait to see them.

 

[Turdle]

Still not going to get any decent collector around the front diff on the driver side (left).

 

[CDW6212R]

Still not going to get any decent collector around the front diff on the driver side (left).

Where's that tongue imoji , I'll make a 2.5" fit for sure, but 3" is my goal.

I'll mangle the 3" pipe as needed, ovaled and pounded to fit. First the twin 3" tail pipes, 3" mufflers, then 3" cat pipes with the old collectors, GT40 heads, and finally the log manifolds.

 

[Sign of Cobra]

Where's that tongue imoji , I'll make a 2.5" fit for sure, but 3" is my goal.

I'll mangle the 3" pipe as needed, ovaled and pounded to fit. First the twin 3" tail pipes, 3" mufflers, then 3" cat pipes with the old collectors, GT40 heads, and finally the log manifolds.[/QUOTE

 

[Sign of Cobra]

Where's that tongue imoji , I'll make a 2.5" fit for sure, but 3" is my goal.

I'll mangle the 3" pipe as needed, ovaled and pounded to fit. First the twin 3" tail pipes, 3" mufflers, then 3" cat pipes with the old collectors, GT40 heads, and finally the log manifolds.

Don, it looks like you've been doing some planning. Wish I could do what your doing, but I'd have a big mess. If you get this worked out, do you think that you would make up some sets? I wish I lived close so I could watch you put this together.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm slow and these kinds of projects have never reached a manufacturer to duplicate anything really. I'm getting older and slower, so everything for me is basically a last time deal anymore. There have been some people build things like headers for the Explorer, but they never got finished or replicated, no shame on anyone cause life is busy for most of us. If I got so far as to have spare vehicles and projects going on, I might be able to ask a company like Cherry Bomb if they'd build such a thing as the log manifolds. Meaning that's about the best I could imagine, taking them a pair to see if they could copy it. But that's a wild thought and I don't think they've ever made anything but mufflers and a few odd things.

 

[Turdle]

I know it goes against everything "street truck" , but consider this for a moment.

What if a superlift front kit was used, but do a reverse key adjustment to lower it back down. You may be able to achieve stock ride height and gain 3" additional clearance in the diff area, and, just maybe , enough clearance from the diff for a 351?

The 4" superlift kit will lower everything 3" with bracketry and spindles, to retain all suspension and steering geometry , you gain the other inch from aTT. Instead of that, back the adjusters out all the way, shave the bumpstops and you'll be back down to normal.

Just thinking--carry on.