Curious About Gen I Factory Headers

Steamroller

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Posts
179
Reaction score
0
Does someone have a picture of Gen I factory headers? I am curious as to what they look like. I have the Gen II factory headers on my 2001 ACR, and I am interested in seeing what exactly is physically different between the Gen I and Gen II versions.

I have seen several posts promoting the upgrade from Gen I headers to Gen II headers. Those posts I found showed pictures of the Gen II headers, but they did not show pictures of the Gen I headers.

Like I said, I am just curious.
 

99 R/T 10

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 4, 2001
Posts
10,314
Reaction score
0
Location
Enterprise, AL USA
They look very similar, one is cast iron(up thru 97) and the other is tubular(98-02). Big difference is the weight, you'll save 30+ lbs and they do flow slightly better.
 

C O D Y

Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 21, 2000
Posts
2,443
Reaction score
2
Location
Vancouver, WA
1992 are a custom 2 piece exhaust manifold (VERY RARE!)

1993 to 1997 Manifolds

1998 to 2002 Tubular Headers

I'll unpack these and take a picture for you to see.
 

mad0953

Enthusiast
Joined
May 20, 2006
Posts
2,486
Reaction score
0
Location
Southern Oregon
I was told that my 97 has the 98 headers and the upgraded fan also......how do I tell if that is the case?
 

Tom F&L GoR

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Posts
4,983
Reaction score
5
Location
Wappingers Falls
Peel back the foil insulation and look at the header flange. The cast one will look a little rusty and plenty thick; the stainless one will be silver and the flange is 1/4" thick. The difference is large enough that if you swap, you need the shorter bolts. In between pipes, the Gen 1 manifold has a support bridge along the top of the exhaust ports, the Gen 2 manifold has a support along the bottom of the ports.

The newer fan is centrally located and has four rubber flaps; two on each side. The old fan is shifted to driver's side and has four plastic flaps on the passenger side.
 

C O D Y

Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 21, 2000
Posts
2,443
Reaction score
2
Location
Vancouver, WA
Newer fans have 4 rubber flaps (1999 and newer) on the corners or the older fans have 4 plastic door flaps all on one side (the older fan)?
 

C O D Y

Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 21, 2000
Posts
2,443
Reaction score
2
Location
Vancouver, WA
1992_manifold.JPG


Here's the rare 2 peice 1992 only exhaust manifold.
 
OP
OP
S

Steamroller

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Posts
179
Reaction score
0
Everyone, thanks for the input!

Tom & Cody... Thanks for the pictures!

I have a few additional questions:

1. What material are the Gen I exhaust manifolds made of?
2. Just curious... Will Gen I exhaust manifolds fit on a Gen II engine with/without any modifications to the exhaust manifolds and/or engine? Conversely, I previously read that Gen II headers will fit on a Gen I engine with some material removed from the headers.
 

ruckdr

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 17, 2000
Posts
1,315
Reaction score
1
Location
Renton, WA USA
Steamroller,
Here are 2 pictures of Gen2 headers (1998+, I think) as modified and installed on my '96 (Gen1), RT/10.
The flanges, (see picture) must be removed to clear lower Gen1 head bolts.
I had mine High Temp. Ceramic coated, and they look the same today as the did in when they were coated in 2003.

428Exhaust03.JPG


428Exhaust_MANIFOLD_98.jpg


Hope this helps,

Later,
 

Tom F&L GoR

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Posts
4,983
Reaction score
5
Location
Wappingers Falls
1. What material are the Gen I exhaust manifolds made of?
2. Just curious... Will Gen I exhaust manifolds fit on a Gen II engine with/without any modifications to the exhaust manifolds and/or engine? Conversely, I previously read that Gen II headers will fit on a Gen I engine with some material removed from the headers.


A1. Cast steel (we would call it cast iron.)
A2. I think the bolts and ports line up, but you'd have to look at whether the top support interferes with anything on the Gen 2.

In either case, the manifold-to-pipe connection is waaaay different any you will need either a specially made piece or cut and weld some of Gen 1 and Gen 2 parts.
 

ruckdr

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 17, 2000
Posts
1,315
Reaction score
1
Location
Renton, WA USA
As Tom said:

In either case, the manifold-to-pipe connection is waaaay different any you will need either a specially made piece or cut and weld some of Gen 1 and Gen 2 parts.

You can see from his pictures above, that the Gen1 cast manifolds have bolt holes, and bolt to the flex pipe section. From my pictures above, you see no bolt holes in the Gen2 headers, but rather a compression clamp is used to attach to the flex pipe section. I had to acquire the Gen2 flex section (2) and clamps (2), and have it welded to the pipe section before the cat.

Later,
 
OP
OP
S

Steamroller

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Posts
179
Reaction score
0
Don... Thanks for the pictures! I like the ceramic coating.
Tom... Thanks for answering my questions.

My curiosity has been satisfied... at least for now!
 
Top