Hello, I'm looking at running some lakester headers on my 34 highboy pickup. I'd like to run them with baffles as my total exhaust set-up. Just wondering about issues with exhaust fumes inside the cab before I take the plunge. I know I can dump them out the back, but prefer the aesthetics of not doing so. Please, any issues, advice ect would be most appreciated !
I have em on my car and I have caps to run em to the back. Im very glad I do. I love having them open around town and stuff but on highway driving its nice to cap them off. I went to a cruise a couple weeks ago with them open. It was about a 45 minute drive one way. I had a headache by the time we got there. It was probably a combination of the fumes and the noise. Ive heard different from others but personally the fumes get to me after a while.
I have them on my coupe, pointed down slightly.. Enough to not get too much into the cab, still I don't care... Note: My wife hates the way I smell after driving it around... hahahaha
I guess thats why I asked. I was wondering about it given the amount I see with dump tubes. Anyone feels different let me know how you pulled it off. Thanks
i ran them on my first a sedan .....back in 01....no caps....used the cherry bomb core trick....on the last long trip of the summer i finally made some small turn outs for them .....it helped some.....did the same on my last a sedan ....with fenderwell headers....brandon
Funny you should ask, I just got home from a buddies house. Took him for a ride around town and stopped at McDonalds to talk to another car buddy. When we got out he said " damn! I feel drunk" The fumes will come in but for me it adds to the feel of the ride. Its not that bad. Run em and see if you can stand it.
I run open headers all the time... in a roadster. Yeah, I know I'd be different, but a turn-down would probably help yer situation. Even with the top on it isn't too bad, just make sure the carbs are tuned correctly. My girlfriend says we "smell like hotrod" whenever we get back from drivin it. But, she does say she likes it. I'm just a lucky MOFO for havin her!!!!
I'm doing some research myself and found this thread. I have Lake headers and dumps on my 32 and the fumes are a killer. I cant stand the smell of my clothes when I get to where I'm going. The noise doesn't bother me however.
'Killer' is the right word to use here people! You're playing around with carbon monoxide, and while the other exhaust fumes are what make you stink, the CO is what gives you permanent brain damage, and what's more it kills on a regular basis! Don't muck around when it comes to exhaust gases, if it's giving you a headache, it's doing you damage. Cheers, Glen.
GlenC hit the nail on the head. Friend of mine's older brother had a 48 Chevy convert back in the day. Nice car, leaky exhaust. He'd been driving a while, in the top up, windows closed, heater on car, picked us up, took us to the house to pick up our skates - used to be a skater - and when we came out, we opened the drivers door and he fell out onto the sidewalk. Out cold. Several of the stories posted above indicate to me that a long trip would have some folks - driver or not - unconscious before too much longer. Most states have exhaust laws that basically state the exhaust has to exit the vehicle as far to the rear as possible. In Sunny SoCal the code used to state - and probably still does - side exhaust exit was allowed if it was between 2' and 11' off the ground and as far to the rear as possible - which generally allowed the popular side pipes dumping in front of the rear wheel. No reason why a lakes header equipped car can't have a legal and safe exhaust system. It's still gonna look good. I'm of the opinion that in a lot of cases where exhaust exits next to the engine is simply due to laziness and/or a desire to get the car on the road as fast as possible.
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