No exhaust...manifold only....is it ok?

Is it ok to drive my Moopar flathead 6 about 10 min to the exhaust shop with only the manifold? I have no exhaust....it stops at he manifold...will this be ok, or will it hurt anything?

 

I would not suggest it.....

 

Is there anything close to the manifold that can catch on fire?

 

no nothing close...

 

Not a good idea, use a trailer or a towdolly.

 

you can warp your valves pretty easily that way, just to move it, id get four or five feet of flxible metal duct from the hardware store and hose clamp it to the manifold,and hang it with coathangers, cost ya less than 15 bucks. just make sure its aluminum or steel and not mylar dryer duct

 

I ran one to the exhaust shop about the same distance, except I had shorty headers on mine... I took the reducers and tacked a a piece of pipe from the old exhaust to them that was about 6" long... I didn't have any problems with the exception of hearing the radio...

 

It won't hurt anything as long as there isn't anything close enough to the exhaust outlet to burn.

Just drive her slowly, and avoid letting the engine slow the car down while in gear so as to minimize any colder outside air getting ****ed into the manifold.

 

Tickets for no exhaust can be expensive.

 

How many cars do we see here on the HAMB with zoomies on moderately-built V8s? I'm sure they're WAY louder than any flattie six-banger with a stock exhaust manifold.

A friend of mine has a stock Ford flathead V8 with short zoomies, it's a very mellow-sounding engine and not outrageous by any means.

As long as you're not out driving it hard, no cops will even look your way.

 

I drove my pickup from Fullerton to Lemon Grove (about 100 miles) with only 3 feet of enhaust pipe off of the manifold. I have a 250 L6 in there... no problems.

You can get that flex pipe from Auto Zone and hang it in there for the short trip.

- Joe

 

Have you ever looked at the exhaust on a Rolls Merlin? I think this whole warped exhaust valve thing is an old wives tale

 

Loudest motor I ever heard was my old 360 Yamaha dirt bike, when I took the muffler off and was running it straight out of the header pipe. You could hear that thing three miles away, kinda like a HUGE chainsaw.

 

only 10 minutes...you'll be fine

 

you would think, until you see it happen... remember, the rolls merlin is running maybe 3000 rpm and fairly constant in terms of rpm range and load during normal use. a car engine is a whole different story... one of my not-too-bright "hotrod" buddies thought is would be cool to chop up some old enter dumps on a sb chevy, make it look like exhaust turn downs (shoot some flame). ended up killing the heads, valves, and burnt some pistons out. it really depends on how much manifold is there. as a rule of thumb i like to keep at least 8 inches of manifold or pipe after leaving the head, MINIMUM.

 

i drove my 66 falcon with open headers for 3 years every day and it was a pretty stout 302 in it with a 4 speed and a **** load of nitrous. i used to have cops ride up next to me and wave and give the thumbs up. never had any tickets.

 

Listen to Oilslinger. You can easily warp your valves. Noise and and external heat are the least of concerns.

 

Ive run a few to the exhaust shop with only manifolds.

 

The old warped valve thing came from the idea that once you turned the engine off that cool air could migrate up the exhaust manifold and warp the valves. It's BS that has been p***ed along so many times that it is often considered to be gospel. Taint so. Just people repeating stories that they heard.

The import cars are pretty famous for snapping off the exhaust pipe right at the manifold flange and the flex pipe lets the pipe hang down so effectively there is no pipe. Many people drove around for weeks until they could afford to get it fixed. I've welded an *** load of them over the years. Never seen any warped valves. Just make sure there is nothing flammable where the exhaust comes out.

 

Driving it won't hurt anything. But you don't want to let cool air get to hot valves!

 

And yet I've seen freaks running engines on stands without ANY manifolds, even...and supposedly none the worse for wear...
For everything that "can't be done" there is someone who has no problem doing it...
The real issue, though, is for what it will take in the way of effort, and money...just stick some tubing on there: why take a chance?

 

yup this is true ive asked some old school hot rod mechinest this and they both said the same thing and the guy has been building drag motors and stock motors for 45 years or so ,

 

Amen! I have heard the old wives tale for years. It always seemed to me that the heat in the heads (or in this case, block) would warm any cool air that could enter, far faster than any cool air could do any damage. Besides, I would think that the hot air from the port would be expanding, pushing out of the exhaust port.

 

In my younger days, before there was a cop in every town, my brothers and I drove many thousands of miles, with every type of engine from flatheads to Chrysler hemi's, with no trace of pipe on the manifolds, some even had no manifolds, and never warped a valve. Old wive's tales die hard, though.

 

but as soon as you shut the engine is shut off it starts cooling, an as it cools it contracts, pulling in cooler air. a buddy of mine had a perectly fine sbc, then he did what you are thinkin' of doin and ended up needing a valve job. maybe it was a co-incidents but better safe than sorry i always say. i dont always DO i just aways say!

 

tommy is right. i would like to see one valve that has been warped this way. old folk lore.

 

Years ago, the old Mopar flatty was a common engine for the farmers to use on their irrigation pumps, can't recall ever seeing any kind of tailpipe on them, and they ran em many hours at a time.

 

When I was younger, a lot of stock cars ran with pipes that were just long enough to keep the flames from melting the plug wires, like 2 or 3 inches at most. And I can recall several that ran no manafold at all. The main issue is safety, either g***ing yourself with CO, or starting a fire. If the shop is that close, I'd figure a way to tow it, just to avoid getting a ticket, or burning up something. Plus your ears will thanks you someday.

 

how cold would that dang air have to *be* to warp valves? I've been driving my car with just shorty headers and so far so good. I'll be getting exhaust soon tho as I can't take the noise.

Air cooling valves, especially in a warm block , just doesnt sound like anything to worry about. If I bend some valves its a good excuse to upgrade

 

Anyone who thinks cold air will ruin the exaust valves probably thinks that setting a battery on concrete will kill it too. We have a M farmall tractor that has been running straight fron the manifold for 45 years . I have seen that exaust glowing red hot when pulling a 3 bottom breaking plow in 3 gear. Has had half a dozen ring and bearing jobs during that time never a burned valve or a warped one either.I have run lots of all kinds of engines many miles and for a long time with the donut gaskets burned completly out never a valve problem OldWolf