Headman Headers....do they ALWAYS burn plug leads and arc out on the headers???

Oz Sport Fury

Oz Sport Fury

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Hey Guys,

I have 2 big blocks with headers on them, both ALWAYS burn through the centre plug lead boots and arc on the headers, kill the coil voltage and foul plugs!!

New car is a Newport with a 400 running Headman Headers on it, ceramic coated but its on its 3rd set of leads for the centre exhaust ports as the plug boots cook and burn through arcing like crazy!!....

Has anyone found a solution to this pain in the arse??

I am going to get time and pull the pipes off and beat on them like they owe me money so they clear the plugs properly....

I'm just amazed these big name companies make such shitty pipes for these B/RB heads.

A mate said there maybe a small/mini style spark plug that might work?

Cheers,
 
Well . . . Hedman Headers is a very old-line company that's been around since the middle 1950s or so. Building headers for many brands osf engines, including Chrysler engines. There are other brands, too.

In general, the issue with plug wire durability with headers, well before any heat shielding or ceramic plug boots were ever invented, is how the wires are routed. Look at how the OEM small block Chevy wires were routed, down . . . behind . . . and forward as the exhaust manifolds were routed UP and then down in the middle. "Heat rises". It was not until the early 1970s, when the exhaust manifolds changed, that they were routed "over the top".

Headers usually require spark plug wires which are NOT pre-made, but "made to fit" by the user.

Shorter spark plugs? Accel used to make a shorty spark plug for Chrysler engines which had limited spark plug wire clearance. BUT those are a recent invention. We got along without them for years, before hand.

By observation, it was far more common for the inexpensive header gaskets (which they came with) to blow out than for spark plug wires to have heat issues (if routed properly).

Regards,
CBODY67
 
I would need to see some photos but different angled boots may help the issue.
 
Some headers have problems there some don't. Heat with torch, lay a big socket on the tube, and hammer. You'll get a decent dimple shaped as you need.
Simple work for all the benefits headers bring.
 
Howdy, take a look at MSD #32739, these leads are awesome. I had the exact same problem with boot sleeves burning away and that lovely "arcing". My Fury came with MSD ignition and ceramic coated headers. These boots are positional, I bent them all away from the header tubes and no issues since July last year. One downside, these leads are at least a foot longer than you need...

IMG_20220819_154931514.jpg


IMG_20220819_154941518.jpg
 
I've been running headers since the mid-70s and have run many brands. They all seem to have one to a few close tubes. I have been using the heat proof sleeves on the close tubes for a number of years with good results. There are a number of manufactures that you can buy from Summit or another performance supplier. Buy quality sleeves, they seem expensive, but they work.
SAM_2746.JPG
 
I use the heat sleeves Outsider shows in post #9 with straight boots on every plug. Never burned a wire with Hedman Headers.
 
Oz Sport Fury said:
We don't all run 8.5:1 tuck motors mate....
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Not sure what a tuck motor is. Fact is headers all will soon leak at the collectors and at the head. Things are gonna get hot, real hot. Wires are gonna burn, starters are gonna go bad. Your floors may get hot at the firewall.You may melt a harness or two if they become loose. You are more likely to bottom out on a hard woop-D-do.

Unless you need to make stupid power for the strip, headers don't belong under the hood of a Street/strip C.
 
67SportFury383 said:
Howdy, take a look at MSD #32739, these leads are awesome. I had the exact same problem with boot sleeves burning away and that lovely "arcing". My Fury came with MSD ignition and ceramic coated headers. These boots are positional, I bent them all away from the header tubes and no issues since July last year. One downside, these leads are at least a foot longer than you need...

View attachment 612605

View attachment 612606
Click to expand...

Spot on your pipes look very similar to ones on my 400, I'll have to get some MSD leads, i have just got the heat proof sox now, hopefully i can run a bit longer before the arcing returns.
 
polara71 said:
Not sure what a tuck motor is. Fact is headers all will soon leak at the collectors and at the head. Things are gonna get hot, real hot. Wires are gonna burn, starters are gonna go bad. Your floors may get hot at the firewall.You may melt a harness or two if they become loose. You are more likely to bottom out on a hard woop-D-do.

Unless you need to make stupid power for the strip, headers don't belong under the hood of a Street/strip C.
Click to expand...
Ran headers on the street from 1997-2012 on my fury, had to get the right combo of gaskets and plug wires with a torch dimple and then it was free breathing torque for the win.
Only reason I don't have them now is those hair dryers took their place
 
I ran Hookers in 1983 - 1984 and hated them for all the reasons I stated.
Funny thing is for the last 26 years most C body guys don't like them for all the reasons I experienced.
 
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