I had a set of JBA stainless shorty headers installed while they were installing my new long block. I am extremely disapointed in their quality. At 1st glance they look trick. Tubes twisted around, stainless, etc. When I took them out of the box and loocked closer, was I surprised. The welds between the tubes and mounting plates ate the worst I have ever seen. That are so bad than on 6 tubes they extended between 1/4" and 3/8" into the tube. I had to gind them out so they would not block flow. The mounting plates although heavy duty in thinkness were not even round in the port area. They were all diferent shapes and surely do not match with any ports well. The plates also were not true and it is amazing that they do not leak. I have developed a knocking/tapping noise that is starting to look like it is coming from the headers and may be caused my the poor transition from the heads to the headers. Te passenger header actuallt touches the control arm mounting bracked during engine movement. Why they spent the time to design a noce product and then in production drop the ball in hard to understand. If I could easily remove them (it would take raising the engine, as they fit so tight) I would. I shoudl have either stayed with stock manifolds or saved the money for a complete LT system

 

Sorry to hear it...

I have a buddy with a regular 5.4L and he used the Bassani shorties - much better fittament.

From what I've heard, there's no to minimal gains to be had with shorties... you're better off investing in the long tubes...

 

HI!... This is nothing new. I had JBA shorty headers on my 5.4. I had to grind down the upper control arm bracket to get them not to rub. I spent $900(CAN) for the JBA's and after getting them I had to dump another $400(CAN) into them to get them to flow right. JBA states that the primary tubes are a 1-1/2 but after they put their GOB's of weld in the primary tube, they are actually like 1-1/8!!!!!!!! They also put huge dents in the primary tubes so idiots can get the header bolts in while installing them. I had the dents removed and the primary tubes TIG welded to the header flange. I then ported out the primary tube entrance to a true 1-1/2. Not very good quality at all. Here's a few pics.

 

I had Bassani shorties on my 99 Lightning. The fit and finish is perfect. But there wasn't much difference in sound and no difference in power.

 

HI!... A few more :

 

I have them but did not do the install. I surely hope I did not spend 700$ + install fee for crappier then stock headers. Mine ar ein my sig

 

The install fee will be steep. If you get a low quote the job may be suspect as the tech has not done it before and maybe get oisThey are such a bitch to install. You might as well take the motor out. if I had to do it again I would keep the stock manifolds untill I could afford a complete system.
If you get a low quote be warey as they tech has never installed a set and may do a crap job when he hits the snags/fit issues.

 

HI!... Actually the JBA shorty headers were pretty easy to install. I did mine myseld in 3.5 hours start to finish. And that was with wasting 30 minutes trying to get the EGR tube to fit the headers. JBA's fit is garbage!!!!!!!! The JDM longtubes are ten times easier to install. I removed the JBA's and installed my JDM/KOOKS LT's in 1.5 hours. The bolts are way easier to get to.

 

HI NEAL!!!


Matt

 

HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......... .. DEIMATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**********


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. BYE DEIMATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

LMAO!! BYE...................NEAL........................ .....