TRDatVT

I have read numerous reports on whether or not spending the extra money on TRD headers is dumb or not and i am still unclear as to whether i should get the downey's. I am looking to purchase in the next 30 days and i am still a college kid and i need to find them cheap as i can. What is the cheapest price for TRD as compared to Downey. I do have a birthday coming up so hopefully ill come upon some money:bigclap: ! This, larger injectors as well as an FTC will finally finish my project!

midiwall

As long as you keep that SC on there, the headers make sense. The stock exhaust manifold isn't allowing the exhaust gases to fully evacuate the cylinder, thus reducing the potential power.

Headers will lower the start of the powerband by 800-900rpm which gets you into a sweet spot for the SC. Your HP & torque numbers will go up by about 20-30 points each.

TRD vs Downey is an old argument, there are folks from both camps here, and we're all happy with what we have. While it's possible to get a BAD header and thus create major power issues, neither TRD nor Downey fall into that category, they're both good products and have similar net results.

Have you searched at all to see the fun that's in store for you in getting these on? Are you looking to do the work yourself?

In your stock system, there's a crossover pipe that connects the driver's side to the passenger side. That pipe has to come out, and it's a royal PITA. You'll be hacking at it with a saw for a while - or you'll be dropping the tail of the tranny to get clearance.

When it goes back together, you need to make a decision about how to run a crossover pipe. You could go back up over the tranny hump, or go under, or go down and around the tail of the tranny. The TRD headers install with a crossover over the tranny hump, the Downeys have an option crossover pipe which feeds under. The problem with under is that it will block access to dropping the tranny pan. Mine are under, but the crossover was done as a bolt-on so I can remove it.

Time wise... you're looking to spend at LEAST 8 hours making it happen. It's possibly one of the most PITA things you can do on the truck. There are blind bolts on the manifolds that are hard to get to, the clearance is tight, the crossover sucks to deal with, you'll need to fab pieces... If possible, talk a shop into doing it for you, and get a firm price up front for the charges.

Price wise... I got mine years ago from Truck Performance. At the time they were inlcuding the crossover pipe as well as discounting the headers. I think this was their mistake, but...

http://www.truckperformance.com/prod...9/4Runner/3.4L

Watch out for people NOT having them in stock. If they have to drop ship from Downey, it will take AGES. I waited over two months for mine.

TRDatVT

Is there still a possibility of finding them with the crossover pipe, or should i completely do it on my own. I know a guy where i can get bends and stainless pipe from that i have done my exhaust with for cheap. I will need to redo the front of it anyway with the changing of the headers so i can get the needed materials from him.

Yes i will be doing it myself, with the help of a buddy and his lift and welder. We should be ok doing it, but i do want to ask a few more questions about the rear crossover. I know that a lot of people have had trouble with it, and i am lifting my truck soon. I have heard that a 1" body lift helps a ton in removing the pipe without having to but it up, but i will need be cause i dont care. Also, "all you have to do is drop the tail of the tranny"... Do you ahve to losen the body mounts or do they give enough to bend down some?

Cant wait for that sweet spot in the powerband... It already feels really nice, so i dont know what im going to do with all that besides got to the track and !

What injectors are all you guys running... I have the yellow tops from a 7mge supra, but im pretty confident that im having a lack of fueling issue, so im getting the 2jz maroon tops for 50 bucks from a buddy who did a turbo swap. If those arent going to be enough, i need to know what i should get?

97Limited

I'm one of those guys that I'm glad I went with the TRD Headers!! The Fitment is perfect!!

And yes there is pros and cons with either the crossover pipe going over or under the tranny!! Under poses problems when tranny service is needed!! And something else to hit or get hung up on while wheelin'

Another reason I went with the TRD's over the Downey's is the option to put a body lift on the 4Runner!! Downey states that there headers will not work with a body lift (stated right on the web site)

Another reason I went with the TRD's they are Stainless as a posed to Steel.

And the TRD's are made by Thorley!! Thorley has an awesome rep. when it comes to their product. They fit well and good quality!!

Just to give you an Idea I got mine Headers Installed by Toyota. And They gave me a deal; they said "no matter how long it takes; we will only charge you $$500 in labour." It took them a day and a half!!

So good luck with your decision!!

displacedAlaskan

I am planning on doing a Downey header install job, I need to know if I need to buy new exhaust (manifold?) gaskets and also since I am planning on installing a dual exhaust after the headers, do I need new o2 sensors? This vehicle is going to be for offroad use and I will only be using mufflers (no cat) (wink wink)

midiwall

When it's all said and done, it's better to do it on your own. The price that Downery will charge your for a hunk of pipe that you may just have to cut up anyway is silly.


Two things.. 1) the body lift will help getting the crossover out, but then the headers won't fit. 2) To drop the tranny tail, you pull the cross member that the arse end of the tranny is bolted to. The engine mounts will give you about 1 -1 1/2" of flex which will help.


Okay, dude.. I've asked you 3 times in two different threads and you have yet to answer me.
If all you did was slap the Supra's in there without putting in the Walbro or any fuel management computer, then yeah, you're running lean and you're gonna burn that thing up. Yes, I saw you post your A/FR's but I think they're suspect. I've been there... I'm doing a rebuild on my engine now partially because of not paying attention when I first put the SC on.



See a few messages above - I use a bolt-in crossover and run a full skid plate. Nothing gets hung up and pulling the tranny pan is easy. Plus, you don't have to pull the pan very often - 'specially since TRDatVT is a manual.

I had a similar experience. I made a deal with a local shop, they figured 6 hours, it was more like 12 when they got done. But to their credit, they stuck to their end of the deal and charged me the agreed-on flat rate.


_YES_. Do NOT run the gaskets that come with the Downeys, do NOT run TRD gaskets, run the STOCK manifold gaskets. It will minimize the possibility of leaking.


SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH. MANY people have tried pulling the O2 sensors and/or cats, very FEW have made it work.

In the same light, many people have tried running TRUE dual exhausts (two pipes straight back fro the headers) and I think I've only seen one success story.

The issues stem back to the ECU... It's REALLY touchy about seeing inputs from an O2 sensor before & after the cat. There are O2 simulators out there that will take care of the rear sensor, but that front one really should be there.

What ECU (model and year) are you running?

midiwall

I have more questions about your A/FR...

When you talked about them in terms of your dyno run, how did you check 'em? Do you have a wideband? Are you tapped into the stock sensor? Or were those number from a tailpipe sniffer at the dyno shop?

TRDatVT

I have an LM-1 wideband, as well as the tailpipe sniffer that was hooked up at the dyno. I am running around 11.8 or 12.0:1 during full throttle and i have a calibrator for part throttle boost. The apexi AFC is running everything since it was the cheapest way for now.

rimpainter.com

I run HPC-coated Edelbrock headers (cross-under) and I used their supplied gaskets. Just sawzall the stock crossover pipe off and be done with it. I tried to salvage mine and ended up spending 2 hours just on that. Took me a couple minutes to saw the dumb thing off. Oh well, you live and learn.

Took me about 8 hours total in my garage. I don't think they make the Edelbrock's any more.

TRDatVT

They dont make them anymore, i tried that road a few times. The next best option for me seems to be downey's. I have although heard that people who go with chrome have engine bay heat problems so i might front for ceramic if i can find the funds.

displacedAlaskan

I've got the Downey headers in and they work great, and I had a local exhaust shop install true duals with cats...works wonderful. I just simply had the exhaust shop weld the old 02 sensor mount into the new pipework and put a new sensor in myself. Sounds beautiful, and I noticed a definite increase in power and gas mileage...maybe due in part to a new sensor...I think the old one was getting pretty decrepid @ 172,00 miles... Next mod is the intake silencer removal, and opening up the air intake. Thinking about installing a homemade blower system..don't know if that'll work but I'm researching it. I'll let you all know if that works out.