Headers for a 3vz
 

My '89 4runner's 3vz is about to undergo a rebuild, and i plan on putting a set of headers on it, but i'm not really sure which brand.

What would you recommend?

Also, what material. I plan on driving this truck for a very long time, so i'm avoiding being cheap

A simple search would've yielded you great results but since I am in the middle of the very same project I don't mind giving my .02. LC Engineering makes the best headers on the market for our engines but are not CARB legal so depending on where you reside is gonna be determining factor in application. Doug Thorley makes a set that are California legal though. If your location does not have strict emission laws then I say LC Engineering. They are ceramic coated which helps reduce heat. Be ready to do some modification as well as I hear they are not fully plug and play. Hope that helps

DOUG THORLEY cost us about $600. still look pretty much like new a year and a half later. the headers themselves are good but all the included piping etc etc etc is a PITA to do as well as the slip-joint / pipe clamp design is aggravating. I've seen where some people weld the piping (thus, voiding the warranty) to eliminate the leaks (yup, had plenty at the slip joints...might have been me, but I've seen complaints about THAT as well).

not sure performance-wise what, if anything was gained because this truck was NEVER driven by us prior to the rebuild, so we have nothing to compare against.

if you search my son's thread in my sig, to somewhere around June or July of 2011 (maybe earlier), you will find the stuff about the headers.

no experience with LC's headers though. but I'm pretty sure they make a quality product.

so, my recommendation is Doug Thorley's.

we were looking to eliminate the dreaded crossover by adding the headers. we accomplished that. any performance gains were a bonus.

stock gears / stock size tires (31's)......gets about 17mpg.

If you install the Thorley's, make sure you use these style clamps: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-33226/overview/

Do not use the u-bolt clamps, they leak like crazy and damage the headers, make it almost impossible to take apart the headers due to distortion. Use the lap style clamps.

Also, regardless of brand, spend extra time to insulate fuel lines, brake lines and the starter. When the manifolds are out, also replace your starter contacts.

TRUE^^^^

as far as the clamps go, we originally used the clamps provided....junk junk junk! bought BETTER clamps (although not the ones linked above) and took care of things quite well. the old clamps just crushed themselves and made it so you would NEVER get them tight enough.

as far as the insulating goes. not sure why I neglected to mention that, since it all almost ended horribly for us. see this thread ----->>>> https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...l-line-258107/ . and for the rest of it, we used insulating sheeting over the brake lines and starter.