Remove air tubes from headers?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,094
Likes: 282
From: Phila., PA burbs
Remove air tubes from headers?
I've had Hooker 2149s on my car for a few years now. I originally purchsed the 2149s because I intended on keeping the emissions stuff. Well, needless to say, that didn't happen and the air tubes have bed capped for years. The headers are gonna be removed soon for a heads/cam project and I'd like to cut off the air tubes and weld the holes shut. The headers are ceramic coated with whatever Hooker uses (Jet Hot I think?) and the coating is still in decent shape. Am I gonna compromise the coating when I cut off the air tubes. I was hoping I'd just be able to touch-up the welded areas with some type of high temp paint. I really don't want to go through the expense of recoating the entire header. Has anybody done this and if so, how did the repaired areas hold up. Thanks,
TA
TA
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,094
Likes: 282
From: Phila., PA burbs
I wasn't too concerned about that since the air tubes are pretty small where they attach too the headers. I guess my main question is whether the ceramic coating will start to flake off around the areas I do the repairs. I'm hoping high temp paint or something similar will "seal" the area.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,991
Likes: 5
From: The Pines South Jersey
Tom,
I did the same thing as you want to do, I found out after I cut off the egr tube it wasnt drilled out so no hole to fill, the other small tubes are up to you, flush cut and you can spot weld or try to plug with small self tapping screws or get creative and drill them for 1/8th pipe and use plug fittings from russell or earles, it will look like they are for EGT pickups
I did the same thing as you want to do, I found out after I cut off the egr tube it wasnt drilled out so no hole to fill, the other small tubes are up to you, flush cut and you can spot weld or try to plug with small self tapping screws or get creative and drill them for 1/8th pipe and use plug fittings from russell or earles, it will look like they are for EGT pickups
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
Mine started as 2149's, all the AIR holes filled with weld and as Twisted stated, the egr is not drilled. I cut the AIR tubes off about an 1/8" above the header tube, then welded (better adhesion, less chance of warping etc.), from there I filled them to shape and sanded. Before I had them recoated I had them looking pretty good w/out coating (all welds smoothed to shape etc.). It was somewhat noticeable only due to the polished areas w/no coat and would have hot spots. It is holding up great and no problems.
