The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop header question

I just purchased a set of full length headers for my 215 pontiac six with a single barrel carb. with no real mods to it other than a pertronix ignition. My question is one of my friends told me that with the headers installed, my single barrel carb. won't be up for giving me reliable service. Since it's my daily driver (63 chevy pickup 1/2 ton) I was wondering before I install the headers if I am going to hurt anything, driveability-wise.

I think he was referring to the heat riser that normally comes from the exhaust manifold, designed to help with those cold starts. The exhaust warms up the carb, and as soon as its hot the spring loaded dingus closes off the flow of heat.

When using headers, you have the option of hooking up a water heated plate under the carb, or ditching the system entirely. Search the archives here, I'm sure you'll find gobs of info - though not on that Pontiac engine.

-Boyo

What I think my friend was referring to was the scavenging effect the headers will have. He says the headers will scavenge the exhaust a lot better (duh!) which in turn will make the single barrel carb. virtually useless. I just want to know if I need to step up to a 4barrel carb to compensate.

P.S.--the pontiac 215 is the same engine as the chevy 230- it just has a smaller bore.

Headers won't make the carb useless, you will just need to re-jet it because the mixture will now be too lean- the air in the cylinders will be cleaner so you will need more fuel to make the mixture right. The 1 bbl carb will be a bit restrictive but it will work just fine if you set it up right. You have a rare engine there and I applaud you for not getting rid of it.

Thanks for the info. I'm probably going to roadtest it without modifying the carb for a little to see how it goes. I'll probably end up re-jetting it anyway.
I'll keep you up to date on how it's coming along.