Exhaust Manifolds & Headers

Buying guide: Exhaust Manifolds & Headers

This category is built around two kinds of part, across 772 listings covering 1957 to 2025: factory-replacement manifolds and performance headers. Dorman accounts for 467 listings and covers most of the cast replacement side, while FlowTech and aFe Power between them cover the bulk of the performance headers. The remaining listings are the gaskets and hardware that go with those parts rather than the parts themselves.

Factory replacement manifolds are cast iron or stainless and match the original port shape along with the EGR and AIR tube fittings. They are the right part when the original has cracked, a common failure on cast manifolds past 100,000 miles. It usually shows up as a ticking noise when the engine is cold that fades as the metal expands.

Performance headers replace the cast manifold with individual primary tubes tuned for scavenging. Shorty headers fit the factory downpipe location and are the low-risk choice. Long-tube headers make more power but usually need a matching mid-pipe and, on some applications, moving or removing emissions equipment that your state may inspect.

Worth knowing before you order: 410 of the listings here are manifold kits rather than bare manifolds. A kit includes the gaskets, studs and hardware for the job, which is usually cheaper than buying the pieces separately and saves a second order when a stud snaps during removal. A further 67 listings are hardware sets on their own - bolts, studs and locking fasteners for a manifold that is otherwise sound.

Manifold jobs fail at the sealing surface more often than at the casting. Warped flanges, broken studs and reused gaskets are the usual reasons a leak returns within a month. Have the head surface checked for straightness, and fit new gaskets and hardware in the same job rather than reusing what came off.

If you are looking for a complete turbocharger assembly, those now have their own Turbochargers category - this category covers only the manifold and header that the turbo bolts onto.