Hi-Tek Header Install
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4900
Printed Date: May-18-2024 at 9:12am
Topic: Hi-Tek Header Install
Posted By: JR_VIC
Subject: Hi-Tek Header Install
Date Posted: October-01-2006 at 10:42pm
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I have been restoring most of the worn out parts/components on my 92 Ski Nautique CB with the 351W Pro Boss this year. My exhaust was worn out and even though I was really strapped for cash I went ahead and ordered a set of Hi-Tek headers. They were a little tricky getting the bolts tightened up because you can't get a socket on the middle bolts so you have to use an end wrench. I also changed out my ignition to a DUI Performance HEI style distributor with Live Wires. I got the timing set at 12 degrees and the boat starts awesome and it seems to idle a little smoother.
I took it to the lake and ran it this afternoon. Boat seems a little quicker out of the hole, much stronger mid range, and the top end was WOW! My boat would run 45.9 to 46.0 MPH before the ignition upgrade and the Hi-Tek header install. Today it ran 50.5 on Perfect Pa$$ which was awesome. I tuned my Perfect Pa$$ this summer with a GPS to make sure it was accurate but I may take the GPS out to double check because a 4.5 MPH increase was much more than I expected. I took some pics of the before and after pics of the exhaust swap I may post later. Anyway...I am happy and the boat is running great. The only thing I did notice after the Hi Tek install was the rubber exhaust hose from the header to the muffler seems much hotter to the touch. I am not sure what the exact temp was before the header swap but it seems hotter to the touch. I put a laser temp probe on it and it read around 145 degrees while running and if you run the engine at full speed and slow down the exhaust showed a temp of around 200 degrees. Does this seem too hot to anyone? I did pick up a ground issue because I installed a new wiring harness from PCM to make the conversion from Pro Tech to a standard distributor. My volt meter read low, oil pressure read high, and the water temp read high so I have got to figure that out. |
Replies:
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 8:40am
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Id love to hear more numbers if you have them. How many RPM did you pick up? Any change in exhaust note? I a$$ume you are still running the invertaflow muffler? Id love to see the pics as well! And get a GPS on that thing- Id love to hear that 4.5 MPH is for real, because thats crazy! ------------- |
Posted By: JoeinNY
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 8:52am
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No please, no numbers, no details, no pictures or that giant sucking sound in the area of my wallet is going to get louder and louder... ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1477 - 1983 Ski Nautique 2001 1967 Mustang 302 "Decoy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO5MkcBXBBs - Holeshot Video |
Posted By: JR_VIC
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 6:03pm
Here are few before and after pics of the exhaust swap out. I screwed up and forgot to hook up my tach and I had perfect pa$$ in Wake mode with no tach. I'll try to get back out this week and get an RPM reading and GPS for accuracy.
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Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 6:18pm
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JR_VIC,
That is sweet, Looks like you're a stickler with the details. Very Very Cool, nice work. ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 6:55pm
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Joe, just give in already!
Jeff, great pics. Once you get the tach hooked up, Id love to hear what youre getting for RPM's. GPS would be cool as well. Are you running the Acme 470 or 612? ------------- |
Posted By: M3Fan
Date Posted: October-02-2006 at 9:11pm
| You should probably think about cleaning up that engine a bit- it's filthy. |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: October-03-2006 at 8:55am
I would be too embara$$ed to post such a dirt pile. My only guess as to the hot exhaust is not enough timing. ------------- |
M3Fan wrote:Posted By: boat dr
Date Posted: October-03-2006 at 7:56pm
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Jeff the chrome Jabsco is the final straw,way too cool,i am impressed but what the hell i am from La.....is the distr. cap clear also???? reminds me of my hot rod days 1970,boy that makes me feel good........ boat dr ------------- boat dr /diaries/details.asp?ID=4631 - 1949 Dart /diaries/details.asp?ID=1533 - 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: tommer12
Date Posted: October-03-2006 at 9:35pm
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That is one sick 92. So how hard is it to throw the DUI in and replace the ProTech? I can't believe how clean it is! Even the intake is still that sweet gray... no stains.. (well, sorta like mine with a few spills oops!)
nice job though.. that's an awesome job... how does it sound? sawe this link, thought I would pa$$ it along. Sounds like you got the extra RPMs with this conversion! http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2004/09/DUIdistributor/index2.php |
Posted By: GottaSki
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 7:32am
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Good show. There are a LOT of little details on that engine to add up to that look. ------------- "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worthwhile as messing around with boats...simply messing." River Rat to Mole |
Posted By: JR_VIC
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 8:57am
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Thanks for all of the compliments...it is really alot of work to keep any boat in a marine environment looking good over the years but I am preaching to the choir here. It helps that I happen to have friends that one owns a chrome shop and the other has a side business that sells polished stainless fasterners/bolts. I send them alot of business so they help me out in return.
TRBenj...I am running a new three blade acme propeller but it was repitched for a higher horsepower engine and a little more top speed. I don't know much about propellers so I'll have to look at my receipt as I can't remember the pitch. tommer...I read that link you posted about the DUI distributors and I was shocked. They dyno tested the DUI against a ford distributor/points and picked up around 24 horsepower which is awesome. I had heard the DUI would add a few pony's but I mainly went with that application because it was very easy to install and the Mallroy's had to use the old style resistors which I always had bad luck using as a hot rodder back when I was a kid. Those resistors over time would crack and chip, break etc. which I wanted to avoid on a new ignition. That DUI ignition really made the boat start up just as quick as my truck with fuel injection. The idle was smoothed out as well. As for the Pro Tech conversion, I ordered a new wiring harness from DIM which is the PCM Pro Tech conversion harness and changed it out, dropped in the DUI, wired up the ignition and tach, ran the new live wires, checked the timing, and was done. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 12:46pm
My guess is that youre running the #470 with some cup added. Did you have Acme do your prop work directly? Id love to hear the exact specs on the prop so I can compare to my setup. RPM's and GPS would be great to hear when you get a chance as well. I love my DUI too. I picked up 200 RPM just by installing it and setting the timing to ~14 degrees. I think Im closer to 12 now with my GT40p heads. ------------- |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 2:35pm
Jeff, one more question- is that the same Barbron SS flame arrestor that http://shopping.rexmar.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=125104&Category_Code=flamearrbarbron - Rex Marine sells? If I can successfully change out my 1" spacer with a 1/2" this is the one I was going to buy. Where did you get the breather hose attachment?
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Posted By: JR_VIC
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 10:54pm
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boat dr...yes, that dist. cap is clear. I remember those clear caps as well back in the day. Sorry everytime you have called I have been way to busy. I'll get caught up and return your call soon.
TRBenj...that is just my stock PCM flame arrestor that my buddy chromed and it came stock with that breather hose that comes off the front of the breather over to the filler neck on the valve covers. Talk to you soon. |
Posted By: JR_VIC
Date Posted: October-07-2006 at 9:31pm
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Boat dr and TRBenj...I got out to the lake this afternoon. I had my wife and two daughters so I did not bring the GPS as I wanted to but I did check the RPM's on both the tach and the Perfect Pa$$. The stock tach was right below and right at 5200 RPM and the PP tach peaked at 5180 RPM's a few times but was mainting 5160 RPM's consistently and the speedo today with the family, gear, and 3/4 tank of fuel was running 50.3 and a few times I saw it hit 50.5 MPH. I'll check again next week with the GPS. It seems like my peak RPM before the Hi Tek headers and ignition was around 4700 RPM's but I'll check my notes. So it appears the exhaust/ignition did move the needle on performance which I am very happy with.
It still seems the 3" rubber exhaust hose is much hotter than before but the engine temp is stable at 155 degrees so I guess it is OK. I put a laser temp reader on the starboard side and it was reading 260 degrees in one spot on the top/middle of the rubber exhaust hose and 215 degrees on the top/middle of the port exhaust side. Does anyone know what max temp rating of that 3" exhaust is? I sent Hi Tek an e-mail but have not had time to call them directly but there response to the hot exhaust hose was move the header closer to the muffler which I am not sure I can really do but I'll look and see. Maybe it is OK and I am worrying for not but I know the stock OEM exhaust system did not make that 3" rubber hose that hot to the touch. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-08-2006 at 2:23am
Jeff, those are great numbers. Still love to hear all the info you have about the prop. You have the GT40 heads and Performer intake, correct? Stock cam? ------------- |
Posted By: JR_VIC
Date Posted: October-14-2006 at 1:58pm
I checked in the garage today and found the specs on my prop. It is an Acme 612 3 Blade and it says "12.5 X 15 Added Cup". They stated it would be a little better than stock for top end or higher horsepower engines. As for the engine, I have GT40 heads milled either 20 or 25 thousandths ( I can't remember exactly as I can't find my notes) along with a Performer intake, rebuilt carb, Hi Tek Headers, and DUI ignition. I also spoke with cam research about their cam set-ups and I will probably add a cam, lifters, push rods, and roller lifters this winter. I just got in a new Performance products Air Gap style intake this week that I am going to try. I may get it on Sunday night. It looks cool in that it has what I a$$ume is a nitrous boss that I can use as a vacum port right below where the carb bolts up and I can use it for the PCV line and ditch the 1" spacer plate for extra clearance. Talk to you soon. 
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Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-15-2006 at 9:32pm
Jeff, I a$$ume you mean roller rockers? Sounds like a nice little package youre putting together. Id be interested to hear the specs on the cam you go with. That 612 is 12.5x15.25. It should have ~.105 cup in stock form, so you could be at .130 or .145. Thats a bit more prop than my stock 470 (12.5x15). The fact that youre able to turn it 100 more RPM (Im at ~5050) is extremely impressive- even more so that youre doing it without a cam. It sounds like there are 300-500 RPM to be gained from the headers alone. Ive got to get me some. ------------- |