Anyone using a tri y hooker header on their Duke ? I'm using one for a template for my sd4. I'm going to make them an inch longer coming off the flange on the head. Hoping to add more distance between the header and the starter. Does anyone see a problem ? Any advise welcome. Thanks Rick

[This message has been edited by Lilchief (edited 09-11-2019).]

I know what you're getting at...

Whodeanie (before he disappeared) built me a Tri-Y header to fit my SD4 head.
The flange matched the SD4 ports and the rest was as the Duke Hooker Header I think.

Top gasket is for SD4 head - lower is for Duke head.
Besides the port being smaller, it's also moved up relative to the header bolts.










I went and took these pictures this afternoon.

I opted to keep the heat shield on the firewall that protects the wiring and 84's A/C hoses.
It's a tight squeeze for headers between the firewall heat shield and the engine side splash shield.




I'm pretty sure I had to bend/reshape the firewall heat shield to clear the Tri-Y header




Looks like I have to get some "Heat Wrap" on the C500 connector.




The system as installed on the SD4 engine.
I have DEI foil heat shield wrapped around my solenoid/starter (3800 type gear drive)

It may be better to drop the horizontal a bit and make a tighter 180 degree bend around to the catalytic converter.
IN earlier picture you can see there is actually a short straight piece between the 90 degree elbows.



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3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 09-07-2019).]

Tony, thanks for the info. I'll heading down south tomorrow and I'll check things out further. The exhaust gasket will have to be custom made also. My 437 head has D ports and 4 bolts at the top and 3 at the bottom. I'm hoping to make the second 90 (2-2"or 2 1/4") into a 110° or so . Mounting a turbo somewhat above the transmission and moving the water outlet to the other side and battery to the front. But for now just wanting to get it running. Still have transmission to be rebuilt and engine management system. Thanks again for the info.

Had a tri-y on my 87 coupe and LOVED it but you are right about the starter. No matter what shield I put on I was changing the starter every 6 months. Pep Boys regretted that lifetime warranty! Went through 4 starters before I was rear ended and totaled but I could keep up with my V6 brethren with ease!

If I were doing this job I would route the header piping farther away from the engine as to have enough clearance as to not cook the starter. No doubt the Tri -Y header would improve performance and mileage a bit. The engine would be close to 100 horsepower but probably have better throttle response. The fueling tables in the ECM may need to be adjusted.

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Tri-Y and other headers may cause problems for EFI because Moves O2 downstream and exhaust may take longer to heat up the O2 and keep it hot all the time w/o adding a heater O2 sensor. (3 or 4 wire sensor cover in other threads.) Need ECM scan tool to monitor O2 while driving in different weather conditions.

Heat shield may work better then insulation on a part Because Shields allow air flow over the starter etc to cool them.
Can put a shield on the starter and/or on exhaust pipes. 87 Duke had one on exhaust down pipe to the cat to protect the starter etc. but most rusted out the ends where they attach to pipe and fall off. Shields need ~ ¼ in of clearance minimum to both sides to work right.

Insulation blankets often does not allow same and starter etc can't dump heat they generate and often causes a quick death. Faster if engine has issues needed long crank time to start.

Most Starters only really allow 30sec On and 2 or more Minutes to cool. See most FSM. Example:

quote 87 Fiero FSM, pg 6D2·2 CRANKING SYSTEM Never operate the cranking motor more than 30 seconds at a time without pausing to allow it to cool for at least two minutes. Overheating, caused by excessive cranking, will seriously damage the cranking motor.

And the solenoid won't love long crank times too.
Tight I_blankets keeps all that heat in and prevents normal cooling doubling or likely more time to cool down.

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(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 09-09-2019).]

The Hooker Tri-Y header I had ran on an the 87 version of the Iron Duke. Being under the car to change starters as often as I did, I remember thinking the very same way Dennis was thinking, move it back from the starter. There wasn't a lot of space before you were up against the heat shield for the firewall. I would have hoped for another 1/4" further from the starter and would have settled for half that. The first starter solenoids had gotten hot enough o crack the solenoid cap. The heat shield I put on would make direct contact with the header pipe and still cooked the solenoid. Blanket improved nothing. The pipe just had to be moved.

As for EFI, at least for the DIS, it ran like a dream. Never had any problem with the system even with the O2 sensor further down wind. When it was first installed I still had the stock cat and muffler. I was on my way home from the shop when I heard a pop and the exhaust got louder. I had blown a hole in the muffler and lots of catalytic debris fell out of the muffler when it was replaced. It was obviously flowing much better!

Hope that helps improve the header!

Have any of you guys tried the gear reduction starters, from later model V6 engines? They should fit the Duke just as well. And they're physically smaller than the Fiero starter. So there should be more breathing room.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: Have any of you guys tried the gear reduction starters, from later model V6 engines?

Yes, I put one on my '84. I figured it would help out the ol' duke due to it's lighter weight. Works great!