I know this may sound stupid, but why can't you put headers on a diesel? If it makes more torque and improves mileage in gas motors, then why can't you apply that theory into a diesel? Has anyone ever tried this?

moving to Exhaust..

because you still have to pipe them through the turbo so increasing header size won't really benefit unless you put a HUGE turbo housing on it.

On gas motors increasing the header size or length helps because they normally go out through unrestricted pipes to the rear.

make sense? It's like the suck an orange through a straw deal...

Gas motors and diesels operate quite differently as far as exhaust. Tuned headers on a gas engine improve "breathing" and efficiency. Diesels just want to exhale - there's not much "art & science" to diesel exhaust. You want to get it to the turbo in a short path that doesn't lose much heat and get it out of the turbo in the biggest shortest pipe you can manage. Ever notice the big ol' stacks on the pulling tractors and sticking out of the hood of the pulling trucks?

You can run headers on a diesel.....if it is naturally aspirated. The exhaust in our trucks goes to the turbo before it goes out the tail pipe.

sorry, ya guys beat me to it. 'Guess I was too slow

it's called forced induction.(or is that only on a blown motor?)

Ah! I see said the blind man. You are the best. Good quality info very quickly. Thanks!

Jeff

it's called forced induction.(or is that only on a blown motor?)

The reason they don't help on a newer diesel is because most have turbos. The turbos create a hugh restricion in the exhuast, making a header useless. If you have a superchager, the story is different. The superchager doesn't use exhaust gasses to compress the incoming air charge. Headers would be beneficial on a supercharged motor, but not a turbo motor.