Running lightning headers semi-dry
 

thinking about limiting the water to my lightning headers(with silent choice) thinking about removing the drain from the log under the tubes, install a shut off valve and then install a fitting in the Y-pipe to dump the water there..where most goes anyway...still working on keeping a 02 alive...ran the boat with the valve mostly open for about a hour, just draining in the bilge for a test and did not kill #3 sensor...Bob M says to try to get as much water out of the headers as possible...just wondering of much less water they can take ? thanks Rob

if you cut it back too much they will steam which will stop all the water in the tube and possibly collapse the tube. at that point you will need new headers. I have lost water to the exhaust before running hard and it split several tubes and collapsed the tailpipe to the point we tossed out a $1000 tail pipe.

I have run Mine mostly dry for years. What I did was run the water that used to go to the stock elbows (risers ) out of through transom fittings and onto the sides of the outdrive. I have never run a drive shower and there isn't any chalking on my drives. The only problem with doing this is until the engine heats up and the thermostat opens you won't get any water to the exhaust. So I drilled the housing with two 1/4 inch holes. ( don't drill the thermostat or the engine will run cold at idle) This gives the exhaust enough water to keep the rubber from burning. The exhaust has a trickle of water coming out but most of it is just steam. They will be loud. The headers will get more water depending on the HP you are creating since the thermostat opens more as you create more heat with more throttle.

when we were running the boat yesterday with the petcock mostly open, no idea how much less water but has to be a fair amount, just hand touching one side to the other(only had the one side with 02 open) felt little difference in temp..also with my procharger setup they use a crossover and no thermostat so water flows as soon as it's running..