Running open headers? Opinions?

Well, long story short, my starter went out and I know we're probably all familiar with how difficult it can be to replace your starter with long tube headers. Well, after changing the starter and getting it hooked back up to the manifold, I noticed that my collector gaskets were shot (I make my own and am usually able to use them twice) so I left my collectors open running open headers. Needing the car to go to work the next day, I drove it with open headers.

I never really thought that driving with open headers would benefit how the car ran, but it did. The idle is way smoother, and I was able to adjust it down all the way to 500 rpm after I got to work. The usual small vibrations I'm used to hearing throughout the car are gone (I assume because my exhaust isn't hooked up), and my acceleration and throttle response have greatly improved.

Now here are some questions:

Should open headers really make that much of a difference, or is my exhaust restricting my engine somehow? 2.25 inch piping with turbo style mufflers, thought that was pretty standard.

Has anyone ever experienced problems running open headers? I don't buy that they burn up exhaust valves, because since when does cold air rise and warm air drop? It doesn't make sense to me. Plus, with long tube headers is there really much of a chance for cold air to go all the way up to my exhaust valves?

Sure, my car is loud, but people around here run open headers on trucks all the time and police don't seem to mind. I've passed many in the past few days. I guess if I'm doing something wrong I want someone to tell me, but it's for me to want to hook my collectors up when my car's running this much better. Any opinions on any of this?

I don't think running open headers (especially long tube) would hurt the exhaust valves. In my experience this is only a concern when running bare heads with no exhaust manifolds or headers.

On a small six with dual exhaust I am very surprised you notice a difference when uncorking it, to me this sounds like your mufflers must be very restrictive. Is your exhaust completely split?

Port divider completely split headers 2.25 inch dual outlet, I have some off brand turbo mufflers. Would flow masters be better? Definitely notice a difference I bet 0-60 has improved by well over a second and I don't feel like I loose power as soon in third gear.. Wouldn't think mufflers would restrict that much but something's different.

poor muffler design will choke down an exhaust system. off brand turbo mufflers can be good ones, or crap, and it sounds like you got ones that are crap. personally i would run magnaflow mufflers as i feel they ahve a better sound than the flowmasters.

as for running open headers, that wont hurt anything, it just makes more noise, and a little more power.

just run it open I'm not surprised to hear it runs better all around since most optimal exhaust make the most power when short and individually open or the dual header for the ford six all are optimal but depending you age it usually draws to much attention and I do like any extra reasons to get pulled over so shows how important a good exhaust system can be maybe invest there because sounds like youve got a good drive train and good call on the 68 c4 with a much better valve body then oem early model c4s.

My open pipe through 2.5” collector works so much better than my 2.1/4” system with Hooker Aeroflow, plus i have a side pipe i put on for drags, hopefully next weekend it will be on.