HOTLAP

Guys/Gals....I'm considering getting headers for my GT and (as usual) have a million questions about which ones are smog legal, which are the best, what kind of gains will I see - how much louder will they make the exhaust, etc.

I've already installed the Maganflow cat back and am waiting on their revised x-pipe with high flow cats, - would headers really help that much with my exisiting mods (also have JLT/DPG 93 octane tune, steeda ud pullies).

T.I.A.

See Paul - "Wild Stray" what you are causing....mod fever..... ...help me I just can't stop!!

Vegasjay

Don't stop now!! Long tube's are good ror 20-25 RWHP... If your worried about smog law's, just go with some hi-flow cat's, good to go.

dhof303

I agree with Justin, I love my long tubes from JBA. I know that they are one of the largest contributors to getting into the 12's on radials. Combined with a tune they are unbelievable, the most gains concerning exhaust that I have ever seen on a street car!

38special

What is the difference between long tube and short tube on hp gain?

cdemot02

I don't think the Long tubes will match up with the Xpipe will they?

Vegasjay

I don't think he has bought them yet (X-Pipe). Even if he did it won't be hard for a muffler shop to mate it all up.

cdemot02

Thanks Vegas. I may have to go long tube down the road then. Didn't know they could make it work, but I'm also thinking about ordering the Xpipe without cats. Hopefully it will be a lot louder, but can't I just break the cats in mine or something like that?

stkdidy

is it possible to do

long tube headers -----> high flow cats ------> x pipe --------> custom exhaust?

so u get the gains and sound of long tubes but still pass cali smog?

acadian

Shorties should get you close to 15HP. I think I'll be putting on some FRPP shorties down the line. You can get them for $325 I believe. Long tube headers are nice, but cost a whole lot more.

Vegasjay

Mine is loud and I LOVE it! If your going with long tube's and no cat's, I would recomend the JBA off-road h-pipe. It bolts right up to the long tube's (JBA) and you can do it yourself. The JBA off-road h-pipe is 170 dollar's.

<!--QuoteBegin-stkdidy@April 28, 2005, 8:26 PM
is it possible to do

long tube headers -----> high flow cats ------> x pipe --------> custom exhaust?

so u get the gains and sound of long tubes but still pass cali smog?

Quoted post

[/quote]
Anything is possible. You would just be look'n at custom exhaust. Find a good shop and they could weld in some universal high flow cat's to an off-road x-pipe then connect them to whatever brand of header's you want. I can tell you this much, my JBA header's matched up perfectly to the JBA off-road h-pipe, then I welded in universal Magna-Pac's in place of the stock muffler's. Universal cat's could have been welded in as well. Just remember your not limited to "pre-fit" exhaust, sometime's you have to get creative and go "outside the box".

Next, I am going to run my exhaust just in front of each back tire on eachside. That should be loud enough... I'm going to hammer out the 2 1/2 in. pipe at the end and oval the slash cut end's. Should look and sound sweet.

wild stray

Well, one out of three ain't bad! It's legal in California to do the x-pipe as long as the cats are not touched. The only headers that I know of that are approved in California are the JBA shorties. The headers require a C.A.R.B. number on them to pass smog here. As for the gains with the shorties, mine posted a whopping 3hp improvement over the factory manifolds. They sound great.........like a million bucks actually!

Paul

wild stray

See Paul - "Wild Stray" what you are causing....mod fever..... ...help me I just can't stop!!
[/quote]



There is no known cure!

Faber

if you are going to go with custom exhaust i would seriously consider long tube headers with equal length pipes going into a 4 to 2 to 1 collector then into your x or h pipe and exiting out of straight pipes or high flow mufflers.

when done right a good collector can greatly improve exhaust flow.

also if you are serious about your exhaust flow, wrap your pipes with thermal tape to keep the heat in, this help the exhaust to flow more quickly and efficiently. this is an old school method, but very effective.

btw how hard was it to install the long tube headers on the 05 stang?

Vegasjay

I'm sorry guy's, I keep forgeting about strict Cali law's! :bang: Scratch just about everything I said....Doh

subzero05

The 3hp that Wild got on his car was the reason i decided to sell my JBA shorties.Plus the fit issues etc with the JBA shorties were a concern as well. I may opt for the Ford shorties down the road if I can get a deal on them since they supposedly fit with no modifications.The long tubes,cats etc are the big bang for the buck mod but here in Cali,that is a BIG NO NO and you will never pass the visual or sniff test with those on the car...=(

acadian

Sean Hyland Motorsports sells the Ford Racing shorty headers for $321. Will shorties give you anymore sound? I mean, will it be noticeable? And how easy are direct-fit shorty headers to install? Can you do it yourself?

wild stray

The sound is great and somewhat controllable. The install is the better part of a day. Even with air & lift, it's not quick and easy. Now that mine are installed, I would never remove them willingly.

Paul

adrenalin

I've also always wanted to know what the difference is between long and short headers. I know I can't get my car to sound like it has a nice lobed crank but I do want it to sound more like an older muscle car. Currently I have the Magnaflow cat back with magnapaks installed. If I do put headers in this thing, which I know is going to be a real pain, should I go short or long?

wild stray

If it wasn't for the laws here (actually the inspections), there is no question I would have gone with the long tubes. I've had them on several cars before. Even if the inspection here didn't require a "visual of equipment" I would have gone for the long tubes.


Paul

acadian

There is no inspection here in Louisiana so I could technically go with the long tubes. Is the sound really that much better than the shorties? If so, I'd consider it. How would long tube headers mate up with the stock catted h-pipe? Would that have to be cut/welded?