Whats the advantages of shorty headers? Advantages of long tubes? Trying to decide because I'm doing my exhaust in the next couple of weeks (finally). I've been looking and searching online, but I'm still not sure. Both types look like they give you advantages..

Any help is appreciated..

 

Aftermarket shorty headers will not help your car. Long tubes will hurt your low end torque but will increase your cars top end (hp)

 

Go with the long tubes. Do your research and choose wisly. The cost of LT's will floor you but if you wish to continue to mod your car they will an important part of the puzzle down the road.

 

I've heard that it helps out.... Now I need to get a brand..

 

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you go with good stainless steel, such as 304 stainless steel. Also, try to get ceramic coating or some kind of coating to keep underhood temperatures down. You can also get header wraps to help with that. If you spend a little more on better headers you and your car will be thankful. You don't want to get a pair of sub-par headers and have them rust on you in a few years. Spend the money for some that will last quite a while.

Also take into account installation charges if you aren't going to do it yourself. I paid $560 to have my entire exhaust installed, but the charge could be more or less depending on your area.

Edit: I wouldn't bother with shorties. Only thing they will do is look better and be lighter than your current manifolds.

 

You have it the other way around. Shorter the primary, the better the top end (which is why shorties have a slight advantage on the top). Long tubes, when designed properly, will generally boost power across the board.

Also, for the comment on wraps, avoid them. They are for racers who don't mind the pipes rusting out.

But for the trouble, get long tubes or go home. If emissions is a bitch in your state, get shorties. Whatever you do, as suggested, get the tubes made from Stainless and/or ceramic coated as that helps w/ the rust issues. Also, get a set of locking header bolts.

 

Are you positive? I could have sworn that the reason long tubes had better top end was because it shifts the power-band over to the higher RPMs and that shorty headers gained most of their torque in the low and mid powerbands. Maybe you're right, though.

 

I think bass would be right with all of his header knowledge and headaches lol.

The stock manifold is the most restrictive part of the exhaust. Changing out from them back doesn't really help too much.

Brand wise I'd be looking at some Kooks, JBA, or American Racing..

 

Yea I was looking at JBA and I think I will probably get them... Thanks everyone.

 

Question... I was wondering if the Pypes O/R X-pipe would connect to JBA headers... Anybody know?

 

Just buy the JBA so you have no issues. I had a hard time getting my Pypes O/R X hooked up to my stock manifold so I wouldn't cut it cheap now.

 

I believe that its something like akin to intake manifolds.
long runner intake man.= better bottom end, more torque, falls off at high RPM
long tube headers=better bottom end, torque, makes power entire powerband
short runner intake= low torque, high HP, lots 'o power at top end
short tube headers= lower torque, good for top end.

 

If you don't mind me asking how did you fix the problem? Just had it welded on?

 

I learn something new every day.

 

Do you look at BBK they are almost the same price and are ceramic coated which is what you want. That keeps the heat in the exhaust which increases exhaust flow and keeps under hood temps down.

Do you already have an o/r X on the car? if you do a local exhaust shop should be able to cut it shorter for you and weld on some flanges so it bolts onto the BBK headers. Just my 2 cents.

 

That pretty much sums it up. That's why you'll see street oriented long tubes having longer primaries than the race versions.

 

Never thought of it like that but I guess it makes sense