I hate to be a jerk being the FNG, but this post is directed at those who have done their own headers (or had them done, no theories, please). The shop in PHX I use to buy from claimed the best way to do this was to drop the "K" member, to which I say, "DUH!!" I have access to a lift, so, is it as straight fwd as the BBK (equal length shorty) instructions say? How much time will I be looking at? Long tubes may offer better overall performance, but ANYTHING has to be better than the cast iron manifolds that are on there now.

 

Yes, the best way is to drop the K-Member.

I had a shop do mine and they actually pulled the motor up a few inches which was after taking an hour to figure out how to do it.

Took them 6 hours total, I know you said you were doing it, but just giving you a feel. BTW he never did a 2v header install b4.

 

drop the k-member or at least lift the motor a couple inches. It's a long job. Even with a guy MUCH better at it than I am helping me it took us 4 hours on a lift. Most of the time was putting the suspension and K-member back on but at least there weren't any gouged knuckles at the end of the day.

 

id definitely go with the long tubes.

My brother baught those equal length BBK shorties for his 99gt and payed for the install and did not feel a noticeable difference. And im sure if u are paying for the install or are willing to spend 6-8 hours on an install, ur gunna want to feel a difference.

Idk if i payed $700 bucks for headers and install id be pissed if it felt even close to the same as stock. $700 should not = single digit hp

 

prolly the most correct thing I've read in awhile

 

woot. Longtubes or don't bother. Shorties are nice for blower cars but they do nothing for NA 2V's.

Basanni makes a mid-length that's actually a lot closer to a full length than a shortie and they're not really that hard to install but welding is required.

A guy I know put the Bassani mid-lengths on his 01 4V and got over 20rwhp gain. Not saying that's what you can expect but 10-12 isn't out of the question.

 

While I certainly don't want to argue your lack of HP claims, looking at the iron manifolds, anything will increase flow. Keep in mind that short of a 20 hp increase, you usually won't feel it in the driver's seat. If I don't like it, I can always get some long tubes. It's only money, I'll make more.

 

I've been present for the dyno runs of dozens of cars after shorties were installed. Usual gain on just shorties is inconsequential. I've become used to seeing 2-5hp and a similar amount of tq. For the 700-1000 it cost the owner to have them at all, they're a waste. Yes the stockers flow for crap but until you get beyond stock power levels with a power adder or H/C/I upgrade there's just not much need. 4V engines do better with any exhaust upgrade than 2V for obvious reasons.

Go ahead and slap em in... I'd be just as likely to put them in just for giggles and sound as for any performance gain.

 

That's true. Small gains for such alot of money. They do weigh less also, but yeah, longtubes or a different bolt on.
This was on a 95 GT, but when i installed the BBK shorties on it, i didn't feel any gains at all, it actually felt alittle less torquy on the low end.
I have 03 Mustang cast irons on my 5.4...longtubes or nothing.....

 

Thanks for all of the verbal pounding, even SCT's website said they wouldn't help much. But, since I already forked out the $300, I may as well spend a day putting them in. Eh, I'll buy an OR H pipe, a 2.5 catback, and BS myself that the headers are actually helping. A note to all, when all else fails, research your parts before blindly punching the "BUY" button.

 

Heres the thread from when I did mine... Good luck. haha

https://mustangboards.com/the-lounge...eader-slp.html

 

I just reread that again to remind myself on how bad that header install was.
:censored:

 

You may want to just sell them. No sense spending 6 - 8 hours for something that does nothing just because you dropped money on them.

Header installs suck. Some take 5 hours, some take 15 hours. I know two pretty smart guys that spent all night putting on LT's because things would not line up and the wrong bolts were shipped.

There is also some evidence that some of the gains from LT's are the result of leaning up the a/f a bit.

If I was still n/a, I might go with shorties if I happened to be doing other engine work such as pulling my heads and cams. Why not...at that point it's work you have to do anyway.

I will add headers eventually to my ride when I add ported heads and blower cams.

 

me and my dad installed my long tubes in our small 1 car garage with no lift.. it took a few days for the lts, xpipe, and catback, but we work slow and take a lot of breaks lol. we wasted a day trying to install them without dropping the k-member, bad idea.

 

It took me a buddy about 7 hours with alot of beer breaks!!