Does anyone actually know the increase in performance for getting new headers and side pipes, everyone says no back pressure is good, but i would like numbers before i buy

 

The guys on here say that sidepipes cut power and it makes sence becuse of all the bends in the pipes restricting flow.

 

Depends on which side pipes. Some are very restrictive others have no restriction at all. Same with mufflers, some are good others are not. As to the power output a lot depends on engine mods. The more HP the engine is capable of putting out the more headers and good exhaust help HP. I have seen some sidepipes I would never run because ofthe restrictive manner the mufflers in them are made. I'm not a side pipe guy either.

 

I'd love to see some actual comparative numbers of say Hooker side exhaust vs standard 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 rear exhaust. It's all hearsay on here.

I personaly went from Long tube under car headers, true duals w/ 2.5" pipe, flowmaster 40's, and high flow cats to Hooker Side pipes with STS baffles and my throttle response quickened, seat of the pants acceleration increased, car pulls harder and longer. IMO, the car performs better.

A before/after dyno chart would be nice. Otherwise, it's all personal opinion.
It seems the guys complaining that side exhaust hurts performance either have no experience with running side exhuast or they ran stock OEM '69 style which has a restrictive muffler and uses stock manifolds.

As for "more bends"??? Three bends and the exhaust is out.

Side exhuast has more to do with diameter of header tube, length of header tube, and what muffler/baffle you run.

 

I like the look and sound of side pipes only reason i aint got them right now is i cant afford them right now. I was just passing what i heard.

 

Oh, I'm not bashing you.

Just saying, don't believe all the opinions out there.

I'd honestly like to see some Dyno results of both systems to settle this ongoing argument.

 

Yeah but even then unless you have simaler set ups it would be swayed one way or another you would have to have Hi flow on both and most folks with Hi flow one way or the other dont wanna switch.

 

My thoughts on sidepipes, (and keep in mind that this is based on my very, VERY, limited knowledge on the subject) is that they are defined by two things: they are shorter than a full length exhaust, and there is really no place to put a big, fat muffler. So, they end up being either very restrictive, but quiet, or free-flowing, but very loud. And since the outlet is about 2 1/2 feet from your ear, I mean VERY loud!


Scott

 

My STS baffles are free flow yet much more quiet than the Flowmasters. They also don't create the brain numbing resonance in the cabin that the Flowmasters did. Again-Don't believe the rumors from those without hands on experience.

 

I'm assuming you are talking about flowmasters in a full-length exhaust, as opposed to STS baffles in sidepipes. That's pretty interesting, I've always ruled out sidepipes because of the noise, but if it really is possible to have your cake and eat it, too, that changes everything!


Scott

 

Yup.
Flowmaster makes a few different versions. The 50 series is pretty mellow, and sounds good, but my car had a pair of 40 series on it when I got it. It was very raspy and obnoxious. When cruising at a fixed RPM your ears would hum and within 20 minutes or so you'd have a headache. I've had cars with the 50 series before and loved them, the 40 series IMO sucks.

Sidepipes can be tuned for volume, flow, and tone by which insert you put in it. Open (unbaffled) sidepipes would be unbearable to me. I started mine without the side tubes, just open headers, and it shook the building. With the side tubes and STS baffles, it is more mellow than the old Flowmaster system.

Other benefits of side exhaust is no cabin floor heat, cooler transmission tunnel, ease of working under the car with no exhaust pipe in the way, ease of removing the transmission, awesome sound, and the coolness factor.

Downside of side pipes, leg burns.
Get a pair of heat shields though and that's not a worry.

 

This applies to the Hooker type sidepipes, right? How about the factory sidepipes? I like the look of 'em better, more integrated to the car, not as "flashy".


Scott

 

An increase in performance will depend on many things, like what engine you are putting them on and the type of exhaust you have now.

I originally went with Side pipe headers as they were easy to swap at the Time Trail events, so I could run open headers. Then, a lot of tracks started to have noise restriction. I swapped out my Glass Pack mufflers for the quiet inserts. They were so restrictive they choked the engine and all but killed the performance. I have since gone to Hooker 4” Max Flow.


I have read a ton of side pipe post available on this forum, both current and archive. After reading many posts it is usually between STS and Hooker Max Flo (the Sweet Thunder, while a quality product, seems to offer no advantages over the STS or Max Flo).

I have come to the following conclusions. Please correct me where my assumptions are in error.

Hooker Quiet side pipes:
The Quietest and the most restrictive

Hooker Glass Pak:
Louder and less restrictive

Sweet-Thunder 2” insert:
Similar to above

Sweet-Thunder 2.25” insert:
Louder and less restrictive than 2”

Sweet-Thunder 2.5” insert
Louder and less restrictive than 2.25

Spiral Turbo Baffles (undrilled)
About the same a the 2.5 above

Hooker 4” Max Flow:
Louder and less restrictive than above

Spiral Turbo Baffles (drilled):
Louder and less restrictive than Max Flow

Open Tubes:
Loudest and least restrictive


Anyway, you mentioned you would like numbers before you buy. Check out the data from a dyno run in a post from ZL1powr. Here is the link. Be sure to click also click on the Video of dyno runs

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-carlisle.html

Hope this helps.