How much HP gain with shorty headers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
How much HP gain with shorty headers
I am sure that this has been covered before, but I could not find a specific answer in my trolling through previous posts.
So, how much real HP is gained (compared to stock) with shorty headers on a stock '92 LT1 with muffler eliminators? Does anyone have dyno data with this comparison? Are these headers any better than stock exhaust manifolds?
I am guessing that long tube headers are the best way to gain HP, but I would like to leave the cats on if possible.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Rob
So, how much real HP is gained (compared to stock) with shorty headers on a stock '92 LT1 with muffler eliminators? Does anyone have dyno data with this comparison? Are these headers any better than stock exhaust manifolds?
I am guessing that long tube headers are the best way to gain HP, but I would like to leave the cats on if possible.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Rob
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 4
From: Middle River MD
From what I've learned over the years on the forum, shorties do nothing for a stock LT1. Long tubes are the way to go. You could always have cats added to your system by someone who knows what they are doing.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,161
Likes: 1,733
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Shortys are better than stock, say 5-7HP. Which is half what LT's give.
You can use LTs with cats, you just need bullit cats.
You can use LTs with cats, you just need bullit cats.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,295
Likes: 4
From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
From my personal experience I think shorties are a waste of money. I had them on my 92 and don't think I gained any HP at all. They looked cool though.
My opionon is the money can be better spent elsewhere. Do you have Roller Rockers on your car? Pretty good gain there for about the same money.
My opionon is the money can be better spent elsewhere. Do you have Roller Rockers on your car? Pretty good gain there for about the same money.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,692
Likes: 5
From: Hayward CA
Originally Posted by VictorRussell'92
From my personal experience I think shorties are a waste of money. I had them on my 92 and don't think I gained any HP at all. They looked cool though.
My opionon is the money can be better spent elsewhere. Do you have Roller Rockers on your car? Pretty good gain there for about the same money.
My opionon is the money can be better spent elsewhere. Do you have Roller Rockers on your car? Pretty good gain there for about the same money.
Was this dyno or track verified? or butt-o-meter? The reason I ask is... on my old mustang I added shorty headers and didn't feel a thing. But I gained 6hp to the wheels on the dyno. Small hp gains are hardly felt, but with other small changes, they add up.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 13,913
Likes: 101
From: Manassas VA
NoVa Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '14
I have a set of shorty headers for sale with Random tech high flow cats that will bolt up to stock exhaust. I just took them off my LT4 because I'm going to use longtubes with my 383 setup. E-mail if you would like pictures. bluewasp@yahoo.com...
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,830
Likes: 1
From: atlanta Georgia
haha
1.5
let me specify
1.5 fly wheel hp
yes def LTs!
LTs on a stock car will add about any where between 10-25 hp to the wheels
nathan plemons gained like over 30 hp i think because he had the lt4 hot cam kit and then added headers and gained that. so the thirstier your engine is for air the more of a gain you get with them!
good luck
your friend
Sean
1.5
let me specify
1.5 fly wheel hp
yes def LTs!
LTs on a stock car will add about any where between 10-25 hp to the wheels
nathan plemons gained like over 30 hp i think because he had the lt4 hot cam kit and then added headers and gained that. so the thirstier your engine is for air the more of a gain you get with them!
good luck
your friend
Sean
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,695
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Illinois
I have the hooker ceramic coated shortys on mine. I didnt feel any real difference but it did give a little better throttle response. If you compare the manifold to the shortys youll notice the inside is much smoother and theres less of a radius in bends and there a lot lighter. Their is less restriction for exhaust flow , butt because its such a short distance before the exhaust smacks into your cats there really isnt a good hp gain. It looks great in the engine compartment. Cost 1000 installed.
