khornet

I'm still a newbie so bear with me.... I'm starting to plan out the exhaust mod's I want on my 95 convertible and I'm thinking about headers. I want to keep the car driveable but still bump up the performance. This will be done in concert with a catback (probably Corsa) and a couple hi-flow cats.

From what I remember of headers of years ago, it was difficult to keep bolts tight, heat problems, some didn't seal very well, etc...

Are the new ones a world apart? What, if any, are the problems with the headers of today?

Being the interior noise level is already fairly high, am I in for trouble by bolting headers on?

Shorty's vs. Long tubes?

Stainless vs. Ceramic coated?

Any other issues????

Raysur

Shorties don't do much for performance. If you want a gain from this mod you need longtubes. The leak problem can be taken of with some Fel Pro gaskets. Ceramic coated headers last way longer. Painted headers will rot from the inside out. Ceramic coated headers are supposed to keep the heat down too. The exhaust tone will be louder and more clear. If you have a stick you can run cats close to the stock location. If you have an auto you need to move them downstream with a heat shield. Hooker 2151 are your best bet ($289), then get them fitted, and send them to get coated($200). So when they get reinstalled there will be no scraps from fitting them.

ROADAPPLE

I had no fitment problems with the LPE long tube headers. I used Fel-pro gaskets, and to this date have had no leaks (the flanges on the new headers are alot thicker). On my '91 roadster I had to use 3/4 inch shims at the front atachment points of the X-frame to clear the collectors . I had no trouble on instalation and did not scratch the ceramic coating the headers came with. On the '91 model when you replace the front Y-pipe this eleminates 2 small pre-cats, therefore the sound level increases some but not to an unbaerable level.

Hope this helps you make your decision. :seeya

corvette1990

Hmm, the downsides to my new TPIS headers.... They made the car louder, The engine compartment is hotter (i.e plastic shrouds for wiring is now crumbling), The ceramic coating is better than nothing, but they are way hotter than stock. The fuel lines are real close. The Alternator got short life from heating the diodes. The starter may be next but I put a heat shield around that. I am praying the emmissions PPL don't notice that I no longer have precats. I haven't had any gasket leaks or bolt loosening problems yet. The Y pipe didn't fit on the headers due to the coating applied by the factory. You need a muffler shop to help install, or a torch. Keep the spark plug wires away from them and the EGR tube, they will melt like butter. Other than that, they are great.