Headers Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
From: south boston va
Headers Help
96 A/4 LT1, adding longtubes. i'm keeping emission hookups, which company can handle this best. high flow cats are going with this setup, what will be needed after the headers. i've been told a y pipe must be added behind headers. my stock cat-back will stay as is.
any advise will help thank you.
mods coming - heads & cam package LE 2
any advise will help thank you.
mods coming - heads & cam package LE 2
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Ladson SC
I just bought some Melrose long tubes with exhaust all the way to the muffler. It came with jet hot coated headers, stainless 3" plumbing, and x-pipe. I opted for no cats, but while shopping I did prefer Melrose's method of retaining the cats best. Their version relocates the cats further downstream to after the x-pipe but before the differential.
My car is a '94 so the downstream O2 sensor is moot; however, a 96 with full OBD II would require extensions to reach the O2 sensors behind the cats. I believe the price for the wire harness extension was about $40 each.
My car is a '94 so the downstream O2 sensor is moot; however, a 96 with full OBD II would require extensions to reach the O2 sensors behind the cats. I believe the price for the wire harness extension was about $40 each.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 8,683
Likes: 6
From: Phoenix AZ
I just bought some Melrose long tubes with exhaust all the way to the muffler. It came with jet hot coated headers, stainless 3" plumbing, and x-pipe. I opted for no cats, but while shopping I did prefer Melrose's method of retaining the cats best. Their version relocates the cats further downstream to after the x-pipe but before the differential.
My car is a '94 so the downstream O2 sensor is moot; however, a 96 with full OBD II would require extensions to reach the O2 sensors behind the cats. I believe the price for the wire harness extension was about $40 each.
My car is a '94 so the downstream O2 sensor is moot; however, a 96 with full OBD II would require extensions to reach the O2 sensors behind the cats. I believe the price for the wire harness extension was about $40 each.
How far behind the transmission are the cats?? Where did you see the pics of their setup? If the cats are very far back from the headers/manifolds they won't heat up properly and won't really work.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Ladson SC
Pic below from: http://www.melroseheaders.com/produc...ystems/c-4.php
I believe the ones shown below for an L89 but the LT1 is the same as far as the cats are concerned.
I believe the ones shown below for an L89 but the LT1 is the same as far as the cats are concerned.
Last edited by spinktec; Dec 26, 2006 at 07:10 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 8,683
Likes: 6
From: Phoenix AZ
The headers look nice, but the cat placement is very questionable, I don't know how hot they could get all the way back there. Stock cats are located as close to the manifolds as possible to make them as efficient as they can be, those are almost as far away as they can be!
As for headers there are quite a few options;
1. Exotic Muscle
2. Stainless Works
3. Melrose
4. TPIS
5. Hooker
Those are not in any specific order by the way! If it was my decision I would go with the Exotic Muscle headers because I've seen lots of them and they always have a very nice build quaility. I don't like TPIS much (that's what I have on my car). But I've only heard good things about Stainless Works and Melrose, I've just never seen them in person.
As for headers there are quite a few options;
1. Exotic Muscle
2. Stainless Works
3. Melrose
4. TPIS
5. Hooker
Those are not in any specific order by the way! If it was my decision I would go with the Exotic Muscle headers because I've seen lots of them and they always have a very nice build quaility. I don't like TPIS much (that's what I have on my car). But I've only heard good things about Stainless Works and Melrose, I've just never seen them in person.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Sumter South Carolina
You won't be able to fit your stock cats back. Get some high-flow ones, and you should be able to fit them just fine. Spend the money to get a good tune once everything is in place; you'll be glad you did.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,706
Likes: 485
From: Everett WA
C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Your stock cat-back can stay exactly where it is. This is just how I have my 95A4 set up. I have the SW LT's with some hi-flow RT cats that SW supplied along with extention pipes to go to the stock resonator. You can see that the cats come right after the collectors and thus end up next to the tranny.
See pics below. These pics are actually of a SW employee's 95Vette that he sent to me to show how mine would look.
My setup looks just like this and no problems at all.
See pics below. These pics are actually of a SW employee's 95Vette that he sent to me to show how mine would look.
My setup looks just like this and no problems at all.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,978
Likes: 280
From: Tulsa OK
1320,
Did you make a decision on your headers, yet? If so, what did you go with?
I'm considering headers for my '96 convertible and am weighing my options. Does anyone know if the x-brace on the vert eliminates any of the headers discussed in this thread?
Thanks!
Did you make a decision on your headers, yet? If so, what did you go with?
I'm considering headers for my '96 convertible and am weighing my options. Does anyone know if the x-brace on the vert eliminates any of the headers discussed in this thread?
Thanks!
96 A/4 LT1, adding longtubes. i'm keeping emission hookups, which company can handle this best. high flow cats are going with this setup, what will be needed after the headers. i've been told a y pipe must be added behind headers. my stock cat-back will stay as is.
any advise will help thank you.
mods coming - heads & cam package LE 2
any advise will help thank you.
mods coming - heads & cam package LE 2
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 0
From: Warren Ohio