I am trying to decide whether to put headers on my 2000 coupe. Haven’t decided whether to go short or long tube but that is not my issue here.

I know all the pluses of having headers. My question is what are the negatives? Do they increase the under hood heat? Are there any heat related issues? What about durability? Do they hold up under daily driving?

 

Positives > Negatives

Yes, you will get slightly more heat into the passenger compartment, not enough to steer me away from doing headers.

It is highly recommended you have a dyno tune performed after installing long tube headers. Your VE table is no longer an accurate reflection of your engine's air flow and should be adjusted for proper fueling.

Other than that the extra HP and kick in the A$$ is well worth it. Long tube headers really wake up these cars, especially up top.

LG Motorsports Super Pros, Melrose Smooth-Flow and American Racing are the top headers.

*Edit* Definitely go Long Tube, don't even waste your time thinking about shortys. As far as daily driving go, they will discolor a little bit, but that's all. Get them ceramic coated if you can. That will keep them looking good and will cut down on the heat. Melrose headers come ceramic coated and have superior high-flow cats over the other systems.

 

 

I got an Elite Engineering thermal tunnel plate with my headers. I don't feel that the interior is any warmer now - maybe cooler. So far I am not aware of any down side of the headers - I've had them since Labor Day.

 

You'll want to drive at higher RPMs and go WOT more often?

I seriously can't think of any legitimate downsides.

 

I've got long tubes on mine, I haven't noticed a single downfall. There is no extra heat anywhere in my car, and the car drives just fine, but has more power. Do it!

 

Not to steal the post.... but since we're talking Lt header - how many have just Lt headers only, without doing any cam, or other mods....

Do the headers with an overall stock car have sustantial benefits, or are other mods recomended to gain benefits from the Lt headers...

 

I'm no expert although I have had headers on several cars wo cams etc.


The thing about headers is it will get the air out quicker but you have to have a complete setup to get all the gains they can provide.

You need an intake that can get more air in then you need the exhasust stystem to get air out. The headers are part of the exhaust system, so you will need a good aftermarket axleback system as well.

When they say headers can get you up to 18 or 25 HP, they can. But it still requires the other components of what I call air in and air out systems. And you need a tune.

If you don't do all the above you won't get much gain but a whole better sound, IMO.

Maybe someone can better explain it than me.

 

Headers don't require an intake, but they definitely do compliment each other.

As for a tune, it's not necessary, but beneficial to get .

One thing that I really do suggest is that you get a catback too. It's a bit of a waste of money (both for sound and power) if you do not match of LTs with a catback (or at least Ti exhaust).

As for shorttubes, you might as well just save your money.

 

go long tube only, Just make sure you get all the wiring put in tie,s and away from the headers. If you want the best set of headers to me is LG no cheap at all but will put down some hp. Then ARH vendors on both having a sale on them. They will hold up to ever day driving. You dont have to have the car tune after getting them but to get the most out of them GET A REALLY GOOD TUNER...Robert

 

I've got a 2000 A4 that i debated over along time about headers.i got the long tube headers,vararam intake and got a tune.Completely different car,lovin it!!!!

 

I can think of only one negative for some folks----you won't be stock.

 

I have melrose ceramics on my stroked 95.and amazing.still look new.and fir my frc Im prolly gonna do the same.everyone says American racing but the melrose are specially made for ls and lt cars.and i already have an ls6 intake plus cold air intake plus x pipe and billy boat bullits.so just need the headers.but will they drag the ground since my car is lowered???

 

This is something I've wondered, both on lowered and stock ride height cars. The only other car I've put long tubes on are Fox body Mustangs and I did have some clearance issues with them occasionally on lowered 5.0s that still didn't sit as low as a stock height C5.

 

Thanks for all the information. I already have Corsa Pace, a cold air system, and an LS6 intake. Just wanted to know if there were any down sides to headers that i didn't know about.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

I think getting to the starter with LT's is tough to do if you ever need to.

 

I'm running a set of Kook's LTs. (highest quality set of headers money can buy but a b!tch to install) Can't think of one downside.

 

Does it bottom out whitesmoke

 

My Z06 is lowered quite a bit and I am running Melrose Smooth-Flows with Borla Stingers. No clearance issues ever, had them on for 2 summers and they look great. The best part of the current set-up is the sound. Unbelievably awesome, VERY aggresive and pops all the time during dece. and shifting. You know you got a hot set-up when girls say they love how your car sounds, and they aren't even car enthusiasts.

OP, there is a noticeable power gain with long tube headers. If I can make a recommendation: Do it right, the first time. Pick one of the brands we recommended, if you are looking for top power go with LG Motorsports Super Pros or American Racing. If you are more concerned about how they will look years from now, either get them ceramic coated or just go with the Melrose Smooth-Flows. Go with high-flow cats, your gains with-out them are unnoticeable and they actually help keep any drone down. The clamps with the Melrose are far superior than LG's. American Racing uses a flange after the primaries, I don't care for them, prone to collect water and leak down the road. If you go with LG's invest in some band style clamps. They will save you a headache.

Some other upgrades to consider:

Tunnel plate:
Elite Engineering has some nice options that are thicker to help stiffen the chassis, insulated to block the heat coming into the passenger compartment, and have holes drilled so you can route the 02 sensor harnesses. They aren't cheap but they are a quality product.

Spark Plugs, Wires, and Wire Shields:
Depending on how many miles are on your car, it is a good time to replace the spark plugs and wires. NGK is one of the best spark plug manufacturers. GM Performance Parts make a good wire, they are red in color. Cool Socks are a nice product, it is a heat resistant sheath that you slip over your plug wires to protect them from the headers. Just do a Google search for them, you can buy them direct from the company that makes them for half the price of other places.

Tune:
Do your self a favor and get a tune done. Even if your car were completely stock, you would benefit from a tune. Thanks to Ethanol, the C5 is being robbed of HP and MPG due to the factory stoich AFR set for pure gas. 2 years of driving will pay for the tune with the fuel savings you'll get. For a car with-out any internal engine work performed you can get away with a mail-order tune if you really don't want to put it on a dyno. But the best tune is either a street or dyno tune with a wideband 02 sensor. Like I mentioned before, the addition of long tube headers changes the efficiency of the engine, and at WOT your engine actually goes into open loop and ignores the MAF reading. So in simple terms you may run lean at WOT, you may not see any problems in short term, but long term it could be bad. Another benefit of a tune is the removal of catalytic converter trouble codes which commonly come on with high-flow cats.

 

Hey n8 i have melrose on my c4. Great headers.but is the price difference from them to the American racing and LG worth it?