I've been thinking about getting a set of headers and had a few questions for those of you with header knowledge

First off i have a A4 with Halltech Intake and Corsa Extreme's with X-Pipe. The car is just a weekender, pleasure driver whatever you want to call it, it's not a DD not a Track or Drag car. I realize a tune would be needed after installation of the headers, my plan was to do all of this at Carlisle this year

With that said.

#1. How much will header's change the sound? I like what I have now and I don't want to lose the ZERO drone at cruising with the Corsa's. I don't care if it's louder at WOT i just enjoy talking and listening to the radio at cruising speeds.

#2. Will adding header's get my butt too warm on long trips?

#3. What's the Pro's of adding headers? (Obvious question but i may learn something here)

#4. What's the CON's of adding headers? Are there any?


If there's any other info please feel free to throw it in and help me make a decision of Headers or No Headers

I did do a search but not only does the search function hate me, but just imagine how many posts came up about Headers....

 

I have a A4 w/ BPP Intake and Borla XR-1 Exhaust and Dnyamax Supermaxx LT's. I realize a tune would be needed after installation of the headers, my plan was to do all of this at Carlisle this year


#1. How much will header's change the sound?

Like you, I had the exhaust system and intake on the car before I had the LT headers installed. IMO it did make the car louder and also changed the way it sounded. However, the headers did not make it nearly as loud as I thought it would be. I have DRONE but than again I have no cats and basically straight pipes. I dont know if the headers will cause drone cruising with the Corsa's. It will be louder at WOT!!!

#2. Will adding header's get my butt too warm on long trips?

Pay the extra money and get headers that are ceramic coated, it is worth the money. Overall, I think you wont notice much different with heat in the cabin.

#3. What's the Pro's of adding headers? (Obvious question but i may learn something here)

1.) HORSEPOWER! 2.) SOUND!

#4. What's the CON's of adding headers? Are there any?

I would get your car tuned as soon as you get the headers installed. If not your car will not run right and you will not get the maximum performance from the headers. Other than that, NO CONS...

Hope this helps!

BTW:If you really want to wake your car up change the gears and put a high stall converter on it! It will be a different car!

 

Thanks for the reponse...


Bumpage for more!

 

I have the LG Street headers with high-flow cats and GHL Bullets. The headers made it louder from idle to WOT. It's great with the top down, but does have a bit of drone at about 1500 RPM with the top up. It's not bad, but can get a bit loud when under heavy load (up a steep hill).

I haven't tuned it in the year since they were installed, but plan to do so very soon.

I have FrostKing insulation and an aluminum tunnel plate installed. That said, I do not notice any real heat on the console after a long drive.

PRO: sound and performance
CON: slight drone

 

I dug back into my CF post history to find when i started a similar thread about adding headers to my '99 FRC. Take a few minutes to read the responses that I got:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ly-driver.html

Two years later I still have zero regrets to adding headers. I did end up getting rid of my Borla Stingers in favor of a pair of Z06 titanium mufflers. I really like the sound of long tubes, no cats, and Ti's for my daily driver service.

What part of TN are you in. Come down to Huntsville if you want to check out how mine sounds...

 

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Northeastern part of the state near Virginia and North Carolina, if you follow Nascar i'm about 20 mins from Bristol.