Lowered c5 + headers = dents and scraping?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Lowered c5 + headers = dents and scraping?
Hey everyone, just got a hold of some borla stingers, halltech intake, PTB, etc etc, so I'm now in the market for headers and x pipes.
I have a few questions for the extremely friendly and knowledgeable folks here.
First off, my car is lowered, are there any brand of headers that tend to sit lower toward the ground, anything where clearance may be an issue?
And second, a very amateur question, when choosing the headers, what is the legality of no cats, or gutted cats, or hi flow cats? I live in NY, and my car is a 97 frc mn6. What do I need for emissions?
If anyone could point me in the right direction, that would seriously kicka**.
Thanks guys!
I have a few questions for the extremely friendly and knowledgeable folks here.
First off, my car is lowered, are there any brand of headers that tend to sit lower toward the ground, anything where clearance may be an issue?
And second, a very amateur question, when choosing the headers, what is the legality of no cats, or gutted cats, or hi flow cats? I live in NY, and my car is a 97 frc mn6. What do I need for emissions?
If anyone could point me in the right direction, that would seriously kicka**.
Thanks guys!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids MI
97 FRC????
As far as I know, it is "illegal" in every state to run catless. Here in MI, they don't test for it, so we get away with whatever we like.
Not sure on the header fitment issues. I'd tend to say any height difference is negligible, but i'll defer that question to those more knowledgable.
As far as I know, it is "illegal" in every state to run catless. Here in MI, they don't test for it, so we get away with whatever we like.
Not sure on the header fitment issues. I'd tend to say any height difference is negligible, but i'll defer that question to those more knowledgable.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 2
From: St. Clair Shores Mi
i'm lowered on cut stock front bolts and cut rear bushings and here in MI our roads suck, i haven't scraped headers yet - usually just front bumper. Im using 1 3/4" ARH catless as noted earlier since we don't have test we can sorta get away with it.
Last edited by slothy; Sep 1, 2009 at 08:38 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 9,844
Likes: 33
From: S. FLA :: Professional Devil's Advocate
00 FRC, LG Pro longtubes. Yea they're scrapped up. 
It's the damn speedbumps that get ya. Sure would be nice if they could put in a system like the Ferrari Enzo, small switch that raises the front end up to ~5".
It's the damn speedbumps that get ya. Sure would be nice if they could put in a system like the Ferrari Enzo, small switch that raises the front end up to ~5".
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Sheesh, I meant the removable roof coupe, calm down guys! This is worse than the bmw forums lol.
So far it seems like no one really has any solid data, I think there are too many factors (road, tire, suspension) issues to really pinpoint if one specific header is going to give me a problem.
So far it seems like no one really has any solid data, I think there are too many factors (road, tire, suspension) issues to really pinpoint if one specific header is going to give me a problem.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 9
From: Charlotte, NC
On my LS1 F-body, scraping headers, even on non-lowered cars, was something you had to deal with. The Vette has a tunnel carved out in its belly that the pipes fit into. So the bottom of the headers are generally flush with the floor pan of the car, no scraping.
I have Kooks LT headers, X-pipe and no issues on cut bushings.
Don't gut your cats and don't run catless. Unless your car is a race car, there is no reason to do either. Your exhaust will be unbearably smelly (combination of exhaust and raw gasoline smell) and your clothes will hold this smell everytime you drive somewhere. There is very little performance gain to be had from it (2-5 hp on a modified car).
I have Kooks LT headers, X-pipe and no issues on cut bushings.
Don't gut your cats and don't run catless. Unless your car is a race car, there is no reason to do either. Your exhaust will be unbearably smelly (combination of exhaust and raw gasoline smell) and your clothes will hold this smell everytime you drive somewhere. There is very little performance gain to be had from it (2-5 hp on a modified car).
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 142
From: Iowa
far it seems like no one really has any solid data, I think there are too many factors (road, tire, suspension) issues to really pinpoint if one specific header is going to give me a problem.
don't run catless. Unless your car is a race car, there is no reason to do either. Your exhaust will be unbearably smelly (combination of exhaust and raw gasoline smell) and your clothes will hold this smell everytime you drive somewhere
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 340
Likes: 2
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
I know marinehacker, just having a poke back at everyone!
So it would appear that there isn't a conclusive "one stop" answer, and that its really area and driver dependent.
Thanks for the replies guys, time to get my hands on something! If anyone has headers + xpipes (cats please!) I'd more than likely take them off your hands in the next 20 minutes.
So it would appear that there isn't a conclusive "one stop" answer, and that its really area and driver dependent.
Thanks for the replies guys, time to get my hands on something! If anyone has headers + xpipes (cats please!) I'd more than likely take them off your hands in the next 20 minutes.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,331
Likes: 61
From: Port Huron MI
how bad do longtubes hang on these cars? The stock exhaust tucks up very tight and isnt the low point anywhere. When I add longtubes/X, will the exhaust be a low point of the car or still not? I'm pretty slammed on coilovers.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids MI
Here is a pic of some ARH's:
and some LG's:
