Headers = Rich or Lean
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 52
From: Wentzville, MO.
Headers = Rich or Lean
Talkin with a bud on the phone... he indicated that after installing headers my car will run rich ... I played dumb cause I am... but thought to myself that it would lean it out... better flow of exhaust gas was my questionable logic.
Anyone clear things up for me either way I'll need a tune but do headers tend to make the car rich or lean?
Anyone clear things up for me either way I'll need a tune but do headers tend to make the car rich or lean?
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,295
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Headers = Rich or Lean (99SilverC5Coupe)
I don't know the exact rationale, but I believe that your buddy is right from reading previous forum posts. It does seem somewhat counterintuitive to say it will cause you to run rich.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 16,730
Likes: 1
From: Redacted
Re: Headers = Rich or Lean (99SilverC5Coupe)
Increases scavenging, which makes for more unburned fuel in the exhaust stream. Technically, the mixture may not be actually "rich" when it is injected into the cylinder. But you'll smell gas and your cats (if equipped) will get hot.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Re: Headers = Rich or Lean (larrysb)
One side note that I just found out from a GM tech. Many have had problems with gas gages and such, and when they do the factory software upgrade and you have a modified edit they will wipe out your edit. This was one of my concerns that I have been researching for the header installation I hope to do later this summer. Based on that, if you have other car problems that require a patch installation by the dealer, I don't know how to marry the two files together so you can keep your edit for the headers and the correction installed by the dealer.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Re: Headers = Rich or Lean (99SilverC5Coupe)
They leaned the heck out of me. Which was good, sort of a free LS1Edit. I was very rich AFR's as low as 10:0.1 after installing headers I re-dyno'd and my AFR's are perfect right at 12.5:1
Tom
Tom
