TT,
Just bought mine at the beginning of Sept. Sensors were far enough away to not concern me with contact on torquing up the engine. I was just under it today to re-tighten everything and no contact or problems.
Phil

 

I believe you can get the dynatech system for less then $1400 shipped.
Not bad for stainless steel system!

 

I did have it tuned a few weeks later - however by that time I had a ProChrager installed.


You can pick them up for around $1,300 - $1,350 if you shop around.

Cheers,

Mark

 

Best price on Kooks????

Hal

 

Best GP's I have Seen:

$1250 for Dynatech with Cats

$1385 for Kooks with Cats

$1700 for LGM with Cats

 

What kind of HP would be picked up on a 2002 A4? Thanks

 

We have both dynatech & kooks header system in stock with very competitive pricing incase any of you guys are interested. I hope to have LG's also by the end of the week! The last dynatechs we installed picked up over 20rwhp with cats!! Not bad IMHO!!

Jason
Texas Speed
www.texas-speed.com
806.866.0734

 

You can get Kooks and Cats for less than $1385

 

Hi Guys,
Just to be fair, the LG Pro Long tubes are the only ones with a full 3" stainless steel system that is a complete bolt on from the engine to the mufflers instead of galvanized pipe.

It is also the only one to use true race style "Merge Collectors". Also stainless.

Our cats are also full 3" Metal matrix cats, unlike the others who either use a 2 1/2" cat on the dynatechs or a ceramic on the other brand.

ours is also capable of switching from Cats to Off road in minutes using the supplied "off road Pipes".

Tests have shown that we make more low end torque, without giving up top end hp. The only exception would be on big cubic inch engines. 427 cu in race engines will benefit from a stepped or full 1 7/8" header, which we will have for the C6 because of the extra room.

Also, with our system it is all complete, including the X pipe, and rear pipes in 304 stainless. Some people keep asking "How much more is the X pipe" but it is part of the system.

Thanks.

Lou Gigliotti LGM

 

We picked up 39rwhp on a 2001 C5 with an A4 trans with headers and a LS1 edit tune.

thanks
LG

Here is his graph:

 

I received some PM's after this post, so I will edit accordingly

Best Prices Seen to Date:

$1250 Shipped Dynatech with Cats

$1330 Shipped for Kooks with Cats (some shops free shipping)

$1840 Shipped for LGM with Cats ($1795+$45)

So the LG's are still a lot more expensive, but as Lou noted, they do use some more expensive parts at LGM. In particular the stainless midsection and random tech cats. I've been trying forever to decide whether or not the LG's are worth the extra $510. Opinion varies, but I'm on the fence. I do think LG has the better header, but $510 is a lot of extra mod money.

 

The Dynatechs look good but I would still go with Kooks for most applications.

 

Our LG Pro Long Tube headers are $1795 shipped with 3" metal matrix cats. And on sale for $1395 without cats + 45 shipping. Best deal out there when you compare value.

One of the other brands charges extra for the X pipe, and it is galvanized muffler pipe, not stainless. then you have to cut your stock pipes to attach it to.
Since ours is a direct bolt on, the install is usually much cheaper. Unless you do the install yourself, then it is just much easier. And you get to keep your stock system fully intact without cutting it.

There are plenty of differences not the least of which is the Torque curve, which the LG headers have an advantage in.
As for the dynatechs, they have not produced power from the posts that I have seen. One post said they made a 9 hp gain with dynatechs, and I suspect that no one going through all the trouble to install headers would be happy with a 9 hp gain.

If you want horsepower and a precise factory looking fit, then the LG Pro Long Tube Headers are the only way to go.

Thanks
Lou G

Check out the photo below and you will see exactly what you get for your money. It is a very nice full stainless product.

 

Exactly: your headers are $500 more than the Dynatechs. I'm not saying that's bad - it's just a fact. I had great results with my Dynatechs. With the only addition of Dynatechs ( no tuning ) I picked up 2 - 3 MPH in the 1/4 -- and that was pre-blower. I think all of us are in agreement that LGM makes terrific headers.. The question is if a marginal increase in power is worth an additional $500. That is a decision that each customer has to decide based on their needs. For a race car or a very heavily modded car I would say the additional $500 is justified, for the average street car with bolt-ons I would say not. JMO.

Mark

 

my dynatech headers sure seem to fit "precisely" I gained .2 or so at the track and I also got my headers new for 1200 shipped. Originally, i didnt seem to gain power until I looked at my AFR sitting at 11.9 or so WOT. I modifed my AFR to around 13.0 and now im consistantly going 114.8-115 MPH from 112MPH. Gained about 1 or so consistent MPH in the 1/8th too. The dyno doesnt mean much to me, its at the track that shows whats going on IMO. Dynos show that the ls6 intake and 1.8 rockers add HP, but they did nothing for me at the track. My car consistanly runs w/in a few hundredths run to run in the same DA so thats a pretty fair way to judge IMO.

Dave

 

I do wish we had more good header comparisons. It seems dynatech has been doing better with some minor issues they had early on. I think I'm still holding out for the LG's but I may have to wait for a used set since I just can't justify the extra $510 vs Kooks or $640 vs Dynatech right now.

It's real tough to supress my instinct to have "only the best" rght now.

As a sidenote, I find QTP's near $2000 price almost laughable for an unproven header. I'd love to see them line up vs LG and lose. We'd see $500 price break real fast.

 

Don't forget that you have to cut your stock system on some brands, and you only get mild steel, galvanized pipe for the X pipes and the cats are cheap ceramic cats on some. that is about a 400 difference right there. And also some brands charge extra for the X pipe, where the LG headers come with them included. check out the same package features and then you will have the numbers.

Also if you don't value a Dyno number, then there is no convincing you. If one car has a better dyno's under the whole curve over another dyno, then you can bet your house that you will go faster at the track.

If what you say was true, then I better get on the dyno and try to lower my horsepower in my race car. And if I really lower the dyno hp, then i will go even faster.

Logic is an amazing thing. a dyno is real, the track has so many variables like the DA, Launch, weight, driver, gears etc. The dyno has only one thing. How fast does the 4800 pound drum spin up.(foce=Mass times acceleration) where force is torque/hp

Headers are no different than any other mod. If it is your last mod, it probably doesn't matter which headers you choose.

But, If you are looking for more hp later on down the road, then you can not get there with the dynatechs with a 2 1/2" X pipe and rear section.

thanks
Lou gigliotti LGM

 

All good points, Lou. But I thought that Dynatech, QTP, Stainless Works and Kooks were all direct bolt up's with no welding required? Correct me if I'm wrong...

If those brands do require welding I would agree 100% that there is a several hundered dollar difference to me (and I'm sure others) right there.

...and I (if you're talking to me) do value the dyno comparisons you won over Kooks. I'm tough to convince and I felt they were well-conducted and accurate. That convinced me you make the best headers. There is still that $510 price gap that keeps me from pulling the trigger, that's the only reason. If your headers cost near what Kooks or Dynatech do, you'd have a monopoly IMHO. And don't get me wrong, I DO understand part/most of the extra cost goes to using pricier materials.

 

Nothing like a header war, except maybe a radar detector war.

Lou brings up some good points as does TT Vert.

I also wonder how necessary a 304 stainless mid section is. Is the C5s stock mid section 304 stainless steel????? I can buy a platinum toilet seat, I can buy a Titanium or even a Platinum X pipe, is it necessary? Is it "better"? Or will my present one made of a lesser precious metal do just fine?

In all fairness, and while he certainly does not need me to defend him, I don't think that TT Vert was saying that dyno numbers are totally meaningless, just that he took more stock in track results. I don't think that is an unreasonable approach. It makes great sense to me. No one races on a dyno. Dynos are variable too. Just look at the wide range of numbers on stock Vettes right here.

And BQuicksilver FWIW, I got 25 RWHP and 30ft lbs RWTQ with my Kooks. I have seen people with LGs get less, and I have seen people with LGs get more. I have also seen people with Kooks get more than I did and other people with Kooks get less, and so on the line with Dynatechs.

Speaking of the cats, in what way are the metal substrate Random Technologies cats "better" than the ceramic substrate Magnaflows? Hopefully someone can enlighten us. I have heard that a car with metal substrate cats is less likely to pass a sniffer test than one with ceramic substrate cats, and the HP difference between the two is negligable.

Also as far as I know, the others Kooks, Dynatechs, QTPs require no welding.

 

I didn't think any of the major brands required welding. Just wanted to be sure.

EB20003 brings forth good points, maybe a little more data on exactly why the more expensive random cats and stainless midsection are needed would help us all in our purchase decision.