"Best" headers for lightly modded car?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 2
From: Seneca SC
"Best" headers for lightly modded car?
[Disclaimer: Yes, I searched]
I am wanting to mildly modify my car, I am going to add the following "performance" mods:
______ headers and "x" pipe
Vararam intake
TB Spacer
160* thermostat
Dynotune
I am debating betwen American Racing, Kooks, and LGs.
What headers would work best with these few mods? Would I be better off with 1 3/4" or 3" primaries? What kind of power sould/could I see with the above mods? My car is a 2006 M6 car FWIW.....
If any vendors/sellers read this, who has stuff instock? I really don't wanna get into a backordered parts situation if I can avoid it.
Thanks, Shawn
I am wanting to mildly modify my car, I am going to add the following "performance" mods:
______ headers and "x" pipe
Vararam intake
TB Spacer
160* thermostat
Dynotune
I am debating betwen American Racing, Kooks, and LGs.
What headers would work best with these few mods? Would I be better off with 1 3/4" or 3" primaries? What kind of power sould/could I see with the above mods? My car is a 2006 M6 car FWIW.....
If any vendors/sellers read this, who has stuff instock? I really don't wanna get into a backordered parts situation if I can avoid it.
Thanks, Shawn
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,131
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
Kooks 1 3/4 on my car for a year no problems. 21CMC was able to leave all sensors active and tune for no CELs. I gained around 35hp with an intake, tune and headers on my stock motor. Headers allow for a more agressive tune and more HP. Without a tune it will take your car a while to program itself but you should net around 25hp with any of the popular headers.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 139
Likes: 1
From: El Paso TX
Just make sure you get the 1 3/4 inch tubes. If you plan no further mods than those you listed, the smaller diameter tubes will be plenty and will give you more torque. Other than that, any of the major brands will give good service: LG's, American Racing, Kook's, Dynamax, Melrose, etc. are all good.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,551
Likes: 4
From: Livingston Texas
I had planned on buying Kooks but when I bought headers there was an excellent deal on Dynatech. Since they had actually produced the highest numbers on a dyno I went with the Dynatech. This was comparing CAI and tuned cars, no other mods. They are made extremely well with quality welds. I think the Kooks would fit in this category also. Look at the quality of the welds on some of the others and make up your mind based on that. Poor welds will cause leaks and cause the CEL to come on.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 125
From: laguna niguel ca
I've got kooks, but take your pick, they all work great. No one is reinventing the wheel here. No one header is really any better than anyone else's. Header tech has been around along time. If there was something new we would all know about it by now.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,253
Likes: 134
From: Short Hills, NJ
Originally Posted by Mike Villareale
Any downside to using 1-7/8 vs 1-3/4?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,762
Likes: 4
From: Chandler Arizona
I am very happy with the LG Pro LT's. In my mind they are the best all around compromise. They are the only headers with the longest tubes, merge collectors, and 1 3/4" primaries. I picked up an honest 26 rwhp and 39 rwtq and that was without a tune.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,560
Likes: 3
From: FNDA Beach Florida
LT's
No matter what brand use long tubes or it is a waste of $$$ and time. Myself I have coated Melrose that are a very clean few weld design, dissipate heat quick and always look great unlike non coated headers.
