Hi guys. Long time lurker and infrequent poster.
I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a set of long tubes with cats. The OEM headers are heat shielded and from what I've seen, headers from any source are not.
I am leaning towards having the headers Jet Coated.
What are your recommendations and experiences with and without the coating?
Also, any recommendations on which headers are easiest to install? I plan on a DIY project and I'm too old to spend hours or even days wrangling with cats, X-tubes and headers underneath a car.
Thanks. Bob

 

Many options available on headers. We'd be more than happy to walk you through all the options. Give us a call.

908.317.4496

PM sent.

 

I got my American Racing Headers Jet hot coated.
www.jethot.com
I would recommend that. My install was a biatch. I have clearance issues on the rt frame rail @ the collector that I will have to "modify". ANother club member had the same problem. All write ups on Kooks say they are pretty easy 2-5 hours depeding on your tools, lift, expertise etc..
Highly recommend the Long Tubes, this is the sound I've been waiting for out of the c6

 

getting headers was the best mod i've done to date. i have kooks and they fit very easily with no modifications necessary. i had the guys at HPE install them for me because i could not lift my car high enough to do myself. since you have a 6-speed manual, your options are pretty open to any. i have an a6 and chose kooks so i could use their new mid-pipe with cats that bolts directly to the a6 corsa h-pipe.

one big thing to mention. use the stock gaskets or get some new stock gaskets from a dealer. the ones i got from kooks were pos.

 

Here's what I tell my customers when it comes to choosing the right headers... For some, this is a refresher course, as this is not the first, or last time I've reposted this. However, it will give you an idea about the coating and why I probably would stay away from it!

There's been a lot of debate going on about which headers to get, what coatings do, and so on, and from a tuners percpective, I would like to set the record straight so that everybody can make more educated decisions when it comes to header and exhaust system purchases. So here is a little something I wrote up a few months back and posted on the Corvetteforum.

One of the biggest things I look for on header design is the type of collectors they use. Most of the normal header company's that have been in the business for years, like to cut corners and use the cheaper style lower flow collectors... Basically all the tubes are cut straight off at the end of the primaries before going into the collector. I'm not a fan of those because the air has no direction after the primaries, and can go any which way it wants. Nicer headers will have a "scavenger spike" inside the collector between the 4 primaries. This helps direct the air flow to the center of the collector... getting it out of the header with the least amount of restriction possible. Here's a cut away view of this scavenger spike I am talking about...



Then we have the collector itself. This is what a traditional collector looks like...



This is the kind of collector you'll see on a good quality header like American Racing, or LG. It's a merge collector that shrinks down right after the primaries then goes back up to the size of your exhaust, essentially speeding up the air flow in the exhaust, and in turn causing your car to make more power.



This is just my experience from what I've seen in making headers. Another thing we could go into is coatings, and how much I dislike them on headers Ceramic coated headers always seem to cause detonation. Why? Well everybody jumps on this bandwagon of wanting to keep underhood temps down. Which is great, I love it, whatever you can do to keep underhood temps down is going to help make the motor produce more power. But what we're doing by ceramic coating the headers is we are locking that heat inside the exhaust... Not allowing it to dissipate... This heat now acts as an agent in producing detonation. Almost every car I've ever tuned that had ceramic coated headers, was not able to take as much ignition timing as a car with uncoated stainless steel headers. So the power was greatly reduced because instead of tuning for all out power, I had to tune for detonation. Extra fuel, and less timing... Things that have a great effect on what kinds numbers your car will put down on the dyno, and at the track.


Chuck @ HPE
281-448-1300

 

Thanks chuck great info. All of our headers for the corvette come with a merge as well. There is a slight difference though we found out from R&D that the ls1 and ls2 like the 2 3/4 merge rather then a 2 1/2 merge in the trasition. And the ls7 really liked the 3" transition. Just alittle more info for everyone out there.

 

There are many good brands and many good salespeople representing them.

FWIW, I am very pleased with my LGM long tube headers (performance, fit and quality). I also had them coated and did not experience any adverse "detonation" requiring special tuning adjustments. They perform well, they look great and I do not throw any header-related codes. IMO most people do not coat their headers simply because they do not want to spend the extra money. No problems with mine....I'm happy.

 

You don't happen to have any pics do you? I am thinking of the same combination, even though mine is a manual. I have the bassani aft cat system which is very much like the PRT section of the bullet system. I am hoping the cats neck down to a 2.5" pipe so I can cut the existing pipe and weld them to the kooks cats. Some pictures might help me see if this will be possible or not.

 

i can take some or you can just come over and look/hear it. i remember you being nearby. let me know(PM me).

 

hey lemans, tried to PM you back, but your inbox is full.

 

I've got LG long tubes on my '07 and love the torque/hp gains. I am currently not running a cat converter. I haven't had any problems with heat either.

 

Ordered AR Headers. Plan to install this weekend. Some of you have installed headers without removing the spark plugs.
1. Will the header flanges pass by the plugs without a problem?
2. What procedure did you use to remove the plug wires? They're on pretty tight.
3. Does the dip stick interfere? Is it necessary that it be removed?
4. Do the header bolts need torqued? What specs?

Next comes TB porting and a tune. Then I'm done.......maybe.

Can't wait.
Thanks.
Bob

 

I didn't see it in this post, but I know many members have suggested Melrose coated headers.

Here's a link........

http://www.melroseheaders.com/

 

I like my kooks 1 7/8