Are headers worth it?
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Hawthorn Woods Illinois
IMHO I would say if you have the dough go with the total package IF you have further mods in mind. Mine is an '07 LS2 A6 with paddle shifter. Just had Kooks headers, Hi-flow cats and Corsa Sport cat back system installed. I am 2,000% happy with sound and note, "percieved" performance gain. Have an appointment for a tune job and Dyno at Speed Inc. out of Schaumburg, Ill. on the 29th. Will post before and after graphs if I can figure out how to do it! Know there will be a gain and will not guess on how much before I see the results on the graphs.
Addressing further mods I feel as others do. IMO, Headers will help down the road if you plan more mods. I am going to have a performance cam, heads, port work done on intake along with other mods next summer, thus my choice for headers. Of course the awsome sound and better breathing for the motor are great add ons till then!
I'm sure with all of the great help on this forum you will make a good choice. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Fran
Addressing further mods I feel as others do. IMO, Headers will help down the road if you plan more mods. I am going to have a performance cam, heads, port work done on intake along with other mods next summer, thus my choice for headers. Of course the awsome sound and better breathing for the motor are great add ons till then!
I'm sure with all of the great help on this forum you will make a good choice. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Fran
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
I have cutouts and love them too. I gained 6 rwhp across the board with cutouts open with the cam, no gain with boltons only.
Very happy with the fit and finish on my American Racing headers. Collector design is great and the 2 bolt design is easy to get them on and off if you have to change clutch or do work.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,922
Likes: 4
From: Cheektowaga NY
St. Jude Donor '08
Headers and a tune are definetly worth it. My car dynoed (STOCK) 332ftlbs and 331rwhp with the Vararam, which doesn`t show when dynoing. After headers and a tune 352ftlbs and 356rwhp in 3rd gear on the dyno
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 1
From: Union City CA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,762
Likes: 4
From: Chandler Arizona
Read the rest of the thread. My headers only were worth 26 rwhp and 39 rwtq. Others have seen over 30. This 6 hp increase was most likely a car that was heat soaked after the header install.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 430
Likes: 1
From: Howell New Jersey
It's pretty amazing how much of a hp difference with headers I'm seeing in this thread. My car dynoed at 370 rwhp with headers, t/stat, 4:10s & a tune. Now gears usually give away about 10 rwhp at the dyno(I was told). I seriously doubt that my car makes around 360 rwhp stock and gained only 6-10 rwhp with headers. And the Vararam doesn't do anything on the dyno (which will open up a whole new can of worms). So let's say without gears, my car should dyno at around 375-380 rwhp with headers/tune alone.
In my opinion, headers are worth the $ and makes more than 6 rwhp that some may have suggested here.
In my opinion, headers are worth the $ and makes more than 6 rwhp that some may have suggested here.
Last edited by c6silverbullet; Aug 20, 2007 at 05:48 PM.
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Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 609
Likes: 10
From: Hudson OH
As this has been beat to death in the forums in the past I'll put it simply; if you pay for a quality header, you can see results.
Personally, I love ever set of LG Pro's I've ever purchased, installed, and enjoyed, so I can tell you first-hand they deliver results. The difference between the LG's and all the rest is the neck-breaking torque that is a MUST on the street.
If you have a pulse, you will notice a difference in the car.
From the horse's mouth:
2005 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes (+37rwhp, +56rwtq)
2006 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes, Borla Catback (+33rwhp, +46rwtq)
2006 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes (+26rwhp, +34rwtq)
Personally, I love ever set of LG Pro's I've ever purchased, installed, and enjoyed, so I can tell you first-hand they deliver results. The difference between the LG's and all the rest is the neck-breaking torque that is a MUST on the street.
If you have a pulse, you will notice a difference in the car.
From the horse's mouth:
2005 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes (+37rwhp, +56rwtq)
2006 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes, Borla Catback (+33rwhp, +46rwtq)
2006 C6 MN6 LG Pro Long Tubes (+26rwhp, +34rwtq)
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Hawthorn Woods Illinois
Right you are Glenn! Will be proudly posting my own dyno after Kooks headers, Hi-flow cats, Corsa Sport cat backs and a tune the week of
9-3. Car is otherwise completely stock. It'll be fun even if I don't get as much as others. I know it will definately be more than 15 or 20 H.P.
Fran
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,762
Likes: 4
From: Chandler Arizona
Right you are Glenn! Will be proudly posting my own dyno after Kooks headers, Hi-flow cats, Corsa Sport cat backs and a tune the week of
9-3. Car is otherwise completely stock. It'll be fun even if I don't get as much as others. I know it will definately be more than 15 or 20 H.P.
Fran
