Which Headers
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: West Seneca New York
Which Headers
OMG the more I read and price shop the more I don't even want to buy a set. Confused 
I currently have a magnaflow cat back system now and was looking for a quality set of headers and x pipe.
My question is do I need high flow cats or off road pipe. (NY)
1 7/8 or 1 3/4 dia. and 2 1/2" or 3" on outlet. (what is the dia of the Magnaflow?)
Currently have a ECS 1200 head unit but am hopefully getting it changed out for a SL1500 and alky kit.
I currently have a magnaflow cat back system now and was looking for a quality set of headers and x pipe.
My question is do I need high flow cats or off road pipe. (NY)
1 7/8 or 1 3/4 dia. and 2 1/2" or 3" on outlet. (what is the dia of the Magnaflow?)
Currently have a ECS 1200 head unit but am hopefully getting it changed out for a SL1500 and alky kit.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 6
From: Los Alamitos California
St. Jude Donor '09
OMG the more I read and price shop the more I don't even want to buy a set. Confused
I currently have a magnaflow cat back system now and was looking for a quality set of headers and x pipe.
My question is do I need high flow cats or off road pipe. (NY)
1 7/8 or 1 3/4 dia. and 2 1/2" or 3" on outlet. (what is the dia of the Magnaflow?)
Currently have a ECS 1200 head unit but am hopefully getting it changed out for a SL1500 and alky kit.
I currently have a magnaflow cat back system now and was looking for a quality set of headers and x pipe.
My question is do I need high flow cats or off road pipe. (NY)
1 7/8 or 1 3/4 dia. and 2 1/2" or 3" on outlet. (what is the dia of the Magnaflow?)
Currently have a ECS 1200 head unit but am hopefully getting it changed out for a SL1500 and alky kit.
San
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,259
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '10
I use the 1 3/4" Titanium Series headers on my ECS/RR powered LS3.
The difference between 1 3/4 and 1 7/8 is the larger primaries. You'll sacrifice a little bit of torque down low for more hp up higher in the rpm band.
The LG's are probably the best of both worlds. They use a 4" longer primary for more torque, but with the larger primaries they don't sacrifice as much up top.
And unless you just like smelling like gas all the time, you'll want the cats.
The difference between 1 3/4 and 1 7/8 is the larger primaries. You'll sacrifice a little bit of torque down low for more hp up higher in the rpm band.
The LG's are probably the best of both worlds. They use a 4" longer primary for more torque, but with the larger primaries they don't sacrifice as much up top.
And unless you just like smelling like gas all the time, you'll want the cats.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 2
From: Portland OR
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12
Personally, (and I have done this to a few cars of my own) I have never felt the "loss" of power by adding larger primaries or exhaust piping.
The engine is an air pump. The more air that goes through it the more power you make.
The engine is an air pump. The more air that goes through it the more power you make.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
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
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
Keeping in-mind the potential drawbacks of altering the OEM emissions system, I suggest you go with LG Pro long tube headers!
That's funny....if something that looks like cats passes in NY. They must have some very well trained inspectors...money well-spent! 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 26
From: Austin Texas
It's FEDERAL Law, not State law. States can be more restrictive than Federal but not less restrictive.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 2
From: Portland OR
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12
One difference I will note .... We recently, and I mean last week, sold a set of ARH to a customer who had Kooks. The Kooks were on there for 3 years (I think he said) and they had a light coating of rust on the flanges.
From what I am told the flange material is not 304 stainless on the Kooks and uses more pig iron in it and this is why is develops rust. ( correct me if I'm wrong). Not sure of the LG's.
ARH is 100% US made 304.
ARH also has a little more design into their merge collectors.
From what I am told the flange material is not 304 stainless on the Kooks and uses more pig iron in it and this is why is develops rust. ( correct me if I'm wrong). Not sure of the LG's.
ARH is 100% US made 304.
ARH also has a little more design into their merge collectors.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
One difference I will note .... We recently, and I mean last week, sold a set of ARH to a customer who had Kooks. The Kooks were on there for 3 years (I think he said) and they had a light coating of rust on the flanges.
From what I am told the flange material is not 304 stainless on the Kooks and uses more pig iron in it and this is why is develops rust. ( correct me if I'm wrong). Not sure of the LG's.
ARH is 100% US made 304.
ARH also has a little more design into their merge collectors.
From what I am told the flange material is not 304 stainless on the Kooks and uses more pig iron in it and this is why is develops rust. ( correct me if I'm wrong). Not sure of the LG's.
ARH is 100% US made 304.
ARH also has a little more design into their merge collectors.
If the header manufacturers want to minimize any surface rust they should passivate the tubing and welds on their headers. Doing so will remove any free iron on the surface of the metal. We do this on all of our welds on our SS process piping in the paper mills I have worked in over the years. This prevents any adverse corrosion issues within the welds.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 2
From: Portland OR
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12
Wow, I've been running them for a number of years now and have never had them develop any rust, but I also keep them pretty clean and limit the amount of winter driving. Not sure if polishing helps, but I've always polished the stainless as well.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Don't get me wrong I love my ARH headers, in fact Nick is building me a set of 2' headers for the new engine. But, my X pipe which isn't coated has some degree of surface rust. Nothing serious at all, it comes right off with some elbow grease. It comes when the car is stored during the winter, damn moisture in the air during those wet months when humidity is at its highest. My garage floor sweats at time during the winter months, plus the wife drives in and out of the garage as she comes and goes for work. After this summer I hope that problem is to be resolved with a new 60x60 shop that I will build to take care of the HUGE front yard that I HATE mowing during the summer months
If you are polishing your pipes you are in essence removing any free iron that might be on the surface of the tubes, hence no rust showing up on your tubes.
Last edited by tjwong; Apr 25, 2010 at 12:13 PM.