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Need some advice on header selection for a 09 base C6. I know there are a ton out there but looking for some suggestion from other owners and the pro's and con's of the selection. Also wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages of CATs vs noCATs. I do not race the car, strickly show and around town cruising. I live in Texas so emissions aren't that big a deal...yet. Thoughts
I went with LG Super Pro with high flow cats , I too do not race and went with the cats as I did not want any problems with Georgia Emissions . All in all they fit well and came with everything needed for installation.
They also ship faster than any other manufacturers at the time I ordered them . Ordered on Monday got them on Friday
And hook up the rear O2 sensors up even if they get tuned out ..... only u will know
I added a CAI and used Diablo Lew to supply me a tune after I sent him my logs . I still have to send him a wide open throttle log (need to find a place where I can let it loose )
The power gain is something that you can feel in the seat of your paints and the sound is unbelievable! !
I don't race either and mine is just a cruiser. It came with kooks headers, catted x pipe and corsa mufflers. Sounds great but I still get a cel every once in a while.
I went with LG Super Pro with high flow cats , I too do not race and went with the cats as I did not want any problems with Georgia Emissions . All in all they fit well and came with everything needed for installation.
They also ship faster than any other manufacturers at the time I ordered them . Ordered on Monday got them on Friday
And hook up the rear O2 sensors up even if they get tuned out ..... only u will know
I added a CAI and used Diablo Lew to supply me a tune after I sent him my logs . I still have to send him a wide open throttle log (need to find a place where I can let it loose )
The power gain is something that you can feel in the seat of your paints and the sound is unbelievable! !
You will not be sorry u put them on
Dave
In the same boat, need weather to be better to do a WOT log for Lew.
I installed SLP Headers. No complaints whatsoever with fit or finish. The car is so much easier to drive in all situations from off idle to wot. The sounds with stock NPP is pretty good, Corsa or Borla would be better but I'm satisfied so I don't think I'm gonna do that anytime soon.
Get catted headers, the negatives of no cats are not worth the very minor hp increase. With the SLP headers, the cats are see through anyways, I don't imagine any other companies are using restrictive cats either.
Conclusion? Get headers, best bolt on by far and will set you up for major power down the road.
BTW do some research on heat shielding for a few major systems like the starter, starter wiring harness, O2 harnesses, and the clutch lines. Also A/C lines if they are close to the headers on the passenger side. Better safe than sorry, I lost a car do to header heat when I was a young teenager. Gasket failed and caught a fuel line on fire from what I could tell. Total loss of a classic car.
It was between ARH and LG for me. Since I live in Dallas were LG is located I was going to go LG for the convenience however LG is out of stock on the 1 7/8's and is not due any in until mid May. I went with ARH. Installed last week. Great sound with NPP. Pretty quiet in closed mode (keeps wife happy) yet mean when open. I picked up just over 22rwhp with catted X-pipe. Great bolt on mod.
Need some advice on header selection for a 09 base C6. I know there are a ton out there but looking for some suggestion from other owners and the pro's and con's of the selection. Also wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages of CATs vs noCATs. I do not race the car, strickly show and around town cruising. I live in Texas so emissions aren't that big a deal...yet. Thoughts
American Racing (ARH) 1 3/4" x 3" with hi-flow cats & x-pipe (need the cats for NJ emissions testing). Remember that your engine will breath differently with the headers so a good tune is essential to get best possible performance.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
I have Melrose......ceramic coated inside and out. Made out of aluminized metal, which is lighter than SS and not as brittle. SS will last longer, but these will out live me. They're not cheap, tho.
I would get the cats, also.
As you probably know, the X pipe that hooks up to your axle back will cost about the same as the headers. Headers....$800...axle back...$800....give or take a dollar.
Need some advice on header selection for a 09 base C6. I know there are a ton out there but looking for some suggestion from other owners and the pro's and con's of the selection. Also wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages of CATs vs noCATs. I do not race the car, strickly show and around town cruising. I live in Texas so emissions aren't that big a deal...yet. Thoughts
I have a 2013 Grand Sport. I live in Texas too. I bought American Racing Headers, they are Ceramic coated w/the catted X-pipe (1 7/8" w/a 3" catted X-pipe). I bought the full 3" catted X because I also bought Zo6 sized mufflers. I don't regret getting the catted X-pipe. If money is not a big concern, American Racing Headers is the route to go. The ARH headers are a bit more pricey than their Chinese impersonators but they are top quality. If you talk w/the guys at ARH, they will have them Ceramic Coated before they get shipped to you. I had the Headers & the X-pipe coated. It's a plus for Texas Summer & avoiding of additional heat under the hood & right leg area. The coating is from a Company called Swain Tech & the coating is called 'White Lightning. It's a thick heat barrier type coating that is top notch quality. I'd buy them again.
Last edited by dmoneychris; Apr 25, 2016 at 07:17 PM.
Thank you. They look pretty sharp under the hood & match my car's paint. The color/finish of the coating hasn't changed a bit since the first start up w/the headers installed. They look much better in person than they do in photos.
Last edited by dmoneychris; Apr 25, 2016 at 07:27 PM.
I have a 2013 Grand Sport. I live in Texas too. I bought American Racing Headers, they are Ceramic coated w/the catted X-pipe (1 7/8" w/a 3" catted X-pipe). I bought the full 3" catted X because I also bought Zo6 sized mufflers. I don't regret getting the catted X-pipe. If money is not a big concern, American Racing Headers is the route to go. The ARH headers are a bit more pricey than their Chinese impersonators but they are top quality. If you talk w/the guys at ARH, they will have them Ceramic Coated before they get shipped to you. I had the Headers & the X-pipe coated. It's a plus for Texas Summer & avoiding of additional heat under the hood & right leg area. The coating is from a Company called Swain Tech & the coating is called 'White Lightning. It's a thick heat barrier type coating that is top notch quality. I'd buy them again.
Hello
I am getting my Kooks 1 7/8 headers coated with white lightening.I am also doing the catted xpipe but been told not to coat the cats.Does the swain coating reduce the heat in the tunnel area?Have you had problems with your cats?
Fitz
Hello
I am getting my Kooks 1 7/8 headers coated with white lightening.I am also doing the catted xpipe but been told not to coat the cats.Does the swain coating reduce the heat in the tunnel area?Have you had problems with your cats?
Fitz
I don't know why people would say to not coat the cats...I noticed a significant drop in the heat from the tunnel area compared to when it had the stock manifolds & cats. I sold the car a while back & had it like that over a year. I never experienced any problems whatsoever while I had it. I live in Central Texas so the main reason I had the cats coated as well as the headers was to try to reduce the tunnel heat. FYI- The heat wasn't gone altogether but definitely reduced, no question.
I don't know why people would say to not coat the cats...I noticed a significant drop in the heat from the tunnel area compared to when it had the stock manifolds & cats. I sold the car a while back & had it like that over a year. I never experienced any problems whatsoever while I had it. I live in Central Texas so the main reason I had the cats coated as well as the headers was to try to reduce the tunnel heat. FYI- The heat wasn't gone altogether but definitely reduced, no question.
Hi Chris
Kooks said DO NOT coat cats as they would not warranty the xpipe if I did.They said the cats need to be able to through off heat or they will degrade quickly.
Fitz
I don't know why people would say to not coat the cats...I noticed a significant drop in the heat from the tunnel area compared to when it had the stock manifolds & cats. I sold the car a while back & had it like that over a year. I never experienced any problems whatsoever while I had it. I live in Central Texas so the main reason I had the cats coated as well as the headers was to try to reduce the tunnel heat. FYI- The heat wasn't gone altogether but definitely reduced, no question.
I noticed that you only coated the section closest to the header.
Fitz
I noticed that you only coated the section closest to the header.
Fitz
Hi Fitz. Warranties are useful I guess...I coated the entire X-pipe piece. On the ARH x-pipe, the X-pipe & cats piece is pretty short. (The X on the X-pipe is before the cats) That is the size of the entire X-pipe. The rest of the 3"pipe is a seperate piece for ARH.
Last edited by dmoneychris; Jan 26, 2018 at 10:33 AM.
I went with Kooks 1 7/8 long tubes, 3 inch off road X pipe. I didn't want to fool with having to replace cats when they go bad. Some complain about smell but its not very bad and doesn't bother me.
Header advice
