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Pfadt Header Install

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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 05:20 PM
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Default Pfadt Header Install

MTI Racing just installed a set of the Pfadt Long Tube Headers on Garry's C7 Corvette and man does it sound good. Not only do the headers add power to the C7 but they also give it the aggressive sound to match it's aggressive looks. The Pfadt Header kit includes long tube headers, catted connection pipes, all clamps, gaskets, fasteners, and x-pipe center section that ties into the factory muffler system at the rear of the car. And to top it all off we installed a set of MTI Racing Hot Spark Plug Wires to handle the most extreme conditions possible under the hood. With the addition of the headers and tuning the power increased to 440rwhp and torque to 433 at the tire. This makes the engine power 517hp and the torque 509.







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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 05:38 PM
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Great job Guys! Those plug wire covers are definitely a great MTI touch. Had a call from Gary the other day and he couldn't stop talking about how great it sounded.

Pfadt Race Engineering
888-972-2464
info@pfadtracing.com

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Old Dec 19, 2013 | 09:15 AM
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it would be perfect if heat shileds would be available for this kit.
any chance to reuse stock heat shields?
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Old Dec 19, 2013 | 09:21 AM
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These headers dont seem to be adding as much power as other brands. Other shops have picked up 25 HP and 34 TQ with just a tune. So these headers seem to have only picked up 15 HP and 2 TQ over what one could achieve with a tune only.
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Old Dec 19, 2013 | 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by gonabite
These headers dont seem to be adding as much power as other brands. Other shops have picked up 25 HP and 34 TQ with just a tune. So these headers seem to have only picked up 15 HP and 2 TQ over what one could achieve with a tune only.
Every dyno is a little different. We have been seeing gains of 20hp with a tune alone and 40 to 50 hp with a tune and headers. There is also more to be had if you go catless. If I recall correctly Garys car had a catted center section. We could easily manipulate things so that it looks like we gained more power but we try not to play that dyno number game.
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Old Dec 19, 2013 | 11:35 AM
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where are the sae numbers?
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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 05:58 AM
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so why the graph shows ~40 hp difference?
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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by C6_Demon
It never adds up like that and it never has.

This just once again confirms, headers + tune, regardless of the brand = ~40-50RWHP.
No big surprise here, that is what we've seen with the LS motors for years. Same firing order and the same displacement as a LS3. Yes you have the VVT stuff, which is why the torque curve looks different. If you want more power than 40-50, you have to add a CAI, camshaft, heads, supercharger, ect.


When OBX, TSP, and every other company has their version of headers ready we'll see them all land between 40-50RWHP with a tune. Its been happening for 15 years now...I'm not sure how anyone missed that
More OBX comments While they all may create *about* the same horsepower, there are so many other things to consider other than peak horsepower. The torque curve is one of those things, which I know you already know about from your other posts. Check out this info on why a Tri-Y is a great option for optimizing your torque curve:

"The optimized header {Tri-Y} and exhaust system improves torque and sound quality from the LS7 engine."
Source: General Motors, Chevrolet
http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/...-z281-ls7.html


"The Tri-Y has long been popular in road racing, favored for its ability to vector hot gases into primary collectors then into the secondary collector. This gets you a broader torque curve, which is ideal for road racing and street driving."
Source: Automedia: Choosing the Right Headers : http://www.automedia.com/Choosing_th.../pht20120401ch



"The benefits of the Tri-Y are that it has a broader power curve, and generally it starts accelerating from a lower rpm and commonly will accelerate longer, creating a flatter, broader torque curve.."
Source:PRI Magazine: New Header Developments :http://epub.performanceracing.com/di...php?id=1095721



"While typical off-the-shelf street 4-into-1 headers do not have secondary pipes, Burns' research has proven repeatedly that his Tri-Y designs make more overall power over a broader rpm range. While traditional lines of thought have street enthusiasts knowing Tri-Y pipes make more bottom-end torque, further research by Burns into the design have resulted in headers making more power all across the rpm range. With more components as part of the Tri-Y design, more tuning possibilities exist, and therefore more potential lives within."
Source:Popular Hot Rodding:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...d_header_tech/



"The general consensus with engine builders is that this design {tri-y} broadens the torque curve while the four-into-one headers tend to be more peaky"
Source:John Lingenfelter: Modifying Small-Block Chevy Engines: High Performance : page 131
http://books.google.com/books?id=GUC...to%201&f=false



Pfadt Race Engineering
888-972-2464
info@pfadtracing.com

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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 01:20 PM
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Well, that, and the whole matter of OBX stealing designs in the past...

I'll pay more and keep it in the US instead of getting cheaply made stuff. And I have used OBX and Pacesetter in the past to save $... Ask me how that turned out.
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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Croc999
it would be perfect if heat shileds would be available for this kit.
any chance to reuse stock heat shields?
The MTI Racing Hot Spark Plug Wires were specifically designed to handle the extreme conditions found under the hood without factory heat shields. We have found over the years that the factory heat shields can actually shorten the life of the stock wire by retaining heat.
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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 03:06 PM
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this is interesting...
anyway - removing heatshields rease underhood temps quite a bit which can affect a lot of components.
so IMO it's always better to keep headers heat shielded...
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Old Dec 20, 2013 | 11:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Croc999
this is interesting...
anyway - removing heatshields rease underhood temps quite a bit which can affect a lot of components.
so IMO it's always better to keep headers heat shielded...
I have never seen an LT header on any platform that retains a factory heat shield.
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Old Dec 21, 2013 | 12:35 AM
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Also, was this an automatic?

Those stock numbers are really low, throwing the peak numbers into a lower category if people neglect the before/after.
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Old Dec 21, 2013 | 02:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Theta
I have never seen an LT header on any platform that retains a factory heat shield.
it's rare indeed with the aftermarket headers (of any type of car).
some workarounds exist in a forms of coating or wrapping.

i just don't get why header manufacturers skip on this.
underhood temps definitely rise significantly and in a long term eveything under the bonnet is slowly coocked...
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Old Dec 21, 2013 | 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Theta
Well, that, and the whole matter of OBX stealing designs in the past...

I'll pay more and keep it in the US instead of getting cheaply made stuff. And I have used OBX and Pacesetter in the past to save $... Ask me how that turned out.
OK......how DID that turn out for you....not to well right?
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Old Dec 21, 2013 | 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by MTI RACING
MTI Racing just installed a set of the Pfadt Long Tube Headers on Garry's C7 Corvette and man does it sound good. Not only do the headers add power to the C7 but they also give it the aggressive sound to match it's aggressive looks. The Pfadt Header kit includes long tube headers, catted connection pipes, all clamps, gaskets, fasteners, and x-pipe center section that ties into the factory muffler system at the rear of the car. And to top it all off we installed a set of MTI Racing Hot Spark Plug Wires to handle the most extreme conditions possible under the hood. With the addition of the headers and tuning the power increased to 440rwhp and torque to 433 at the tire. ]
Did you experience any install issues?

Thanks.
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Old Dec 21, 2013 | 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by VNAMVET
OK......how DID that turn out for you....not to well right?
Negatively, to say the least.

Fitment issues, poor construction (bad welds, etc), material is crappy (very thin 409 or less)... One of the sets actually cracked a weld from heat cycling...

I learned a while back that the initial cost savings will cost you in the long run.
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Old Dec 23, 2013 | 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Theta
Negatively, to say the least.

Fitment issues, poor construction (bad welds, etc), material is crappy (very thin 409 or less)... One of the sets actually cracked a weld from heat cycling...

I learned a while back that the initial cost savings will cost you in the long run.
Agreed. While you can save money buy purchasing other "budget headers", the weld quality will not be acceptable for a long-term solution. That is why we take such pride in having the highest quality welds in the industry:







Pfadt Race Engineering
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info@pfadtracing.com

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Old Dec 23, 2013 | 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by C6_Demon
I have to admit, the obx are attractive financially, but your headers take the prize for build quality! Those are some amazing welds
Thanks
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Old Dec 23, 2013 | 04:05 PM
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sexy welds
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