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Ok guys I need some advise from those more knowledgeable than myself about this.
And yes I searched but didn't really have my question definitively answered.
So that leaves me needing some opinions.
In about two weeks my C7 is getting an ECS supercharger installed and tuned by Ragin Racin in Lafayette LA.
That being said I would like a set of headers and figure I might as well have em installed that way it only needs to be tuned one time.
I am looking at American Racing Headers but am undecided on whether I should get the longtubes with catted X-pipe or just save $1k and buy the shorty's...? Is there really going to be a substantial difference between the two setups?
No, not at all. Headers will add power, allow you to run less timing/boost to make the same power, so you can make a safer 600rwhp even if you are fuel pump limited. I've seen cars with restrictive exhaust system want to ping very easy because they can't get all the spent exhaust out, so you get an EGR effect going on, and all sorts of nasty stuff.
I'm am pretty sure I'm going with ARH long tubes, I figure at the minimum it will sound nice and at best it will breath a little easier (more air in more air out logic)
I was just unsure if Long tubes offered some profound difference over the simpler shorty's.
No, not at all. Headers will add power, allow you to run less timing/boost to make the same power, so you can make a safer 600rwhp even if you are fuel pump limited. I've seen cars with restrictive exhaust system want to ping very easy because they can't get all the spent exhaust out, so you get an EGR effect going on, and all sorts of nasty stuff.
The C7 (especially with NPP) comes with an un-restrictive exhaust system including exhaust manifolds that look like shorty headers. If you look in the videos I posted, the fast list, etc. you will see the aftermarket headers are not doing much if anything on this vehicle. I can think of several ways to go faster for a lot less than $2000+ (drag radials, meth injection kit, nitrous kit) and not have to hack up the exhaust system on beautifully engineered 60K car. But to each his own.
I agree with everything you said, but you are speaking hypothetically about restrictive exhaust systems. The factory C7 exhaust flows EXTREMELY well though, so there really is nothing to gain HP wise with headers on a supercharged C7.
Procharger, the only company with nothing to gain/lose said they didn't see power. you can point to other vendors, but they all make money installing headers so that means nothing to me.
I'll trust a source like procharger any day over a shop who makes money installing headers. Procharger says that there is nothing to gain HP wise by adding headers. I believe them because they are one of the most trusted names in supercharging, and have nothing to gain/lose by being honest.
I still say to add headers, but make your decision based on sound. The power will be the same (and plenty safe) for all of the supercharged c7's with stock fuel systems.
That is actually a point I looked at as well, I saw a photo a while back that showed a "cut-away" of a stock C7 exhaust manifold and it looked like an equal length shorty header minus the fancy collector in factory form. It kind of got me wondering how much flow there is to be gained over the factory design.
I agree with everything you said, but you are speaking hypothetically about restrictive exhaust systems. The factory C7 exhaust flows EXTREMELY well though, so there really is nothing to gain HP wise with headers on a supercharged C7.
Procharger, the only company with nothing to gain/lose said they didn't see power. you can point to other vendors, but they all make money installing headers so that means nothing to me.
I'll trust a source like procharger any day over a shop who makes money installing headers. Procharger says that there is nothing to gain HP wise by adding headers. I believe them because they are one of the most trusted names in supercharging, and have nothing to gain/lose by being honest.
I still say to add headers, but make your decision based on sound. The power will be the same (and plenty safe) for all of the supercharged c7's with stock fuel systems.
Until someone dynos stock headers vs aftermarket with a blower it is all guessing though. If stock cars are picking up 30+rhwp with headers than I would expect a 550+rwhp supercharged car to pick up at least that. Headers have always been expensive for the power gained and that is up to the buyer if $1500-2000 is worth 30-40hp. For a lot of people it is, for others it is not. I just paid $500 to upgrade from 1 7/8" to 2" just to try to get another 40-50rwhp out of my car.
I'll weigh in with the third party candidate here instead of tackling a head-on argument.
I believe the largest advantage to LT headers on FI currently is an increase in flow resulting in a more efficient boost pressure curve. That's just my observation from gathering notes between all of the manufacturers and vendors at the moment.
The sound difference is honestly why I paid the money - I know that's silly to some, but it's just something I couldn't live without (just like checking another box on the order sheet).
Until we see some real results no one can say when the stock manifolds see to be restrictive. I had seen people gain a few moneys but boost drop 2-3psi on a blower car, then when they set the boost back to where it was before gain 40-60rwhp from headers so it also depends on what you are doing. 7psi with stock manifolds and 7psi with headers, or 7psi with stock and 5psi with headers... Then again that is just going back to c5/c6 since we don't know how restrictive the c7 manifolds are. People said the same thing on ls7 manifolds but they pick up a ton of power with a good header.