Best cheap C5 headers...with cats!
 

What's the best option for cheap headers WITH cats?

Also...I want to make sure the headers don't melt anything in the engine bay. Should they just be wrapped or is it best to have them coated?

The wrapped vs coating has been discussed a lot on this forum. Search around, here's a recent thread from a couple of weeks ago:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...e-headers.html

Thread about budget priced headers, you might want to look in here.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...p-headers.html

Good luck and make sure you get a tune after.

In that thread, people only names non-catted brands.
Is there any reasonable priced catted brand?

As far as coating, what's a **reasonable** price nowadays?

I’ve had LG’s 1 3/4 and catted x-pipe since 2007. Everything is fine with the car. Never had a problem. It’s loud through my bullet exhaust, and made 340 wheel horse through an automatic trans.

Car now has 3.73 gears, 3200 converter and will do a top end engine rebuild in the future.

Do the headers and don’t look back. You won’t be disappointed with whatever brand you get.

Kooks, LG, stainless works, American racing, speed engineering, etc…

Thanks!

Question...

People say Speed Engineering are excellent value headers. But, no cat is available in the X pipe.

Does anybody know if I can buy a catted x pipe from a different brand, Speed Engineering LT headers, and hook it all up to the Corsa Xtreme exhaust?

I already have the Corsa Xtreme on the car. So I would then have that linked to a catted x pipe from an unknown brand AND Speed Engineering headers.

Would that all work? :shrug:

I suggest wrapping all wiring, electrical connectors and brake lines near the headers with high heat resistant wrap and also shielding the starter. I used Summit brand wrap.
I had my headers ceramic coated. Looks better too.

With a competent installer anything is possible.

IMO you are not going to find good cheap headers with cats anywhere. The only options are to buy boutique headers and midpipe or make your own mid pipe and run cheap headers.

I am a big believer in Speed Engineering. I also wanted cats. So I simply added them into my X pipe mid pipe. I also hate slip fit collectors so I added V bands at the collectors.

All told I'm probably into the headers and mid pipe less than 600 bucks and have a system with cats and no cheesy clamps.

Keep an eye on the parts for sale forum. I recently picked up a full system with long tubes, wrap, welded x-pipe and high flow cats for a very good price.

We don't make headers but here is my take on it. If you watch what goes into making headers then you will understand why they are the price they are. If you look at the cheap headers, that is the retail so what did the manufacture sell them for to the company selling them to you? What was there true cost on them, so if you are buying a set of headers for $300 you figure they spend about $75 making them if that. You can't even buy good material for that. So here is what we have seen in the shop, when and not if that header cracks up by the head and you damage your engine, was saving the money worth it. I would say just leave the stock exhaust on it because it is of why higher quality then the header you are getting ready to get of ebay for less than $300.

I agree with J.Abbott. Get a quality set of headers and X-pipe from a reputable USA manufacturer. Many of the cheap headers will cost you in fabrication costs and a lot of extra installation time.
I installed Kooks, everything went easily without having to jack up the engine or disconnect the steering shaft or remove the starter. Just moved the alternator aside, unbolted and moved the ground strap out of the way and they slip up from underneath in seconds. They fit perfectly with absolutely no clearance issues and no air tube modifications are necessary nor were O2 extensions necessary. I also installed their High Flow Green cats and there were no codes. I had mine ceramic coated for heat and appearance. Great products and I highly recommend Kooks. As a past member would often say, I can't afford to install cheap parts.

:withstupid:

Insinuating that it's impossible to find a well built cheap header for these cars is just ridiculous. Many of the cheaper headers that have an actual name brand that work with these cars fit well and DO NOT have a reputation for just cracking or breaking off at the head lol.

That is just spreading BS IMO.

The number one complaint and I get it is that they don't come with cats. This is a correctable scenario for those that are not helpless.

I've owned fancy ass boutique headers several times in years past. Guess what, they don't do anything spectacular over a well built inexpensive header.

Finding out what works well for any giving vehicle out there doesn't take a lot of work to do a little research.

The only thing I will say and this isn't directed at anyone in this thread is to stay the hell away from the sub 300 dollar crap you see on Amazon and fleabay that have no names associated with them at all.

For those of you that want to spend 2k dollars on headers and overpriced cats for a 20 plus year old car? Good on you.

I agree that the name brand header kits are expensive but so is everything today including labor at $200 per hour and to have to get a cheap set fabricated to fit properly or worse yet to pay someone to install a cheap set and it takes an extra 2 or more hours doesn't make sense. A good set that fits is an easy DIY project and is very satisfying to do. Making any modifications to a C5 is throwing money away. Yet many will just for the sake of doing it so if it is about the cost then you probably should not be doing it. You will most likely need a tune afterward which was not necessary with the Kooks green cats. A good tune will cost $550-$750. A good ceramic coating will cost $300 or more. Then you need heat protection for under hood components and the ignition wires.
My set of Kooks with X-pipe and green cats and ceramic coating coast $1,599.00 delivered to my house back in 2016. It took 5 1/2 hours to install including clean up and breaks and that was the first-time on a C5. I just looked and the top brand names are $2.000 per set and Kooks with green cats adds another $850. Check into Texas Speed or OBX for an alternative. Try searching for a used take off set in the parts for sale section.

I thought OBX was a really low quality system. Am I wrong?

Cheap headers = waste of money

I just looked up LG headers. About $2400 with XPipe and cats. That’s without tax or shipping. I’m going to guess that’s around 2800 with taxes and shipping, additional 700 for custom tuning. If you want a shop to install them, throw in another 600-800. Expensive, but that’s what it costs.

The sound alone is incredible through long tube headers. Whatever the cost, enjoy it, miles of smiles.

And I'll make just as much power or more with my 600 dollar setup lmao.

Which setup is that?

It's literally in your own thread.

No way can I add cats to Speed Engineering. I wouldn't know how. And my mechanic won't want to do that.

Isn't that a major project including welding/cutting?