Got headers! Will I hear/feel the difference? PIC!
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Nice headers. They will be louder but you will loose torque and power. I have tried 1 1/2" Equal Length MAC Shorties and 1 5/8 FRPP shorties on my stock combo. Both lost power and torque. Down 2-3 HP and 7-9 FT lbs of torque. I actually put my stock headers back on 
and the power and torque were back up. I got rid of the MAC headers but kept the FRPP for when I get some heads.
I lost about 3 as well with 1 5/8 shorties vs. stock headers; from other posts, on milder set ups like mine, apparently the stock headers aren't a limitation to flow through the engine. Others have posted the break point is somewhere around 270-290 crank HP before larger diameter shorties will help. On a similar engine, long tubes may not help much at peak; but they should show significant improvements lower in the rpm range.
I had those same exact headers on my 91GT AOD. The install was easy, but they weren't worth the time & money. I felt no difference at all. I actually lost some low end, and the car was not louder a bit. Stock headers are all you need for stock h/i/c unless you just want to dress up the engine compartment. Good luck with the install, its easy, but takes some time.
Have to disagree with all of you. The combo of Xpipes with cats and 1 1/2" JBA shortie headers sounds much better and feels like about 15 hp. No loss of torque anywhere! No loss of HP anywhere! Wole up my pony car. This is from a guy that put on pullies and threw out the silencers and fet nothing!! BTW I am still running stock mufflers from 87 and I think it sounds pretty good!
What are you guys smokin? Yeah, you will lose a little low end, but you pick up more half way through your powerband. You will definetly feel more power. Now get h/c/i. Thats where you will be glad to have the exhaust.
Those are the same my car has had for quite a few years. Overall I question the materials BBK uses but with those headers, BBK H-pipe w/ the 2 cats, and a flowmaster american thunder cat back, definitely get compliments all the time. Yeah you lose a bit on the low-end, but who really sits there and granny drives these cars below about 2,500 or so rpm before headers actually start to kick in their potential, and yes, the power is there in the higher RPM's.
When I first put my equal length headers on my stock motor I was able to get some rubber going into third. I would say that counts for something.
Going to a larger tube header on stock H and catback would not be a good idea because you will loose velosity into the H pipe, so not as much energy there to push the gasses through all those cats. However, going with 1 1/2 mandrel bent header will keep the tube diameter the same, keeping velosity but without the kinks that cause backpressure and uneven flow. I hope I am making sence here.
I think since you have stock H pipe and all, which is a larger restriction than your headers by far, maby you should replace that with a higher flowing midpipe or go all out and get some longtubes with o/r midpipe.
The prochamber sounds real good with stock headers or shorties, maby you should look into it....
I think since you have stock H pipe and all, which is a larger restriction than your headers by far, maby you should replace that with a higher flowing midpipe or go all out and get some longtubes with o/r midpipe.
The prochamber sounds real good with stock headers or shorties, maby you should look into it....
On a stock motor you won't gain as much with headers as you will on one that is modded...The only thing I noticed about my headers on a stock motor was that the RPM's seemed to rise quicker...Too bad you got the chrome ones...the will start to discolor and rust really soon...
For all of you claiming seat of the pants improvements and wondering what we're smoking - the HP loss (and it was pretty much across the board) I referred to in my previous post was documented in before and after dyno runs on the same dyno, by the same operator under almost identical ambient and engine/oil temp. conditions. I think folks want to believe they help more than they do - but for crank HP levels less than around 290, I think there's little benefit to adding aftermarket shorties.
Actually, I took my regular old dino oil out, and put in 5W30 Amsoil, and added the shorties - and yes, we lost 3HP at peak; at no point was the new curve higher than the old curve. We pulled from 2200 rpm to about 5500. Seat of the pants - if I'm honest, it felt exactly the same before and after - my butt's sensitivity can't pick up 3HP. And the exhaust volume was noticeably louder after the shorty install.
Actually, I took my regular old dino oil out, and put in 5W30 Amsoil, and added the shorties - and yes, we lost 3HP at peak; at no point was the new curve higher than the old curve. We pulled from 2200 rpm to about 5500. Seat of the pants - if I'm honest, it felt exactly the same before and after - my butt's sensitivity can't pick up 3HP. And the exhaust volume was noticeably louder after the shorty install.
Add me to the list of those disappointed with aftermarket headers on a stock 5.0 with just bolt-ons (no H-C-I mods). I had heard the stock headers weren't really that bad for a stock engine (even thought they look rather pinched down), now I believe it. They do look better than stock though, and some day my mods might catch up to them.
Black89 - I'm with you on appearance too; I was hoping for a performance improvement, but I learned a good lesson with the install. However, they look so much better I likely would've done it anyhow had I known then what I know now.
Thanks for all the responses everybody! Headers were the only thing still needed to complete my exhaust setup, so it made sense to get them instead of another bolt-on. Once the headers are on, it'll definitely be time for heads/cam/intake, then I expect to reap the full benefit of my exhaust system. Just takin' it one step at a time!
Are you talking to me? I don't have a stock H, and I don't have cats. My stock headers are definitely the weakest link in my exhaust system.90mustangGT said:
"Once the headers are on, it'll definitely be time for heads/cam/intake, then I expect to reap the full benefit of my exhaust system. Just takin' it one step at a time!"
That's a sound rationale for proceeding in my opinion - well done. As for the headers being the weakest link - it may be true, but irrelevant. Unless they're limiting flow (which at your power levels they probably aren't) they aren't a weak link. It's clear from the way you're proceeding however they will be at some point. And you're making a pre-emptive strike by putting the headers on now. Cool.
That's a sound rationale for proceeding in my opinion - well done. As for the headers being the weakest link - it may be true, but irrelevant. Unless they're limiting flow (which at your power levels they probably aren't) they aren't a weak link. It's clear from the way you're proceeding however they will be at some point. And you're making a pre-emptive strike by putting the headers on now. Cool.
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