I have done a search, but I am looking for more specific info regarding this. First, I am in the market for new headers. I have a Hooker catback with the cat still in place. I would like to go with longtubes (emissions aren't a problem here), but I would like to find some that fit with the cat (visual inspections are a problem). I CANNOT spend a lot of money, therefore that leaves out ones like Kooks, SLP, etc... Also, the only thing that I can find that utilizes the rest of the stock exhaust are either the pacesetters, or edelbrocks (that I like for the money). Now, the problem here is that they are mid length headers. I know that you give up some hp/tq, but is it THAT much? I don't have anything else except a CAI on the car, and I'm not going to go wild with it. That's what my WS6 TA is for . If I go with mid-lengths, which brand is better? I have heard that they are both good, and I have heard that they both stink. I will be getting coated headers, so that should help, but I am also looking for something with the best gains as well as the best access to the plugs and accessories.
With that said, what else do I need? Are OVC plug wires pretty much a requirement? Also, what will need to be done to the exhaust to make them work? And, lastly, do I need to have the PCM programmed for the changes?
Any info that you guys/gals can give me will be greatly appreciated and taken into serious consideration.

Thanks again.

 

i would go with pacesetter longtubes but thats just me

 

I would too, but what about issues with getting it to bolt up to the stock exhaust?

 

o true u would have to buy the y-pipe with it or go custom

 

Thats the biggest downside. Then, I'm paying another $130 for the y-pipe, that has to be fitted - if it will work with the stock system routing. That's why I'm looking at mids, but if someone has made long tubes work, I would love to hear that.

 

Depends how much you want to spend, I went with Pacesetter long tubes. I bought their ypipe for a 130 dollars and I bought a pair of high flow cats as well for another 130 bucks. The labor to weld in the cats was another 100. So basically my catted ypipe came to a grand total of 360 dollars. By the way, their is no "fitment" with the Pacesetter ypipe, it fits the headers and the underchassis components of the car very well.

 

I want to try to stay under $600. This includes any work that I would have to have done. That's why the mid-lengths are so tempting.

 

Do you plan to have the headers professionally installed? If so, that will eat up most of that 600 dollar budget in just labor alone.

 

No, I can do them myself, which I prefer. It seems whenever someone else does it, they just can't seem to get it right (maybe it's just that I'm a perfectionist). So would LT's give pretty good plug/accessory access? And can the y-pipe fit in the stock routing so that I can just cut it and put the cat in?

 

The long tubes give exceptional plug access, but as for the ypipe, it fits completely different from the stock y-pipe. It doesn't mean you can't fit it with a single or dual cats, plenty of people do it, myself included.

 

How different exactly? I don't have a lot of fabrication tools, and no one around here has any mandrel bending capabilities. I have the ability to do a little work, but not a ton.
As far as tuning goes, when I get headers will I need a tune? If so, does Tuner CATS do a good job?

 

Take a look at the Mufflex ypipe in this link, this is what the ypipes for the long tube headers generally look like and they differ greatly from the stock style y-pipe: http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=4&pcid=99