The car -

Completely stock 98 A4 WS6.

What's next on my list is an SLP lid, already have a drop-in K&N filter in the meantime. Contemplating which free mods to do, think I might P&P the TB but that's about it.

Anyway, I see all these threads/posts about long tubes, shorties, etc.

To start, I've got an SOTL (single on the left) exhaust. Sounds nice and deep, and supposedly flows better than the dual tip exhaust systems found on 99+ (stock vs stock) or so I've been reading.

I'm in CA so emissions is a bitch but I'll work around that.

My final goal is going with a mild-street cam (to be posted down the road in another thread) to see 360-380hp to the wheels.

I'm going to stay N/A.

With that being said, what kind of headers and exhaust work should I look at getting? Why should I go with long tubes, or why shouldn't I? Should I go with a Y with "x" headers? or an x pipe and straight pipe (no muffler) after that? Just trying to get the most I can out of my exhaust system without saying "I should've done this instead" later down the road. I can get the custom work done at a shop after the headers so that's not a problem. Do I need to go with true duals for best performance?

Oh and I plan on going with a 3600 stall or so after intake+exhaust.

 

True duals would be best for performance and nothing sounds as good as that. Longtubes flow the best out of any headers, don't bother with the shorties as several people have said that the stock manifolds flow almost as good so it would be a waste of time and money. Honestly LT headers and straight pipe would be VERY loud unless that's what you want. If you haven't done gears I would go with some 3.73s before you do the stall, for intake go with an LS6 you can find those at a decent price used.

 

I just thought I read somewhere something about a good catback system being as good as true duals...I only say this because I did indeed do a search and found several threads/posts on this forum as well as LS1tech.

Ok so I'll go with LT's and true duals. I like loud so that's no problem but I might go with a good flowing muffler just to tame it a bit.

As for gears, my car comes stock with 3.23's. I was contemplating going 3.73's but I've read guys being perfectly happy with 3.23's+stall+mild cam (which is what I want) and the difference from 73's and 23's isn't enough to warrant the cost/job.

As for the LS6 intake mani, yeah that's definitely on my list but I might do that at the same time I get my heads+cam swapped. Might just do the swap myself if I find an LS6 intake sooner than later.

 

Your options will depend heavily on how you'll "work around" the emissions problem. If you're able to get around ALL emissions requirements, forget about shorty style headers completely. Just about any 1 3/4" primary long tube header with a 3" collector will work, and get the y-pipe to go with it. You can only use an x-pipe on a dual setup. Unless you get duals, keep that TOTL - they sound great stock, with or without cats, and with cam and head work too. It will not be a restriction until well over 500hp.

Keep the 3.23 gears in there. If you ever want to tighen the feel of the converter or are looking for every last tenth of ET, then I would recommend going with a 3.73.

 

I guess I'll go with something that isn't exactly 'legal'. It just depends on the exhaust system...if it'll be kept together by clamps where I can undo the whole thing in my garage or welded up and taken on/off at the shop. I'll just have it all welded up in that case

That's where my real question is;

should I go with true duals or..........? It's why I mentioned my goals are only 360-380hp. This car is my daily driver and being in college+unemployed disabled veteran I don't have much $$$ to throw at the car as well as pay a premium for gas. I'm fine with 17mpg but I don't want to get near 12mpg just to say I have a 600hp+ DD and 10 sec car. Can't have safe+reliable+cheap at the same time.

Think you meant to say keep my SOTL right? And if I do keep it, is it right to assume that I only need to replace the headers and y-pipe? The Y is actually a pretty fat diameter. I looked underneath and the Y meets down further than it did on my 94 Z28. I think on the Z28 the Y meant immediately after the headers and looked to be like a smaller diameter pipe.

Will do!

Can't wait to get it all done.

 

Meant to put a pic in the earlier post, here's the car in question with the SOTL -

 

Wow I messed that one up. I did mean to say TOTL. I misread your post - I thought you had the TOTL. In that case, go with a dual setup

Seriously though, with your power goals, duals aren't necessary. If you can afford go the dual route it would be mainly for sound.

Hopefully city fuel mileage isn't a concern. Going with a larger cam and higher stall torque converter will kill your mileage around town. Highway cruising should be near stock.

 

No worries

Yeah I'm going with your opinion as well as my friend's dad (the shop owner) and for my goals he says we can just go with long tube's and a better pipe after the tubes as well as a good Y and keep everything else that's already there (the stock piping after the Y).

Also, when I mentioned cams he emphasized that I should do my homework and I told him I'm doing just that when choosing a cam lol

He also said I should look at a Z06 cam, but something about the rockers not being symmetrical on the intake/exhaust side so I'd have to get new ones on the exhaust side or something? He mentioned the Z06 cam so I can stay smog-legal if I wanted.

Anyone care to comment on that?

And to recap, long tubes+new Y should be ok and I can keep the stock muffler and pipe after the stock Y?

 

Longtube headers require relocating the cats and that's a fail already so it depends on how strict they are with the visual inspection if they notice the cats have been moved then they will fail you but that's rare as they concentrate more on the smog.

 

Oh I know that, don't worry about the emissions thing (I should've excluded that in my initial post).

Visual inspections are limited to the engine bay and I know of a few places that can take care of my smog. I've got 1 yr 11 months anyway before I have to worry about a smog.

 

Oh ok I was just trying to give you a heads up in case you didn't know.

As for the z06 cam I have no idea if what they told you is true. The only way I would maybe throw in that cam in my ls1(if I had one) is if it was free. The time and money it takes to do a cam swap wouldn't be worth it for the minimal gain you will see. If you want a small cam I've read good things about the TR224 but it's not my expertise so hopefully somebody else will chime if I'm not entirely correct.

 

That's exactly what I said I mean I don't know what the gains would be with such a cam swap but I doubt it would be enough to warrant such labor/cost.

I learn real quick when it comes to anything I educate myself on however 'lift/duration/intake/exhaust' all sounds greek to me when I was looking at cams and trying to figure out what heads to use with said-cam. Let's not forget valves/springs and such.....

All I know is before I choose a stall, I'll have to figure out what cam to go with. With that cam, I'll need valves and/or valve springs (?) and heads.

 

With your 360-380rwhp goal you won't need heads a cam only ls1 can easily do that with the correct parts. I would suggest getting a cam package that way you won't have to mix and match parts. After reading a bit more scratch the TR224 idea seems like a very small cam something around 228/228 .588/.588 114LSA would be good for you since you have a very attainable goal and you won't suffer much drivability as long as you get a good dyno. It's all in how it's tuned a good tuner can tame a very aggressive cam and the 228/228 is a mild cam.

 

The shop I mentioned can tune my car plus they've got plenty of experience tuning LSx engines+f-bodies so no worries there.

I don't need heads for my intended goal? Guess I'm underestimating the LS1. That saves me money for a performance A4.

 

i agree that heads probably arent necessary. some ls1s will dyno close to 300rwhp stock. so you only need a 70-90hp gain. good intake, exhaust, and a decent cam should be able to get you there with no problems