I live in CA and I have to comply with smog laws. So when i get my SS im planning on doing all the bolt-ons and a TR220 w/ 114LSA and programming. I also might do some head work (I don't know what the smog laws are concerning heads, so if any of yous know I would appreciate you explaining it). Which brings up my quesiton: with a cam and maybe heads, im gonna need headers but by CA law can't install LTs. I'm pretty sure even midlengths aren't legal too. So that leaves wimpy little shorty headers. What kind of gains would I see from this? Would it even be worth it? Could I get away with using the stock manifolds and still make good power? Do they make Y-pipes for shorties or how does that work? How much am I looking at $$$-wise here? Thanks in advance for any help, especially concerning smog laws.

 

Shorty headers really aren't worth the money. You might get 8-15 Hp out of them.

 

yea, but when u have no other choice but shorties...they are worth it IMO

 

On an LS1, shorties are not worth the money at all. The stock manifolds WILL flow as much as shorty headers. You can't run the MAC mid-length w/cat. y-pipe, or any LT w/cat. y-pipe and still be smog legal??

 

Not worth it....I had them on my LT1 and they were next to worthless. Plus by the letter of CA law you are not supposed to replace the cats unless they fail. You are not supposed to change the position of the cats, so mids are out! Basically you are screwed unless you know someone that can "help" you pass. As in they will ignore the visual test. There are also way around the sniffer, and that is they hook into your computer but put the sniffer into a car sitting beside yours. Problem is if you somehow get nailed, they get nailed too. Don't know anyone that has been caught but the fines are STEEP and it's a criminal offense.

Heads and cam will be fine because you can just about tune any comp. controlled car to pass with LS1 Edit or similar programs. It's the visual that you won't get by if they are picky.

Sure you are not going to get "the most" out of your setup with out headers....but it's much better than stock! Or you can go the route some of my friends did. Every 2 years you take off the headers and put back the stock stuff. NOT fun, but it gets past visual with no worries. After you've done it a few times it's pretty easy.

Man I'm glad I live in AZ now.....just hope they don't go the way of CA with their smog laws!

 

Xknight is right. It's not the sniffer that will give you problems, it's the relocation of the CATS. In CA you need headers that bolt-up to the stock Y-pipe, i.e. shorty's. I posted awhile back about JAB shortys and everyone told me they were crap. The consensus was that all shortys only work a little better that the stock manifolds (<10HP). I'm thinking of keeping the stock manifolds and getting a cam with a much longer exhaust duration (ala Z06).

 

Danno, what does having a cam with a much longer exhaust duration have to do with keeping your stock manifolds? How does that help? The only thing I can think of is that, with the exhaust valve open longer, there is less exhaust turbulence during the pistons exhaust stroke. This would help a lot when your running stock manifolds. Am I right? If not, set me straight.

 

I have seen some f-bodies with long tubes and cam such as the hotcam pass smog with tuning. If your getting your car new or if you dont need to smog anytime soon, get LT's and do a pretest.

 

yeah, but what im worried about is the visual inspection. how long would it take to, every two years, take off the LTs and put back on the stock system? too much work? not worth it? anyone got directions i could look at?

PS im still open for alternative suggestions.

 

You need to talk to Steve Cole at TTS Powersystems about his headers.. hes in Cali