ok ive posted about headers before, but i still want some, but i dont want to pay an outrageous price. so u guys know where i can get the best deal on headers? also how hard is installation having never done this before, or if i have a shop do it how much would it cost in general. lastly what should i do concerning a y-pipe? thanks

 

flowtech coated headers, off road ypipe, gaskets, blockoffs, clamps all for under $600 from thunder racing.

fit and finish was great

installation was cake for me, first time, by myself in my driveway.

read this installation guide i wrote up and see what you think about the install.

 

thanks man, btw how much horse do u think u gained?

 

really hard to tell since i installed a catback at the same time. but i think it was very noticable gain.

i seemed to have lost some low end, which i notice a bit more when i am pulling out from a stop. if i don't give it a bit more gas it bogs a bit, or if i'm cruising at low rpms in high gear.

but the mid range and top end was a very noticable gain.

well worth the price and effort. kindda makes you wonder why you would ever buy headers for $1200 like some systems when you can get it all for half that.

 

ok im am about to buy either pacesetters or flowtechs b/c of their affordable prices, but i am wondering if there is any difference between the way they sound on a borla exhaust. i have a friend with pacesetters that sound awesome on his 00 z28, but i dont remember his exhaust. i want them to be loud, but not too raspy.

 

headers won't have much affect on the sound. the main thing is if you run cats or not.

any exhaust is gonna be louder, borla with the open plates will be raspy.

 

Lies, headers will have a huge effect on exhaust sound, even through the stock mufler, but like you said, the type of cats, or the lack of, will have an impact also.

 

Because you get what you paid for.

With my QTP's, I have the peace of mind that they're top notch, won't ever rust, and won't ever have an 02 bung blow out, like I've heard of with some "bargain headers." Installation was cake for me too, because there was a lot put into the designe of them. I didn't have to remove one single thing to get the driverside header into place. Someone told me to get the collector verticle, so I did it. Five seconds later, she was in place. Piece of cake.

So yeah, you definately get what you paid for. Granted, not everyone can fork over $1,000 for headers/Y-pipe, but if you end up getting a coated header and have to replace it down the road, I'd hardly say the $500 was worth it.

 

RS....good point...i guess i was a bit hasty in my statement. as with any new product, time will tell how "bargain" they really are.

but if i can get headers for $600, then have to spend $150 in 3 years for new coating...i'm still ahead of the game.

but point well taken.

as for the sound comment...

i had manifolds with ORP and it sounded nearly identical to my longtube setup. i honestly couldn't tell a difference. so personally i don't think it is such a "huge difference" like you say

 

I don't have much basis for comparison, other than the facr that I rolled around with my cutout open all the time with stock manifolds and cats. I guess for me it was more of a "refined" sound, because I didn't have all the rasp that the LT guys had. Then again, once I swapped in the headers, it's a night and day difference. I'm even running through a Dynomax muffler now and I can STILL tell it's a deeper, more rumbly sound. I guess it all depends on what the whole exhaust system consists of.

 

I bought the coated Pacesetter and Im very satisfied....

I've had them for a few months (3?) and the coating looks just like they did when I got them in the mail. I figured maybe they would darken r something but its great. The flange is nice and thick, and I havent even had to retighten them yet(non locking bolts, too!)

Installation: The only problem I had with the whole thing was I had to raise the engine up to get the driver side header in.....I pulled out the motor mount bolt to raise it even higher so it would be easier to fit in there. I could have gotten it in there without pulling the motor mount bolt but I just wanted to make sure I didnt scratch up the header.

BTW they took a beating...I banged them a few times while getting them in there (by accident) and they didnt scratch or blemish(yay!)

They look great, got the job done and so far no problems at all....

they were $379(?) from Thunder Racing. I had my exhaust shop make me a custom offroad Y pipe to connect to my muffler. All in all the whole thing cost me $550, not including the muffler and tips(since your going to get a catback I just left the muffler out of the equation)

If you want to see what the Pacesetters look like I have quite a few pics of them off the car, and a few good ones of under the car with them on there(the car is on a lift). With the Y on and without it. click the link on my sig...I think the header pics are on page 3 Im not sure.

I love the way it looks from under the car without the Y connected

I dont know anyone with the flowtechs so I cant really speak there, but Im sure they are decent as well....

 

you got your pacesetters from Thunder Racing? i went to thunder racing and i only see dynatech, flowtech, hooker, JBA, and MAC headers for LS1 F-Body 98-02. do they still sell pacesetters, or are flowtechs about the same? they are about the same price, but i dont know which one sounds better. ive heard pacesetters on a 00 z28 with corsa exhaust, and it sounded awesome. would pacesetters or flowtechs sound about the same on my borla exhaust? ive tried LS1 sounds, but i didnt find many clips of those headers on a borla.

 

There shouldnt be any sound difference between the two...

 

Try Jet Hot Long Tubes
I've heard hreat things about them..