i'm getting some headers in a few months but i dont know whether to go LT's or shorties. if i'm gonna run a y- pipe with either setup which way should i go? also i'm gonna get a loudmouth so how will it sound? i currently have the borla catback, but i think the loudmouth would sound a little better. one thing i dont want to sacrifice is clearence since my car sits low already. thanks for any help

 

ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! another short tube vs. long tube thread! Well I am going to say go with the jet hots, because that is what I have and I love them. Long tubes= more power down low, which means better 60 ft. which means faster et.

 

LT's will give you the best gains and the loudest sound, but shorties, or midlengths are also very good and a must do mod to open the car up.

 

Longtubes

 

dont want to make this a multiple page thread, so if i go w/ LT's they'll plainly give me more hp/tq? if i go with LT's how much for the hooker LT's(coated) w/ y-pipe, and on a scale from 1-10 how loud will it be w/ loudmouth? or should i go w/ quieter muffler w/cutout under the pass. seat?

 

I paid 530 for my jet hots with the emissions fittings, 250 for the y pipe, 45 for the cat, and 269 for the hooker cat back. Its not a cheap process, those are without the gaskets and bolts too. My car is really loud at open throttle. Couldnt tell you how loud a loudmouth would be.

 

Well, I recommend a search, I have done alot of research on headers and reading other threads has helped me alot, since many many people have replied to this same question.

Alot of people are going to be biased because of what headers they have. I bet if I wanted to I could tell you who on this board is going to post here and what headers they'll recommend. I however dont have any yet and I came to the decision of JetHot LTs. LT's are an expensive process, which makes mids and shorties look good. I spoke with a very experienced company about headers for my car and they asked what I was planning to do with it (you should ask yourself this too) and I said mainly street, the LT1 specialist said, go longtubes then. I think that shorties and mids are better for track purposes with the gains up high for high RPM cars. If you are really torn just get some AS&M which is the best of both worlds IMO. Good luck, this is one hell of a debate.

Also if you are ever at the TPIS website or look in thier catalog, I wonder why they say "our LT will make 20 more HP and 20 ft/lbs TQ than our midlengths" Just some supporting info.

-Dustin-

 

I've got the Hooker LTs and I love'em. I didn't get coated ones. Instead I just used header-wrap and saved some money. It's not fancy, but it does the trick.

 

The poser of which headers to go with is one that never seems to get resolved.

On a stock engine with 350 CI, I believe that the LTs will provide more power down low as compared to shorties. But then again, when you talk "shorties" you also need to take into consider the dia of the primaries i.e., 1 5/8 or 1 3/4?

With cramped quarters of the F-Body,the available options are pretty much limited to those used used by members here.

Many of us are limited to CARB certified, shorties in order to comply with local emissions laws. And we are required to leave the position and number of CATs alone, so going with LTs is not an option.

But when you are talking about low-end power, you must consider other things, especially the cam profile, gear ratio, etc. so that the length of the primaries becomes just a part of the equation.

Regardless of the mods to increase low-end and mi-range power, it all becomes moot if you can't put that power to the ground.

As for wrapping headers, the wrap better be damn good, since putting anything less than fire proof material next to a header might cause you to wish you hadn't. JMHO

 

thanks for the responses, i'm going w/ LT's in the summer. did some research and decided on getting the jet hots. well anyways thanks again

 

It's a tough decision. I went with the '94-'95 style MAC single cat headers. I don't have them on the car yet(probably this weekend or next). They are easier to install, have better plug access, come with the Y-pipe, and perform well.

If you plan to go BIG with your cam, or forced induction, I would say LT's, or maybe 1 3/4" primary mid length headers.

The MAC's have proven 30 rwhp, 24 ft. lbs of TQ. I'm happy with that. The 1/4 mile times I see from guys running LT's, vs those with mid's are very similar. Guy's are running 12.0 and faster with mids and a mild cam on stock heads.

Dan

 

To decide, since you dont have to pass emissions I'd say just ask yourself 2 questions. Ask yourself how much are you willing to spend, and do you plan on lowering your car

If you plan on lowering your car, I would skip right over long tubes right there. They will kill your ground clearance even more and scrape.

Cost wise, with long tubes, you can easily expect to spend around $700 after its all said and done. Shorties/midlengths are generally a bit cheaper since they come with the y pipe. There are exceptions to every price rule however, and you can spend as much, or as little as you want either way.

I personally chose the macs. Like already mentioned they have good gains, I will retain my ground clearance, emmissions, have good plug access and best of all I got them for only $250.

2 Weeks till they go on!