You are talking about 96-97 setups this guy has a 95. So he can keep his cat in the stock location with Mids.

 

Yeah im a 95 LT1, it has the single CAT under the passengers floor. I might even replace it with a high flow CAT. Any suggestions?

 

Alright, I skimmed through this quickly, so correct me if I skipped a certain part. Someone mentioned a LE2 package as a future plan.

First, Longtubes are the best route only if they fit your needs. If you want to lower your car or have strict emissions, then they arent for you unless you get TPIS ones. If you want maximum power gains then get them.

If you dont mind suffering some power and want to lower your car or have emissions then get midlengths. Considering the power of a LE2 H/C package you want larger diameter headers. The list would come down to SLP/TPIS/AS&M/RK Sport. These headers are all very close in design, with the RK's and AS&M being basically twins. The only difference between RK's and AS&M, is a slighty lower quality of ceramic coating and oval primary ports, vs AS&M's head matching D-port primaries. For the money get the RK's. They will do the same damn thing as the others, but save you as ton of money that can be put towards other mods or gas

When I was looking for headers I researched for nearly a year, talking with manufacturers and LT1 guru's alike. If you want a H/C package dont get Macs or any other 1 5/8" midlength or shorty. Get a 1 3/4" Longtube or Midlength. Longtubes are awesome, but only get them if you really want them. Yet you can put cats in the Y-pipe, I know several folks who have done this. Do they smell bad? No not really, maybe if your huff'in tailpipes for fun. If headers are the last thing you'll do on your car and you'll never do a cam or power adder and change your plugs every week, then get Macs, they are a good header, but not for high power applications. But no header is going to make changing plugs on a LT1 easy. I did mine this weekend with LT's and it was a sinch. You just need the right tools.

Also, installation. I have installed sets of Longtubes and Midlenghts on LT1's and I'll be honest the midlengths where harder than the longtubes. Believe it or not, but they were. Things that were a pain with LT's were hell with the midlengths. Both are going to need the car in the air, on jackstands. Jackstands are like $15 from Walmart and you'll need them for all kinds of mods and quick fixes over time. As for the slip fit, I think nearly all headers have these, all you do is go to NAPA and buy exhaust sealing compound. Its in a giant RTV looking tube, ask them at the counter. Its a white tube and the stuff inside is black, tar looking stuff. Rub that on the outside of the inserting slip fit tube and your set with no exhaust leaks. This worked fine for me.

As for a cat, buy a cheap universal one, Catco, Carsounds, just not Random Tech. And have it welded by a shop into where you want it. They can be had for 30-50 bones.

If you have any other questions let me know.

-Dustin-

 

There is no clamp or anything on the slip fitting on the ASM/RK Sport headers. Mine has never leaked. It's a tight fitting.

 

I can't use my Hooker long tube because I hit them everywhere (lowered car). So what is TPIS? Don't they like the other long tubes? Any web site?
-BTW why not random tech cat??

 

www.tpis.com

I went to this site and found mid-tubes and long-tubes. The mid-tubes looked really good but I could not find anything on a mating y-pipe. They were coated for $750.00
Anybody got these.

 

thanks for the link. They are not long as Hooker LT ,but longer than SLP shorties right?? So it will be worth to change my SLPs with these TPIS??

 

I have AS&M headers and they have been pretty good. The slip fit has actually sealed up pretty well even though mine is kind of loose. I did however get some high temp copper RTV and put a big gob of that stuff around the inside of the bigger tube and the outside of the smaller tube.

Ground clearence is pretty damned good however I do occasionaly scrape on the flange for the y-pipe. Here is a picture of the clearence, and remember that I have an Eibach Prokit. Ground Clearence

Right now, I havn't noticced much of a gain at the track, but I think that can be attributed to my pig rich car. I did run a 9.0 at the eigth. Pretty soon I plan on getting a tune from Madwolf and I am certain that will give me the gain I was expecting from my headers. As far as the cat goes, I do have a bolt in cat/offroad pipe. Pretty easy swap for when emissions come up.

 

TPiS Headers For Camaro and Firebird


These are 1-3/4" headers that are designed for the serious performance enthusiast. Available coated only. Customers are reporting .2 or .3 gain in the 1/4 mile. Includes Y-pipe, must be welded to the catalytic converter. We stock a bolt-on cat for this header, p/n 200-404

 

TPIS longtubes are made to tuck under the car tighter, they were made for fit on TPIS's lowered autox car. They have been long known to be the solution to low hanging longtubes. They have slip fit collectors and a good overall design. Supposedly a easier install too.

Not random tech because they are over priced. 3" Catco cat: $50, Random tech: $200+ Yes they are custom made for specific header combinations, but $40 at an exhaust shop can fix that. But hey if someone is into wasting money, by all means get one.

TPIS mids are about the same as the other 3 mentioned. I almost wonder if just one company makes them all. But a few, like AS&M's have D-ports.

-Dustin-

 

The MAC's have D-ports as well, to match the heads.

Anyways, to be honest, I haven't seen much of any difference between any of the midlength and longtube headers listed here as far as power is concerned. Even the smaller 1 5/8" MAC's have proven to give equivalent power to longtubes up to 400 rwhp, as seen with identical head/cam setups on AI's website. The great thing about 1 5/8" primaries is that the low end TQ is very good since the smaller primaries keep exhaust velocity high, and scavenge the exhaust better in the low rpms.

Just pick one and go with it. I wouldn't try to base it on what header supposedly has more power though, because they all make a big difference. The only headers that don't seem to perform as well are the '96-'97 style shorties, but since you don't have that, you don't need to worry.

Dan

 

What is "AI's website"
I would like to see this information.

 

www.advancedinduction.com

 

If this is true, and the MAC midlengths allow the cat to stay in the stock location, then will these headers allow me to pass inspection as long as the headers have fittings for all the smog equipement? Sorry to deviate from the main subject.

 

If you get Macs, get them recoated with a quality ceramic coating. Their coating blows. Send them to Jet Hot.