lt's or shorties?
10-12-2004, 06:20 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: US 1 Mile Marker 52 in the Florida Keys
Posts: 8,323
Re: lt's or shorties?
LTs will outperform shorties in every way possible....except for maybe emissions compliance 
so if you need to pass visual...don't even think about it.
if all you need to do is pass sniff test, high flow cats will do the trick.
longtubes and an offroad ypipe are a solid 15-20hp to the wheels
pacesetter i think now has some coated LTs that are VERY affordable and getting good reviews
so if you need to pass visual...don't even think about it.
if all you need to do is pass sniff test, high flow cats will do the trick.
longtubes and an offroad ypipe are a solid 15-20hp to the wheels
pacesetter i think now has some coated LTs that are VERY affordable and getting good reviews
10-12-2004, 06:24 AM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posts: 299
Re: lt's or shorties?
It really does depend on what you're looking for. Yes, topend they are hands down much better. But many people that I have spoken with have complained at the loss in the low end, the less "torquey" feel to the engine down low driving around.
Jonota
Jonota
10-12-2004, 07:36 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pelzer, SC
Posts: 1,411
Re: lt's or shorties?
First off, don't let people tell you shorties are crap. Lots of LT owners will try and tell you that shorties are not worth it. True, the LT's will OVERALL, give you more HP, but for emissions and visual inspections, shorties are a great mod to the car. And the LT's will feel better up top, but with shorties, you will definitely see an increase in torque down low. I could tell a great difference with my SLP's after installation. So it just depends on what you want.
10-12-2004, 08:57 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Dayton, OH
Posts: 890
Re: lt's or shorties?
LT's will have better low and midrange power but shorties will have better top-end power. HOTROD and other magazines have done countless dyno tests that prove this fact. For overall best power though, I agree that LT's are definitely the way to go.
Last edited by chrism400; 10-12-2004 at 05:42 PM.
10-12-2004, 09:56 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oklahoma where trees are made of wood.
Posts: 2,725
Re: lt's or shorties?
One of the problems with shorty headers is the Y pipe dia. If its smaller it will not have as much of an improvement. Ive done a direct comparisson on my car from JBA 1 5/8 ths shorties no cat to hooker longtubes with a mufflex Y. I gained 3 tenths in the 1/4 going from the JBAs to the hooker LTs.
10-12-2004, 10:09 AM
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pelzer, SC
Posts: 1,411
Re: lt's or shorties?
Originally Posted by WS Sick
One of the problems with shorty headers is the Y pipe dia. If its smaller it will not have as much of an improvement. Ive done a direct comparisson on my car from JBA 1 5/8 ths shorties no cat to hooker longtubes with a mufflex Y. I gained 3 tenths in the 1/4 going from the JBAs to the hooker LTs.
10-12-2004, 10:11 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oklahoma where trees are made of wood.
Posts: 2,725
Re: lt's or shorties?
Thats a great point, If you have some nice shorties and smog is not a deal the true dueal after the shorties, chunking the shorties Y will give some good gains.
10-12-2004, 11:54 AM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: central NJ
Posts: 269
Re: lt's or shorties?
ive been trying to figure out what i wanna get for about the last year, i dont drive the car much, its back in jersey and im stationed in germany. i have lowering springs that im putting on when i go home on leave, and im wondering if im gunna have alot of trouble scraping coming in and out of parking lots, and if i decide to bring it out here with me, all the baces out here have speed high speed bumps and i dont want the lt's to scrape. i heard that shorties for the dual cat cars give little if any powergains.
10-12-2004, 12:06 PM
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Louisville KY
Posts: 1,332
Re: lt's or shorties?
Shorties are definitely not worth it in my opinion. If you don't want to go with LT's due to clearance/emmissions reasons, then I would say at least go with mid-length headers. You will get much more power throughout the full powerband, low to top end than you will with shorties. LT's will actually make more power than mids and are what I would recommend if emmissions is not an issue.
10-12-2004, 02:10 PM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: BC
Posts: 2,325
Re: lt's or shorties?
Originally Posted by chrism400
LTs will outperform shorties in every way possible....
LT's will have better low and midrange power but shorties will have better top-end power. HOTROD and other magazines have done countless dyno tests that prove this fact. For overall best power though, I agree that LT's are definitely the way to go.
LT's will have better low and midrange power but shorties will have better top-end power. HOTROD and other magazines have done countless dyno tests that prove this fact. For overall best power though, I agree that LT's are definitely the way to go.
10-12-2004, 03:16 PM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Dayton, OH
Posts: 890
Re: lt's or shorties?
Not according to this article toby.
http://carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0312_test/
http://carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0312_test/