ok, so i work at autozone and we carry flowtech headers for 99$ i think thats pretty cheap, but my debate is just buy those or get more money and buy some name brand headers, everyone at work says "all headers are the same" but im sure some holley super comps will hold up better than "flowtechs" even though flowtech is made by holley.. haha.. ehh just let me know what you guys think. oh yea my car is a 86 camaro Z28 305 4bbl

 

There's been a debate over what's the best headers since there was such a thing.

Whatever headers you choose, make sure they are coated right with high temp. paint.

I bought Edelbrock shorties for my camaro (wish I'd saved for SLP). The headers came with shipping paint which I blasted off and painted with high temp header paint. They seem to work well.

I'd also be sure they're at least 1-1/2" to 1-5/8" tubes coming from the heads for better flow.

Since you work at Auto Zone, you shouldn't have any problem ordering anything you want with all the tech help you need.

 

$99 Flowtechs - Are those the shorties or long tubes?

If you love misery, get the long tubes.

Headers are not headers. Quality varies widely. Spending more doesn't guarantee they'll be better. So, you've got some research to do.

Do you have to concern yourself with emissions, either sniffer or visual? Certainly if visual, stay away from $99 headers. You'll spend the money you saved on asprin at best. Same goes for long tubes. I see California in your ID, so I'll assume you've got both.

Do you have any upgrades in mind for the future, or are headers about all you'll ever do? If the latter, you could get away with emissions-legal Flowtechs. If you plan on upgrading either the 305 or to a 350, get 1-5/8" primary tube headers (not Flowtechs).

Is ground clearance important to you? How about being able to install them yourself without involving a muffler shop? If either or both are true, stay away from long tubes. Get headers that come with a y-pipe or have one available.

Is your engine the carburated LG4 or the TPI LB9? If the former, stay away from any piece of exhaust that is made specifically for it. Although headers will help most any car, the LG4 exhaust is horrible in its entirety. The best solution is to get headers, cat, and cat-back for the '86-'90 TPI single cat application. You can bolt on the entire system yourself if you go that route. If you have the LG4 you may have to do some fabricating for the EFE valve (the L69 version is much better), but that's still better than LG4 exhaust.

 

wow i never knew hearders were tha big of a deal. this is my first car and it isnt smogged now, so i still have to get it to pass smog the guy i bought it off of cut all the vaccum lines and cliped the oxygen sensor off.. i never had to deal with smog i didnt know they really paid that much attetion to mods and stuff. i need to be schooled in the do's and dont's of smog!

 

and i do plan to do a TPI swap?

 

I was under the impression that under California law, the seller was responsible for smog. If he chopped the thing up, it's going to be a lot of trouble getting it past inspection. The sniffer will probably be a challenge, too. You might consider this before you let too much time pass.

If you're going to do a TPI swap, make sure you get a complete system. There's a lot to it, and a lot of it doesn't bolt to the engine. However, that is a great excuse to get the "right" exhaust, because '86-'90 TPI exhaust is arguably the best system the aftermarket supports. Get emissions-legal headers for that application (Hooker 2055 would be my recommendation), along with a direct-fit cat (such as a Catco 9118), and a cat-back for that application. Do it all, since the LG4 exhaust (I assume you have an LG4 - 8th character of the VIN is an "H", correct?) stinks to high heaven.

Just so you know why I say all this, the sig...

 

well it really dont smell at all,but at times it smells like its running a tad bit rich.. haha. i have no idea why he cut the vaccum lines the car pssed smog in 2002 but they never got it resmogged.so im 99% sure when i hook up all the vaccum lines and connect the 02 sensor and get a CAT it will be alright, but then agian who knows?!

 

If the O2 sensor has not been hooked up and it still has the computer-controlled carb on it, you can be sure it has been running rich after it warms up. That generally is not good for catalytic converter health. If it doesn't have a computer controlled q-jet on it, you're in trouble.

What some people do to what they think is "emissions crap" in order to "improve" a car is down-right criminal - figuratively in most cases, and is some cases, literally.

 

what if i dont have a comp controlled q jet? the electric choke is disconnected too. damn im getting depressed now..

 

The only induction systems that will pass the 1986 model year California emissions inspection requirements on a V8 are computer controlled q-jet and TPI. You have to have all of the equipment that came on a vehicle with whichever system you've got from the air cleaner through the cat (cat on-back doesn't matter for emissions, but does come into play for safety and noise compliance). You even need to have the proper under-hood stickers (although some places are "stickier" about that than others).

How long have you had this car? The seller is responsible for emissions compliance. If he chopped it up and then sold it to you with license plates on it, he's got to pay to fix it.

 

he told me it wasnt smogged. and the car is in great condition except for the whole smog think so i just told him i would give him 1k and ill worry about the smog problems. he showed me the papers he had from when he tried to get it smoged and it just had "vaccum lines dissconcted,oxygen sensor not hooked up, and no cat". so i figure if i fix those problems it will pass smog.so i really wont know until i fix all those problems, whats the deal with engine swaps. do you have to get some kind of permit form DMV or what ? theres no way tht would pass visual or does it even matter as long as it passes smog?

 

can you try to explain where i hook up the oxygen sensor it looks like some one pulled the wire out and left it there?!

 

 

you don't have to do all that its california law that the previous owner has to make the car pass smog before he can sell it, I bought my 86 trans am and the EGR and the o2 was shot and I was not going to spend my time fixing it so I went back to the previous owner they had to pay for it all.