I just got them installed. They were the only ones that I can afford. Anyway, my first thoughts were OK. It defenetly gives it a rumble which you can feel inside the car. However, outside it sounds almost the same as manifolds. Now, they need few days to brake in and I will update on these.
They were a pain in the *** to install. Sure, they were bolt on but you have to remove a lot of crap to get them to work. Also, low profile sparkplug wires needed, all boots need to be 90degrees, one spark plug is impossilbe to change, you need to remove the whole header to do it.
Other than that my air stuff was not hooked up and my 02 sensor was not put back in by the installer. I was pissed.
However, it works the same and it sounds like a diesel engine. People were giving me some dirty looks when I was driving it. It defenetly sounds like a truck, but its just a firebird. After I was suposed to get to a closed loop I got an engine light on (code). The car runs fine but it will not go to closed loop.
So far the headers sound good and I am defenetly impressed, however all the hard work and pain in the **** is just not worth it.
I will be updating in few days after I get all my crap together.

 

if you didnt end up putting your O2 in then that's your SES light when it enters closed loop (O2's dont come into effect until it reaches closed loop).

are you running a straight pipe all the way through, open headers, open y-pipe, what's the deal? lol. Remember that you bought them for performance not for sound heh

 

I have had the Pace Setter shorties in my SC for about 2 years now, they were a royal pain in the *** to put in. I had to dent one tube so I could put the 2nd to the last sparkplug in on the passenger side. The dip stick took me almost 2 hours before I was able to get that back in the block.

I must say though they do have a nice tone thru the high flow cat, 3"H.O. pipe back to the Dynomax 2 1/2 outlets. Also I did notice quite an improvement in performance (as much as you can expect from an LG4).

The header bolts do tend to come loose every once and a while, but that is normal for most headers. Its just that my big hands cant fit back there, if you know what I mean.

I have everything connected, O2 sensor, A.I.R., AC, everything, and it all works. So I would have to say I am very happy with it. I just dont want to have to change plugs and wires any time soon!!!

 

Alright. I got all the air hooked up and the O2 sensor back in. The car is a champ. Its a lot faster, it gets up and goes a lot faster. I dont hear any cooling ticking that was coming from the manifolds, the car runs cooler as well and the temp under the hood is way lower now than it was with manifolds.
However, I gotta admit that I loved that diesel sound when the air was unplugged. I got so many looks from people. When a jap wanted to race me I growled my engine and his look was priceless. He was asking me what I had inisde there. I told him 800hp 455 big block. I am sure that he barely understood me since he was saying that it sounds like a freakin beast. It was awsome. However I am sure I could have taken his old acura in a heart beat with the 305.

Headers are not that loud, due to the cat and the muffler, however I plan on going straight pipe with a nice big cat. When am in the car and just idling the car has this shake to it that rattles anything loose inside. Its awsome...
Other than them being a pain I have no complaints, they are good to upto 350hp, and that is about what I plan on making. No more, although you can get more if you really wanted to. Its true.
I;ll give the headers thumbs up, but be warned a pain in the *** to install.

 

What does that mean?

 

I meant to get a nice high flow cat and go straight pipe without muffler.
Sorry!

 

Sounds like you still have some bugs to work out.

I've never been able to determine what size the y-pipe is where it connects to the cat. Since there are a couple of you here that have installed them, perhaps one of you could confirm that dimension.

 

The y-pipe on the pacesetter headers should be 2 1/2 inches with a 3inch collector. They y-pipe fits perfectly in the same spot as the stock one. It goes right on the stock cat. Thats how much I know about the y-pipe. If you are stock on the exaust system than pacesetters should work great.
I never really checked the total measurements but its what I've read about them. And I belive that the info on JCWhitney is actually correct.

Now the rattle has subdued a bit and now its just a deep roar that you could briefly hear with stock exaust before 2000rpms. Its present all the time now, very nice.

 

The only dimensions given in the JC Whitney information is '3/8" thick flanges and 16-gauge 1-1/2" mandrel-bent primary tubing'. Nothing about the y-pipe.

Their painted headers are only $70 less than Hooker 2055's from Summit or Jegs. Not enough savings in my book to justify the smaller primaries and lesser quality.

I decided against them 3 years ago as I was collecting parts for my upgrades because I couldn't get an answer about the y-pipe dimensions from either JC Whitney or Pacesetter. That was back when they were a lot cheaper.

 

Hey Five7, I have the a 2 1/2" High flow cat connected to the Y pipe, So I would say it is a 2 1/2 outlet.

 

That's what I suspected.

 

Hey five7 are you a member of coloradof-body.com?

Anyways, I just broke in the headers, they have subdued a bit, but get a lot more deeper as I accelerate. They still shake the car and its awsome. The accel. is a lot better now. all in all I am pleased with them. I dont plan on making more than 350hp with the 305. hehehe
Soon I am going with straight pipes.

 

I'll have to admit I've never checked them out.

I know they race at Bandimere Club Clash, but I've been with a different club since 1996, and I don't race the Camaro out there, anyway.

 

Thats cool. I just thought since you were a fellow from colorado.

Anyways, you guys that installed pacesetters, what did you do with the bracket that hold the alternator??? Do you still have it on or not. And if not, do you have any charging problems.
Is it safe to have the alternator without that bracket that used to go from the exaust manifolds??