Well here it is, Since I've been searching for so long, I have found quite alot of info on LT1 swaps here, but my question on y-pipes still stands.

I'm doing a conversion on my 84 T/A. I have a full 95 9C1 Caprice doner car (LT1 Of course) and have most of the pieces to start swapping engine and transmission. (nice low milage replacement engine too... jelous yet? hahahaha!)

Anyhow, exhaust - Of course I'm taking the heads off for a home pocket port, and I would never think of putting the stock manifolds back on, but who makes the best y-pipe for these cars?

My exhaust is a Flowmaster 3-inch, and I haven't found a header manufacturer yet that will give me headers with a 3 inch y-pipe. I'm confused. Maybe I"m reading the specs wrong but shouldn't the exhaust exit off the collector of each header at the collector diameter, then merge into a slightly larger pipe (3-inch) that meets with my 3 inch cat and 3 inch pipe? All I'm seeing is headers with 2.5 or 2.75 y-pipe diameters.. I'm frustrated..

Any part numbers would be helpfull, I'm looking for shorties, but if anyone has any low-buck favorites for this swap. let me know.. I might have to have a custom Y-Pipe anyway at this rate..

Steve

 

SLP 30005, or hooker 2055 will work fine.

 

For headders? or is that a Y-Pipe P/N?

 

get the slp 1 3/4, or hooker long tubes if you can spare the pain..

Leaves some room for modification, I am kicking myself after a head and cam swap for not putting on a 1 3/4 system when I had the chance.

 

Most shorty headers, Edelbrock TES or the Hookers for instance, will come complete with the Y-pipe to connect to the three inch converter inlet in the stock location. The third gen headers will need/reguire some modifications of the air piping I'd guess.

 

IMO theres one way to go, and thats SLP 30005, however some say the hooker 2055's will work, i definetly wouldnt run the edelbrocks myself.

 

This is my problem you see, the headers that come with the y-pipes are necked down to 2 and 1/2 before the cat, then open up to 3... that's a restriction.. hence my problem!

 

SLP, Mac, and the Hooker 2055's all merge 2.5 collectors into 3" without any restrictions.

 

Awsome, thanks for the reference, hooker's sound like they have a good name to them..

Any preference on diameter of the primaries? some have suffested the 3/4 ones, but 5/8 seem to be the popular choice, and I belive that's what the hookers are..

 

I would go with 1 3/4" primaries if you ever plan on modding that motor. In perspective they only make a few sets of 1 5/8" headers for 4th gen LT1's with the majority being 1 3/4". That narrows you down to the SLP's as your only choice for 1 3/4" shorties. The Mac's and Hookers are a 1 5/8" and although they would suffice, the LT1 swappers will tell you to go bigger.

 

So should I go long tube then? Since price is a consideration, 1 and 3/4 tube long headers might be cheeper than 4th gen shorties for an LT!.. even with the cost of a custom y pipe..

 

4th gen shorties won't work in a 3rd gen engine bay. What do you plan on doing with the motor? Long tubes are always the best route to make power but they come at a cost. Fitment and ground clearance issues are enough to drive most people crazy. The 3rd gen SLP 1 3/4" headers will bolt right up and kinda have a nice mix between the two. I would search about long tube headers before you jump into any project you are not fully prepared for.

 

Which part of "Get SLP 30005" is so hard to understand ?

 

Yes, I've had long tumes on my last play/project, but it had much more ground clearance to start with.. I am in the research phase of this project, and do have 80% of the parts, exhaust just seemed like something to look closer into, it seems like the companies that sell headers cheep, well, there is a reason for that.

I have been shying away from SLP meerly due to price (a bit high) but if the hookers don't do it for me, then I might have to spring for the big bucks SLP'S!

Anyhow, I'm going to have to wait until the snow lifts to start some of the initial work on the cars, and I'm getting kind of anxious.. Been reading the LT1 swapping pages here like crazy..

Getting excited.. The Caprice that this motor was in couldn't find traction on a dry day, I can hardly wait until that beast get's under the Firebird's hood! mmmmm, and the noise... The wonderful noise it makes at WOT!!!..

Nice..

 

Yeah, I think hooker could make a lot of money with

1 3/4" Shorties with the 2055 y-pipe. (Minus ball flanges).

Better yet would be a 3" collectors into a 3.5" outlet. It'd be ready to bolt right up to a mufflex and not have the clearance issues that longtubes have. Oh well, one can dream!

 

Yeah the SLP's are soooo rediculous, 399 from thunder racing and a little lower in the 3's elsewhere. Thats just rediculous compared to the 2055's at $375.99

 

SLP's are $499.- at Thunder Racing...

 

So they recently changed their prices

http://www.schochperformance.com/vie...tegory=exhaust

$365

 

hmmmm, I must have been mistaken then. For some reason everybody thinks the SLP's are so much more expensive... I might be ordering from that exact place, heh.

 

I can't tell if you are being a bit sarcastic, I asume that SLPs are the better header and you just proved they are cheeper? I'm confused..

 

He was refering to what you said here

You can get both for about the same price and the SLP's are the better header for an LT1.

 

Thoughts on Header Coating? I'm thinking that the extra for the inside-out ceramic coating isn't in the budget, and i've heard of a quasi ceramic bake on finish that is possible at home, anyone have any thoughts? I even have access to seriously hot ovens at work (scuentific grade ovens that do 600 D Cel. +....

I'm asuming you have to remove the "Shipping Paint" before you apply such coatings to the headers? Cost versus gain ratio? Anyone?

 

If you can save up for the real thing. You can do it yourself but often times the do it yourself cermaic coatings aren't on par with a company that does it for a living. Cermaic coating is very worth it and can extend the life of your headers and underhood components. It keeps a tremendous amount of heat into the header and out of the engine bay. Some say that heat aids in scavaging, and in theory they are correct, but I doubt it is quantifiable enough to measure. If you decide to do it yourself you will need to fully prep the header and remove all factory coatings. It is often times easier to pay the extra $150.

 

Hmmmm, Sounds like a high Lustre chrome like finish is in order then... I just thought it would be a a good area to save some coin but I can't even find anyone who sells just the ceramic paint. I guess that's where the money is right? hahahaha... Thank *** for VISA!

 

I'm thinking of doing something similar. is the y pipe you are talking about, is the for the long tubes or shorty hooker headers? I always get those confused.

Thanks.