Open Headers
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Joined: Jun 2004
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
Transmission: Stock
Open Headers
Is it going to be like, earthshaking loud? I have to run them for about a week while i wait for the rest of the exhaust to get here.... What i mean is, if i'm stuck in traffic, will I be rattling windows? If anyone has some sound clips, i'd appreciate it.
Also, will i still see the "signifigant" gains over the stock manifolds that everyone talks about even though they will be open at the collector? I will be running hooker shorties. Would a custom Y pipe increase the gains even though itll still be open?
I have a LO3 TBI.
Also, will i still see the "signifigant" gains over the stock manifolds that everyone talks about even though they will be open at the collector? I will be running hooker shorties. Would a custom Y pipe increase the gains even though itll still be open?
I have a LO3 TBI.
Last edited by ajbutowicz; May 3, 2005 at 03:45 AM.
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From: stockton, CA
Car: Camaro RS/SS
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: 4L60E Transgo shift kit, 3500 stall
Axle/Gears: 4th Gen Rear 3:42
when i started my car with only headers, OHHHH MAN!!!!! SOunded like..... JUST LOUD BRO... Those headers make the biggest difference to our cars. Have fun.
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Car: 1985 IROC-Z
Engine: Magnacharged LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Ford 9" 4:11's
Shorties on a stock low compresion motor will sound terrible. It won't sound like a race car if that's what you were hoping for.
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
Transmission: Stock
What i'm hoping for is it to run... The borla exhaust doesn't get here for another 2 weeks but the headers get here today so i'm hoping I can stand it.
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Car: 1985 IROC-Z
Engine: Magnacharged LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Ford 9" 4:11's
Why not just wait 'til the whole system arrives and do it all at once? I don't think you are gonna like the way it sounds unless your neck is red.
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
Transmission: Stock
Meh, i just want to get them on, I can garage the car for a bit while i work on it.... no interior except a front seat right now anyway...
So yes/no to some/any/alot of performance gains?
So yes/no to some/any/alot of performance gains?
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 217
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From: Honea Path, SC
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt/3.73
Originally posted by 406TPI
Why not just wait 'til the whole system arrives and do it all at once? I don't think you are gonna like the way it sounds unless your neck is red.
Why not just wait 'til the whole system arrives and do it all at once? I don't think you are gonna like the way it sounds unless your neck is red.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Duluth, Ga
Car: 91 RS
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Auburn Pro / 3.42
It will be very loud people will be able to hear your car blocks away. Driving in traffic will be very anoying to you and other drivers. You wont want to drive the car for very long like that.
It does sound cool though I think everyone should take a spin around the block after they put headers on just for fun
edit yes you will get good gains 20-30hp easy over stock
It does sound cool though I think everyone should take a spin around the block after they put headers on just for fun

edit yes you will get good gains 20-30hp easy over stock
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From: Calgary, AB
Car: 1993 Nissan 240sx
Engine: Turbo KA24DE
Transmission: 5 spd
Axle/Gears: 4.08 VLSD
http://www.geocities.com/fbodyfanatic68/Movie.zip
Download that. It's a movie I made of my exhaust cutout. When you see the door open, that's open exhaust. I revved it both closed and open, just for comparison.
Download that. It's a movie I made of my exhaust cutout. When you see the door open, that's open exhaust. I revved it both closed and open, just for comparison.
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
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Thats going to be.... exciting, haha
Does it make a difference if they open after a y pipe or after the collector? Mine will be open right after the collector... Assuming i can get the GM locking tabs off the manifold bolts... check my other post, i need help.
Does it make a difference if they open after a y pipe or after the collector? Mine will be open right after the collector... Assuming i can get the GM locking tabs off the manifold bolts... check my other post, i need help. Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 217
Likes: 17
From: Honea Path, SC
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt/3.73
One thing I will add is that if you run open shorties you will lose A LOT of low end grunt. I tried this on my truck one time just for the heck of it and it was nuts how much I lost on the lowend. It will also be loud as hell. I'm running open longtubes on my 406 until I can bring it up to school to have the exhaust system installed and you can't have a conversation in the car if the windows are down.
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
I'll second the "wait until you have everything" motion. Open shorties at the collectors on an LO3 is going to run horrible. Besides, exhaust fumes in the passenger compartment is not a cool situation.
Use the time to clean up the headers - prepare the O2 bung, clean up weld slag, sand blast and paint with high-temp exhaust paint (assuming these aren't ceramic coated headers). When all the parts are in hand, put it all on.
Use the time to clean up the headers - prepare the O2 bung, clean up weld slag, sand blast and paint with high-temp exhaust paint (assuming these aren't ceramic coated headers). When all the parts are in hand, put it all on.
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,405
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Car: 1985 IROC-Z
Engine: Magnacharged LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Ford 9" 4:11's
Originally posted by 91RS5speed
edit yes you will get good gains 20-30hp easy over stock
edit yes you will get good gains 20-30hp easy over stock
Don't forget, this is not a fire breathing high revving small block were talking about here...it's a stock L03....with open headers this thing will be doggy as hell. Just because some motor makes a lot of noise doesn't mean it's making alot of power. Originally posted by Clemson327
One thing I will add is that if you run open shorties you will lose A LOT of low end grunt. I tried this on my truck one time just for the heck of it and it was nuts how much I lost on the lowend. It will also be loud as hell. I'm running open longtubes on my 406 until I can bring it up to school to have the exhaust system installed and you can't have a conversation in the car if the windows are down.
One thing I will add is that if you run open shorties you will lose A LOT of low end grunt. I tried this on my truck one time just for the heck of it and it was nuts how much I lost on the lowend. It will also be loud as hell. I'm running open longtubes on my 406 until I can bring it up to school to have the exhaust system installed and you can't have a conversation in the car if the windows are down.
i dont know know what your exact setup is but w/ my 406 with open long tubes @ the collector even at idle it doesnt matter if the windows are up down whatever...if your within 15 ft of my car you can hear anything, let alone have a conversation with someone
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Honea Path, SC
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt/3.73
Originally posted by 1bad406rs
i dont know know what your exact setup is but w/ my 406 with open long tubes @ the collector even at idle it doesnt matter if the windows are up down whatever...if your within 15 ft of my car you can hear anything, let alone have a conversation with someone
i dont know know what your exact setup is but w/ my 406 with open long tubes @ the collector even at idle it doesnt matter if the windows are up down whatever...if your within 15 ft of my car you can hear anything, let alone have a conversation with someone
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: CT
Car: 1983 firebird S/E
Engine: Built 350
Transmission: 700r4
Originally posted by 406TPI
Don't forget, this is not a fire breathing high revving small block were talking about here...it's a stock L03....with open headers this thing will be doggy as hell. Just because some motor makes a lot of noise doesn't mean it's making alot of power.
Don't forget, this is not a fire breathing high revving small block were talking about here...it's a stock L03....with open headers this thing will be doggy as hell. Just because some motor makes a lot of noise doesn't mean it's making alot of power.Now, THIS is loud
The video actually doesn't do it any justice. Inside I feel it in my chest.
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From: Northern CA.
Car: '82 Z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: TH400 4,000 stall
Axle/Gears: Currie 9", 4.56 gears
If you want to hear a loud exhaust, go to a top fuel race. Nothing on the planet comes close to the sound or feeling of one of those taking off. If your standing somewhat close to the starting line, your vision blurs when they take off
Here's a video of my car running open y-pipe (close enough to open headers). I was shifting at 7,000 rpm and the burnout was around 5,000 rpm in 2nd.
Here's a video of my car running open y-pipe (close enough to open headers). I was shifting at 7,000 rpm and the burnout was around 5,000 rpm in 2nd.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 330
Likes: 1
From: Duluth, Ga
Car: 91 RS
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Auburn Pro / 3.42
I still have the lo3 heads and cam in mine it will be loud. Only thing thats different on mine is a tpi setup but that wont change his gains to much.
Im just going with what i got outa mine when i put headers on. here is a dyno graph of before and after.
Im just going with what i got outa mine when i put headers on. here is a dyno graph of before and after.
Last edited by 91RS5speed; May 4, 2005 at 07:24 PM.
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
Transmission: Stock
Are those numbers with open headers? or does hooking it back up to a aftermarket exhaust really add back the torque like the earlier posts say?
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,989
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From: Calgary, AB
Car: 1993 Nissan 240sx
Engine: Turbo KA24DE
Transmission: 5 spd
Axle/Gears: 4.08 VLSD
Originally posted by 91RS5speed
I still have the lo3 heads and cam in mine it will be loud. Only thing thats different on mine is a tpi setup but that wont change his gains to much.
Im just going with what i got outa mine when i put headers on. here is a dyno graph of before and after.
I still have the lo3 heads and cam in mine it will be loud. Only thing thats different on mine is a tpi setup but that wont change his gains to much.
Im just going with what i got outa mine when i put headers on. here is a dyno graph of before and after.
That graph looks like there's something wrong. Isnt the HP and TQ supposed to cancel out at 5250 RPM?
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 217
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From: Honea Path, SC
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt/3.73
Originally posted by 305q_ta86
That graph looks like there's something wrong. Isnt the HP and TQ supposed to cancel out at 5250 RPM?
That graph looks like there's something wrong. Isnt the HP and TQ supposed to cancel out at 5250 RPM?
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 167
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From: Long Island
Car: 88 GTA, 00 SS
Engine: L98, LS1
Transmission: 700R4, T56
i have a video of my car with just open collectors, but it's pretty big so if you want me to send it to you pm me your email address or something. i also have clips with the open y-pipe if you'd like to hear that too. you wont want to run open collectors for 2 weeks anyway, you'll burn your exhaust valves.
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From: Elgin, IL
Car: 1997 Corvette
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 2.73 IRS
I just got my SLP 1 3/4" headers installed on my car today, and its disgustingly loud, and the car feels different to drive. Hard to compare to before since my exhaust isn't hooked up just yet. I'm taking it into the exhaust shop tomorrow to have a piece of pipe welded in to join my SLP Y-pipe to my cat. Its definitely not something I'd want to drive around with very long.
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Stock 305 TBI
Transmission: Stock
I got my headers in today, finally... Just gave it a run around the block.... NO torque at all... will hooking it up to the new full exhaust solve this so i can see the gains im supposed to see?
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From: Queens NY
Car: 86 Camaro Z28
Engine: 350 sbc goodwrench
Transmission: T-5 in the works
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.42 open
Originally posted by ajbutowicz
Thats going to be.... exciting, haha
Does it make a difference if they open after a y pipe or after the collector? Mine will be open right after the collector... Assuming i can get the GM locking tabs off the manifold bolts... check my other post, i need help.
Thats going to be.... exciting, haha
Does it make a difference if they open after a y pipe or after the collector? Mine will be open right after the collector... Assuming i can get the GM locking tabs off the manifold bolts... check my other post, i need help. Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 42
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Originally posted by ajbutowicz
I got my headers in today, finally... Just gave it a run around the block.... NO torque at all... will hooking it up to the new full exhaust solve this so i can see the gains im supposed to see?
I got my headers in today, finally... Just gave it a run around the block.... NO torque at all... will hooking it up to the new full exhaust solve this so i can see the gains im supposed to see?

Should solve most of it, but you may still have some PROM tuning ahead of you to compensate for the reduced backpressure/increased flow.
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 217
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From: Honea Path, SC
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt/3.73
Originally posted by ajbutowicz
well, it gained alot back when i realized the 6 and 8 cylinder spark plug wires were mixed up
well, it gained alot back when i realized the 6 and 8 cylinder spark plug wires were mixed up
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