If you have to choose between replacing the manifolds with headers, or the stock,y pipe with a better designed one, which would you do to free up more power?

 

All of the above, and more.

Since headers generally come with a Y-pipe, it's pretty much a no-brainer.

I'd get headers for some setup other than L03. Buy NOTHING that will fit to ANYTHING L03. Specifically I'd be looking at header sets for something like a 88 IROC 350, and the cat and a cat-back to match.

 

The reason I,ask is limited budget. Either way I'm getting custom exhaust from the y pipe back. If I,go headers the shop I,go,to,will make me a custom y pipe for cheap, but it won't be as great as the hooker y pipe or similar.

Alternatively. I can spend the same money on a nice y pipe that will fit to the stock manifolds. If I,do all 3 I'm looking at close to $700 which I'm not about to do. So If I can save a couple hundred that'd be great.

But which should I sacrifice?

 

You can buy a set of headers that come with the Y-pipe, as virtually ALL do, and then not have to worry about "custom". Cost less besides.

My advice remains the same.

 

For $500. I appreciate the input but it doesn't rreally answer my question.

With my heads and cam a full exhaust from headers to tail pipe isn't going to make a huge difference.

There has to be a bottleneck, my gut feeling is telling me that a better y pipe and a full custom exhaust with smoother mandrel bends will do me a lot more good than headers.

Headers seem great, but with such low compression and no flow in the intake or heads, headers almost seem like a jjoke.

Was hoping someone would know for a fact.

 

When it comes to headers and y-pipes, you would never replace one without replacing the other. They both are terribly designed, especially on the L03. You'd be surprised how much quicker the car will feel and how much more power (relatively speaking) you'll be making with full exhaust.

You mentioned bottlenecks. Well for the exhaust system, they are both a bottleneck. If you replace only the headers, then the y-pipe is a bottle neck. Replace only the y-pipe, and the headers are the bottleneck. They BOTH need to be replaced...at the same time.

What sofa is trying to tell you is that it is cheaper and smarter to buy a set of headers that include a y-pipe than it is to buy a custom anything as a temporary upgrade when you are tight on cash. It makes no sense to buy a custom y-pipe to fit your stock manifolds, then turn around and buy headers at a later date that are going to need yet another y-pipe to bolt up to. Don't be so antsy just to mod your car. Take your time and do it right the first time and you'll save yourself lots of money. Honestly, if $500 is too much for you to spend on a set of headers and a y-pipe, you've got the wrong hobby.

 

That's the problem a lot of the time. It gets VERY expensive. To do it right will cost money.

Take the advice given and set your priority's. Nobody on here will deliberately steer you wrong with bad advice. It just may not be the advice that YOU want to hear.

 

It takes $$$ to

It's an unfortunatey but necessary symbiotic relationship (my wife would wholeheartedly disagree here).

A good set of headers, y-pipe and 3" catback will free up as much as 15-30hp on the dyno depending on what shape the motor itself is in. Don't believe me, dyno it before, put the exhaust on, dyno it after. You'll see the gains. Never short-change youself when doing upgrades. If your in for a penny, you're in for a pound. Get the item that will not make you regret it later.

 

Here's the deal with your exhaust:

The ONE THING most holding it back, is the diameter of the Y-pipe and the I-pipe. They are the same coffee-stirrer size.

If you retain your manifolds, you retain their outlet size, which is dinky. Any other money you spend on ANY OTHER PART of the system, is defeated. Might as well pull your money out of your wallet and tear it up in little pieces and throw it in the trash.

If you get headers and leave the Y-pipe the same size, you don't get the benefit of the headers. Might as well pull your money out of your wallet and set it on fire.

If you get headers and Y-pipe that are the same size as your current Y-pipe (that is, they fit to your current exhaust), you get no benefit either. Might as well pull your money out of your wallet and hand it to the town drunk.

If you get ANY PART of your exhaust and it retains ANY PART that's the stock Y-pipe / I-pipe diameter, you preserve your car's slowness. Might as well pull your money out of your wallet and flush it down the commode.

This is simply THE WAY IT IS. All the poor-mouth "budget" crap you can post on here and beat the rest of us over the head with, WON'T CHANGE IT. The parts don't read this forum and feel pity for you.

If you want to improve your exhaust, do THE WHOLE THING, as a complete unit, with larger size pipe. Which means, NOT ONE SINGLE PIECE ANYWHERE can either remain stock, or can be the right size to fit to fit to the stock stuff.

If you don't have the money to do it now, open a savings account and put what money you have in it; repeat weekly; check back with it every now and then and see if there's enough to DO IT RIGHT.

If you're not willing to do that, and not willing to listen, we can't help you. You become a waste of bandwidth.

(Yes I have adult children)

 

SO I take from this, if I get a cat back exhaust, with my stock manifolds, you say I am wasting my money? I am just wanting better exhaust sound at this point, as performance is not my issue I am seeking atm, as I am not wanting to dump a bunch of money into souping up my 305 tbi, I am going to drive it until it dies, then replace it with a 350.

NOW, if I decide later on to get (smog legal CA) headers, and of course I would get a new larger diameter y-pipe, half the work is done, as I have the cat back already installed

 

"I am just wanting better exhaust sound at this point, as performance is not my issue I am seeking atm"


"If you have to choose between replacing the manifolds with headers, or the stock,y pipe with a better designed one, which would you do to free up more power?"

So, What do you want???
I think you need to sit back and review your end goals.

 

If sound is what ur after at this point that's fine. I haven't done headers or y-pipe yet but have cat-delete and 3in exhaust with flowmaster rite now and it sounds great. Im not trying to build power out my 305 I have a 350 on the engine stand rite now to later drop in. But if you want any performance gain out of the exhaust you gota go with what Sofa is saying. If you don't have the coin and I feel ya there just save your $ til you can do the whole thing. As far as the Y-pipe ive always had my exhaust guy here where I live custom make mine to fit and he only runs me like $100 so you don't always have to buy an expensive pre-made one just check with your exhaust guy.

 

If ALL you are after is a better/louder sound, then put a new muffler on it only.

 

Right now I just want the sound. I need a new muffler and tail pipes as mine have holes in them.
my end game...lol...I don't think I'll ever have one as there will always be something I want to do I'm sure. That second quote isn't mine but I understand what your getting at.

 

I stand corrected ledman. Didn't see that!

 

Haha its cool bob but thank you for your advice; ) if I was a rich man I would go all out but I have to tackle one thing at a time for now.

 

My friend,

You are not alone in this at all. Were it that money was no object! hehe

 

Boy you hit the nail on the head there!

 

Yeah! Im workn on mine a piece at a time on extra $ I make on side jobs. When you got kids and other more important bills the $ aint always there and it seems like you never get finished with a project.

 

Zackly! No kids, 2 dogs. I had a nice shopping list for the TTA ready to pull the trigger, $1500 Vet bill. Dog is fine now, just have to wait awhile.
It happens.

 

if money is an issue then save up for a few more months and do it right.

 

well, I am not sure I want to spend all that money on headers for the 305. Aren't they like $1000 for smog legal ones?

 

Hooker 2055's are emission legal and come with y-pipe. The uncoated set run $515 or so from Summit.

Add a good 3" mandrel bent catback, do it yourself for $250 or so or buy a box set for $500 or so.

So yes, in total, you're looking at almost $1000 for a good exhaust.

 

Thats part of the problem, I have no workspace to do it, and I do not have the means to remove my old system, let alone install the new one, so I must pay someone to do it

I think I am going to go with the Hooker aerochamber catback, I have heard allot of clips on youtube and it sounds really really good
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hok-16820hkr

Headers...maybe another day but let me ask this question...IF I chose to do headers first, will I get any benefit from it? The reason I want to do the cat back first is my stock muffler is slowly rotting away, along with the tail pipes as I do believe them to be original to the car

Well hell...I MIGHT just order the hooker aerochamber cat back and the hooker 2055 headers, they come with the y-pipe too...all for $862.90 shipped free after my coupon.
NOW, if I do this I need a good exhaust shop to install it all for me for a reasonable price like $300 or less, any suggestions in Orange County?