Has anyone used the Hawks Third gen y pipe for factory manifolds in a third gen? I want to use the factory manifolds because of ground clearance, and I read they flow as good if not better than any shorty headers. I was also wondering what people thought of the price of 350 bucks. Thanks for the help..

 

No help? I called Hawks, it is a Y pipe for factory manifolds in 4th gen cars, not factory LS1 manifolds in 3rd gen cars. I had a custom y pipe made at a local muffler shop. It okay, but long tubes are in my future, unless I do a rear mount turbo. Sts says stock manifolds work just as well if not better than headers.

 

The laws that govern power production apply to turbo engines just as much as they apply to na motors. Intake runner and exhaust pre and post turbo affect power. If you neglect these areas, you are leaving power on the table. Most people crutch this by running more boost. STS likes to walk with crutches.

 

Look at the other threads. Hawks y-pipe for the ls1 headers is craptacular anyway. You wouldn't want it even if it would work.

 

I could see the stock manifolds actually helping in this case if you look at it from a heat-loss standpoint. The heat is what makes the turbo spool and loss of heat tends to slow down the exhaust as it goes down the tubes. By keeping the exhaust hot I would think it may at least partially negate any loss you have through what little restricion there is extra in the manifolds.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself...

 

Little restriction? What kind of FUD are you spewing? Headers flow WAY better than any exhaust manifold could, other than the vette ones, but we aren't talking about those. The restriction in manifolds is ridiculous. Why do you think the best first upgrade is an exhaust? It isn't for the sound, it's because if you try and run a decent cam or try and have any kind of real HP then you run into exhaust restriction.

Not trying to jump you or come off like a d!ck, I just don't want misinformation spread to people who may not know any better.

 

When turbo and shorty headers are on the table, the statement is generally correct. There are cross-over points, of course.

Not all manifolds are created equal, either.

 

since you WERE so quick to jump my ****, I was speaking more in the lines of engine theory. With a turbo motor you want to try and keep the exhaust heat as high as possible until it exits the turbo itself. With the rear-mount turbo this is truly a problem since you tend to lose heat all the way down the exhaust, thus losing exhaust velocity which at least partially negates the whole idea behind "spooling your turbo". I know a few things about exhaust flow and design so I'll keep it short. Thanks for the "lesson".....

 

I wouldnt really call the restrictions on the later f-body LS1 manifolds "rediculous"... They flow well enough for a stock LS1 f-body to run pretty darn good. If the Hawks LTs were just alittle more expensive, I might have used stock manifolds. Plenty of people maknig good power through them.

I think you gain quite a bit with a good flowing y-pipe. A good flowing y-pipe into a nice cat-back...or a cut out...will get you a good ways on stock manifolds. Maybe not 1970 manifolds...but we are talking about the LS1 manifolds...in my opinion a completely different beast.

j.

 

I read that as the factory thirdgen manifolds - the TPI manifolds, not the LS1 manifolds.

Ghetto & Byg - The LS manifolds are great, I too have contemplated using them instead of the ridiculously priced headers.

Byg - thanks for the info on turbos, I did not know that. Now I udnerstand why the Banks twin turbo kit uses the cast manifolds - it had been a mystery before.

I missed the part that the OP already had an LS1 in there... I think I'll go back into my hole...apologies abounding

 

I am all about making more power, and I realize the more mods you do, the more other mods pay off, but headers make 5-10hp and 8-16tq at the wheels. Also, for ground clearance the stock style manifolds make more sense. Without the trans crossmember made for the exhaust to run thru it, I am not really seeing any ground clearance gain. My y pipe runs under my transmission, granted, the only time it hits anything it when I go over unusually large speed bumps. Headers are a timeless, classic performance upgrade. So, when I do a head and cam swap I will be doing headers.

This thread however is about Hawks factory manifold y pipe and the fact IT IS NOT for LS1s in a 3rd gen, which is kind of how thier web site makes it sound. It is for 4th gen Camaros. So, I just wanted to inform everyone, if you want to use stock LS1 manifolds, they will work, you just need to go to a muffler shop and have a y pipe fabricated.