i want to get headers, and everybody is telling me to get hooker headers but they are cheap and they dont do to much performance. waht else is good?
Also would i have to pull the engine out to put them in because its so tight?
And i was wondering why when i let go of the gas pedal the car bogs down, it almost feels like the catylic converter is clogged because it is the original. So i was wondering if a hollow catylic converter would be the best to upgrade to?

89 Iroc

K&N
2 chamber flows

I just droped a brand new engine in my car about 3 weeks ago i have about 900 miles on it, i droped a 91 5.7 caprice highway patrol engine in it. because its the same engine as the 89's but has alittle more horsepower and alittle more torque.

 

Who said Hooker headers are cheap?

If you get the 2055s that come with the y pipe, they're $350, and seem to be very popular on the exhaust board, it's what five7kid recommends, they come with a 3'' y pipe as well.

 

maybe he got confused with edelbrock headers, they are not that good, at least that what my friend says around my house..


hooker are nice pieces, get a set coated and they will be off the hook!

 

alright thanks, yeah do you know if i will be able to install them my self?

 

If you're looking for expensive headers, go with SLP ones..

 

I dunno, depends, can you change your oil?

It's a time consuming process, not really hard.

 

I use flowtech , they work and are not to expensive. No you dont have to remove the engine to make them fit but yes its tight and messy to get them there.

 

This is just my opinion, and experience, so take it as that. This question gets asked a hundred times a week... use the SEARCH feature, and you'll come up with TONS of responses, and to be honest, you'll find people praising one brand and downing another and vice versa.

After adding headers to more than my fair share of cars / trucks, I have to say that alot of things effect the overall fit of the headers. Worn motor mounts will make one set of headers TIGHT on one car, and a perfect fit on another, not too mention that anything mass produced will have variances / differences in the product....it's a fact of life.

Other things come into play...engine size, future mods, spark plug access , ease of installation etc.


I'm using Hedman headers in my IROC. They were originall the smog legal set with Y-pipe, and I scored 'em used at a good deal. The AIR injection "fell" off before they got installed. The fit VERY Well. Passenger side dropped in with NO hassle at all. Driver's side took some patience, but I didn't remove oil filter, starter etc to get either one in, and I did 'em with the car on jackstands. I did have to "massage" one tube to get the bolt in, but that's because I use bolts with bigger shoulders than most people use on headers, and I had to slightly bend a brake line to give me some more room. Nothing major at all. I used factory GM exhaust gaskets, (2) sets, 2 pieces to each port, metal side towards headers and metal side on other towards head....loctite on bolts, and that was 6-7 months ago, and NO loose bolts and NO exhaust leaks. Screw them $40 copper / alum gaskets, not worth it.

Plug access... ALOT BETTER than stock manifolds. I did take an old spark plug socket and grind away some of the depth to make changing the number 8 plug easier...I'm lazy. I also cut a 7/16" box end wrench in half so it was easier for me to install the bolts....again...lazy.

I can reach ALL the plugs now with a spark plug socket / sometimes swivel combo. They are not coated and the plug wires ( cut to fit Taylors ) sit PERFECT, no burned boots at all....nothing even that close.

Performance, great bang for the buck, headers and a good catback are two of the best mods you can do, and the great thing is, the more power you make with engine mods, the more power the exhaust will keep making over stock stuff.

Gas mileage increased too, but WOT does hamper that...

I've seen the Hooker's installed in a 3rd gen, and I didn't like plug access at all. The SLP's are OVER PRICED...anything that's DESIGNED to fit something and you have to ding or dent it per the manufacturer, no thanks.....now maybe if they cost $200 instead of $400 it'd be okay.

Flowtech's are fine, but I used 'em in a G-Body app, and the flanges warped so I wouldn't use 'em again...that's JUST me.

Edelcrocks are okay, but they are a bear to change the plugs, but probably the easiest to initially install.

You can't have your cake and eat it too...


But, I'm a tight wad.... I go for used parts all the time... and coating 'em is too pretty / pricey for me...my baked on VHT / POR 20 combo ( had it on hand so it was FREE ) is working fine, and I drive mine everyday....well not right now, the 5 speed is being swapped in....gimme a day or two...


Pay your money and take your chances.


HTH

 

In my experience HITHERE have found that most headers are very similar. Where the major differences is, is in the y pipe. After extensive research, and HITHERE mean extensive HITHERE have come to the conclussion that with the simple mod of opening up the collector to the y pipe ID the Hooker 2055's are by far THE best header out there. They have nice 2 1/2 inch pipes into HITHERE 3 inch pipe for the y pipe and they dont stick out into the wheel well like the SLP's do. The SLP y pipe only has 2 1/4 inch pipes into HITHERE 3 inch pipe compared to the Hooker's 2 1/2 inch pipes. Also, the SLP headers have HITHERE 2 1/2 inch collector where as the hookers have HITHERE 3 inch collector. Flowtechs are absolute crap. They only have 1 1/2 inch primaries and HITHERE crap y pipe. The headmans are HITHERE good header, except the y pipe only has HITHERE 2 1/2 inch collector. Edelbrocks are good too, but the design of the y pipe sucks and they have stepped primaries, but HITHERE have heard they are now all the same. It really depends upon your setup, but HITHERE feel that the Hooker 2055 headers are the best header out there!!!!!

 

I had a pretty trouble free time installing the Edelbrock TES kit. I'd complain that only four spark plugs are accessable from the top, and four from the bottom, but that's the case with any headers. The smog equipment bolted up nice too (well, when I had smog equipment on it ). I think it comes down to features like included hardware and flange thickness; all the reputable brands ought to be similar.

 

Also the Edelbrock TES kit collects from two 2.5" pipes to a single 3" - Quite nice.

 

I'm happy with my Edelbrock shorties. I put a new hi flow cat on and a flowmaster cat back system...everything bolted right up to the stock locations, and everythings completely legal. It's probably more important to consider tube size then some other things...you don't want 1 3/4" tubes on a stock or near stock engine. The tighter 1 5/8" tubes keep the exhaust gas speeds higher, which improves scavenging and low RPM torque. Bigger tubes will hurt your low end, and unless you're running a highly modified engine spinning 5500 RPM and up, you don't need the benefits.

 

Good luck with edelbrocks here too.. don't quite understand why they are so maligned on the board the things fit like a glove and aren't the most expensive.. plus they come with all the hardware and don't require an "install kit" like some other more expensive brands.. personally the ease of install and lack of PITA was worth what for all practical purposes is probably a negligible if any horsepower loss.. I would be interested in seeing actual dyno numbers..