How much do ported Mac Mids/TDs give up over LTs and TDs?
10-16-2011, 10:01 PM
#1
How much do ported Mac Mids/TDs give up over LTs and TDs? I have an opportunity to get some Mac Mids for pretty cheap. I would like to port them out/modify the collectors to 3 inches and mate it up to my old 3 inch TD setup. How much realistically would I be giving up over LTs? The price of the mids and making my duals work would be cheaper than buying a set of LTs alone.
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10-17-2011, 08:13 PM
#9
if they are 1 3/4" x 3" and you don't plan on camming the car, the mids will be fine. i watched a friend's 02 z28 m6 bolt-on car trap 114 at full weight with a cutout using mac mid-length headers and a mac ory. no tricks, no weight pulled, da above 2k'. the car trapped 107 the week before with stock manifolds and a cutout. i don't think you'll see any real gains unless you step up to a 230*+ duration cam. the mac mids (at least the ones he had) are a quality piece. i think his were 1 3/4" x 3" to begin with.
10-17-2011, 08:13 PM
#10
In my case I switched to 1 7/8 Hooker Headers from my Mac mids. Saw no improvement in hp numbers but so much better sounding than mids.
If you do buy the Macs grind down the welds on the id primaries and if possible get rid of the ball flanges on the collectors.
If you do buy the Macs grind down the welds on the id primaries and if possible get rid of the ball flanges on the collectors.
10-18-2011, 08:57 AM
#13
My first set of headers was mac's. I ported them or smoothed them out before installing them. For the money,they are a pretty good piece. I did remove them for kooks and did not see this big gain people talked about. If you can save 300-400 bucks,the mac's will work great. Yes,the other header may gain some hp and tq,but is the extra money worth it to your wallet?? Also,my boy a few months ago removed his SLP headers(the first style) for kooks on his 383 ls1. he saw NO gains at all on the dyno or racing.
10-18-2011, 12:07 PM
#15
i have mac mids on one car and long tubes on another.
from what i have seen with full bolt ons and a cam, long tubes will make 10-15whp more than the mid lengths. if you just want a car with an intake and headers for the moment i encourage you to buy the mac midlengths. stock heads, stock cam long tubes and mids will make around the same power numbers. you really wont see a power difference until you starting putting on the bigger HP parts like a cam
So the mac headers are a very good building point. however if you are going to go all out and order a head/cam combo in a month i would tell you to just go ahead and spend the extra money now
from what i have seen with full bolt ons and a cam, long tubes will make 10-15whp more than the mid lengths. if you just want a car with an intake and headers for the moment i encourage you to buy the mac midlengths. stock heads, stock cam long tubes and mids will make around the same power numbers. you really wont see a power difference until you starting putting on the bigger HP parts like a cam
So the mac headers are a very good building point. however if you are going to go all out and order a head/cam combo in a month i would tell you to just go ahead and spend the extra money now
10-18-2011, 07:40 PM
#17
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How much you'd be leaving on the table will be reflective of the mod's on or planed for your car. What is your plan with the car? Are your prices including paying a shop to make the Mid's work with your TD setup? If you have the time/skill/tools to do your own work the Ebay header might be worth looking into. But those 3 things is what keep my self away form ebay headers. Another option is wait and watch the For Sale section here look for a good deal on LT's. Looking at your Mod list, heck even if it was my mod list. I'd do the Mac Mids clean them up and use them. Use the other $250-$300 Vs buying LT. to but into other mods Like LS6 intake, Ported TB, SFC, Suspension. Which goes back to what is your plan with your car?
