240M3SRT

Im looking at getting some headers in the near future and wasnt sure which ones to go with. My car has no mods currently, but id like to tackel exhaust first. I know the closer to equal length tubes the better. But do all long tube headers have equal length tubes?

I had the Flowtechs in mind because they look IDENTICAL to the hookers for only $269.00!!! As seen here:

http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=52

What do you guys think???

240M3SRT

Any opinions? I want some headers but cant get enough info from the discriptions on the sites.

12secSS

iTrader: (30)

Long Tubes can be equal length, and vice versa. But LT are not equal length, or vice versa.

The LTs I would recommend are:
Hooker LT
FlowTech (made by Holley, who owns Hooker)
Jet-Hot
Pacesetters

All of these are of the similar design that Hooker developed back in 2001. I have Hookers on my 2001 Camaro SS that are Jet-Hot coated, they still look great and perform very well. Our 1998 Camaro Z28 has FlowTechs and those are very good headers as well. Both are very easy to install with home tools in your garage or driveway.

obZidian

iTrader: (2)

the pacesetters seem to be the best bang for the bucks, they were refitted and seem to have the best fit for the price...

personally, the real big difference in headers is not the tube size; its the materials used. You are getting either mild steel, coated mild steel or stainless. Stainless being the best, it is also the most expensive; though most of the stainless headers are also the best fitting designs. STainless also will not rust (they will most likely last longer than your car will!!) and have better thermal dymanics.

mild steel is cheap and gets the job done but make sure you get them coated, very important is you want them to last and not burn your hood down!!!

check out your options, jrp has a write up on this, search for that....

Good luck

240M3SRT

I honestly cant see any difference in the Hookers and Flowtechs and the Flowtechs are much cheaper! Unless thats a generic photo they use on the link i provided, it looks like the Flowtechs are the way to go.

My only problem with Pacesetter is ive had first hand experience with installing a header on a PT cruiser and i put it on my life the stock manifold would have flowed better. You should have seen this cheap piece of ****, kinda put a bad taste in my mouth on Pacesetter. However, everyone here seems to love them so maybe they spent more time on their LS1 application.

To me the best bang for the buck means if a $269 header gets 20whp and a $600 header gets 25whp, the first one was the better buy. Im trying to go with what you guys are telling me, so all advice is welcome.

Please keep the opinions comming, id like to make an informed decision based on your expierince.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

in short the flowtechs are gonna be the same experience you had with the PT cruiser pacesetter headers.

the ls1 pacesetter headers are the bang for the buck.

Flaminchiten67

The coated flowtechs are 400 un-coated are 269, your comparing an un-coated against a coated. If you get an un-coated header your going to be shopping for headers again, soon. If you plan on keeping the car for awhile go with stainless, cost more but your only going to do it once. Even coated headers are gonna lose the coating and look like **** and start rusting it will just take longer.

This is all just my opinion however. And what do I know

240M3SRT

I do plan on keeping the car a while. I know ss is the top of the line but i really didnt think that ceramic coated would flake off that fast. And when they say uncoated i figured that meant painted black. Im not a header expert but i have decent experience on building exhaust and we always tell people that even though ss is nice and light that aluminized mild steel will last a very very very long time, especially when painted with high temp paint.

Are headers different, maybe because of the heat? I guess if i really need to spend $700+ on stainless i will. I just didnt expect to hear the others would be trash so quickly.

ddelallata

iTrader: (2)

another vote for the PaceSetters. I'd invest in a new lid as well.

Lithium

iTrader: (47)

Same here, definitly the best bang for the buck.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

bought my jet hots in april 03 and they have rust in the small crevices and a bit on the collector. the primaries are fine.

and this is sunny san diego...

obZidian

iTrader: (2)

the black headers are not coated. JEt hot coating is silver in color, bu ti guess you could also paint them in a black temp paint. However, im not sure how they would compare to the jet hot coating.

Mild steel will rust, and the stainless will last longer. Thats not to say that the mild steels are junk, its just the structural properties of the metal. The coating does help but if see alot of rain, it would get stainless, your best bet.

Wat i did was just save up and not go cheap with anything, to me its not worth it going cheap....getting a good bargain is one thing, just not getting somethin you know its better because you hate to cough up the money....not worth it.

red91z

iTrader: (25)

Get what you can afford. Any of them are going to help performance. Uncoated headers, although they will surface rust will last for years without any problems.

240M3SRT

Whats the verdict on Pacesetter ceramic vs black. Is the ceramic gonna out last the black as far as resistance to rust?

240M3SRT

Thats what i was trying to get at. From what ive seen in the exhaust we have built in mild steel, they will surface rust in as little as a few days but wont rust all the way through for years and years.

I dont mind surface rust at all i dont own a show car, i just dont want them to rust through anytime soon like someone above said they would.

obZidian

iTrader: (2)

the black are un coated (jet hot coating) and will not last as long as the coated, silver headers...

CATCH ME

iTrader: (1)

do it right the first time......GET QTP'S or KOOKS!!!!!!

Super Sport Beast

Buy what you can afford. If you got money go with Hooker (Best quality headers), if don't want to spend much go with Flowtech ceramic coated like I did. Great preice, no problems and you'll feel the difference!!!

Nittany_marine

iTrader: (7)

I have the flowtechs on mine, which is a daily driver through rain/snow and I havent found any corrosion, and have not had one single leak so far. Im really pleased with them.

HPT BANDIT

iTrader: (2)

I had a set of Jet-Hots on my old 2000 WS6 and they held up pretty good. They got a little surface rust (I drove it everyday) but it was nothing a little polish couldn't take off.