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Kooks / Pace Setter / QTP / Flowtech ?

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Old 11-26-2007, 07:00 PM
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Question Kooks / Pace Setter / QTP / Flowtech ?

What is the best performing Header!? Flowtech is the cheapest, then Pace Setter,QTP and then Kooks. The big shops use Kooks like Berger Chevrolet on there 600 HP SS's, Lingenfelter on there Camaro's and Vettes. Any one using the Kooks and the Kooks X pipe with what cat back. Big Q is what is the best HP and TQ #'s out of the 4. I will be using AFR heads not sure what cam but around 228/230. Goal is 400+ RWHP and 400+RWTQ on a 2001 SS LS1 6 speed. I like the Kooks. Info greatly appreciated Thanks!
Old 11-26-2007, 07:06 PM
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Kooks/QTP/ARH are all considered the best and power is near same for all headers, you'll get maybe 10HP more out of a "better" header some people just spend more for stainless.

But all long tubes are a good gain.
Old 11-26-2007, 08:02 PM
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repost. i went pacesetter, best bang for the buck. cheap and just as good of performance as the high dollar ones. just not as flashy, rust.
Old 11-26-2007, 08:35 PM
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This is a link to the tread I posted few day ago with few pics from my ARH, I gained good power on stock internals!!!, wont hirt to look into some bad *** ARH set up
good luck https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/818169-american-racing-lt-s-just-arrived.html
Old 11-26-2007, 09:42 PM
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IMO QTP's are the best mixture of quality and price, about half the price of ARH, and still a good bit cheaper than kook's, still with 304 ss construction and a strong merge design.

Another option to consider are XS, i love mine and a great deal for 321 stainless construction
Old 11-26-2007, 10:30 PM
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I've been pleased with my Kooks...
Old 11-26-2007, 10:36 PM
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get pacesetters and use the extra money for other performance or suspension mods that will net you more than 5-10 hp of exhaust
Old 11-26-2007, 11:28 PM
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No problems with my Kooks. Top notch for sure! Fitment of the Y-pipe is great no rubbing/bumping issues at all.
Old 11-26-2007, 11:36 PM
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all LT's dyno within a couple HP of eachother... with the 'premium' brands, you are moreso paying for fitment, quality of materials, and less chance of leaks, etc. plenty of people buy the inexpensive ones and have great luck with them. like with anything else, you gamble more when you go cheap. all comes down to how big/flexible your wallet is.

that being said, 20k on my kooks so far, and no issues.
Old 11-26-2007, 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by slayer_taunu
with the 'premium' brands, you are moreso paying for fitment, quality of materials, and less chance of leaks, etc. plenty of people buy the inexpensive ones and have great luck with them. like with anything else, you gamble more when you go cheap.
There's no gamble with Pacesetters. They have more consistent good fitment and quality than some of the big buck brands. They also consistently develop rust on the bottom side. People who know what to expect of them and are going for maximum "bang for the buck" are rarely disappointed with them.
Old 11-27-2007, 02:04 AM
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I ran Flowtechs with there y-pipe on my old car and I have to say I was very surprised with the fitment and ease of installation. The coating also held up well through two Ky winters daily driving it. I also bought a set of the thick metal Flowtech header flange gaskets and had no leak issues what's so ever. Car was a 98 M6 with lid, bellows, Flowtechs, ORY, Hooker, and with 113k on the clock it put 326hp 345tq down tuned on a dyno jet.

I just recently installed a set of Kooks race headers on my vert, but I don't have any numbers yet.
Old 11-27-2007, 07:14 AM
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After doing research for the past year on here and LS1.com, I will confidently be going with ARH. My next choice would be kooks, and maybe QTP after that. The QTP's are a bit cheaper but I have read a few things about the collectors leaking, and fitment issues with the #2 spark plug. My opion, if your looking for quality, just do it right the first time.
Old 11-27-2007, 07:22 AM
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Love my Dynatech SuperMaxx systems
Old 11-27-2007, 07:57 AM
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Kooks are the best fitting and performing header.

IMO
Old 11-27-2007, 08:00 AM
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Kooks all the way!
I love my 1 7/8" Kooks!
I've actually got them posted up for sale, because I'm thinking about trying out a set of the new 2" Kooks design!
Old 11-27-2007, 12:38 PM
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The 2" kooks are nice. I had no fitment issues on my car with them.

I picked up 1.5 mph on the jug too!
Old 11-27-2007, 01:28 PM
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Do it once and do it right, go with ARH

Think of what your long term goals are for the car and what you REALLY want from it and what you'll be happy with. Mod wisely knowing that you made the right choices and picked the right parts. If you're going with AFR heads, why skimp out on headers?

I've been in the LS1 game for a while now and learned quite a bit over the years. The biggest thing I learned was that cutting corners definetly did NOT pay off in the long run. It took me a few years and pretty much starting all over to finally get it through my thick (and poor) head that from then on if I was going to do it, that I would do it once and do it right the first time. Even if it meant holding out and saving for a little while longer.

I used to have a set of Jet-Hot coated Kook's headers on my pervious '99 TA...honestly, they looked pretty crappy after only 1 1/2 years of having them and the car was NOT a daily driver at the time. The coating had chipped away and peeled down near the collectors and the headers themselves started to rust badly.
I learned quite a damn bit after having that car for over 5 years...

With all of that being said, my current '02 WS6 has stainless American Racing Headers and I wouldn't think of running anything else. They fit a TON better than what I previously had and really cannot be beat.
No burning O2 & Cam position sensor wires on my car!
Give Nick @ ARH a call and I'm sure you'll be happy...from their customer service to their product, they are simply the best.


If you search my username you'll easily find various threads with info, pics and videos of my American Racing Header and true dual set-up
Old 11-27-2007, 04:42 PM
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Thanks every one! I still like the Kooks, and i will look into the ARH headers. I still need to make up my mind. Thanks!!
Old 11-27-2007, 04:51 PM
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kooks spend the money and do it rite the first time it took me 2 sets of headers before i finnaly figured it out
Old 11-27-2007, 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by cobrakillerta
Do it once and do it right, go with ARH

Think of what your long term goals are for the car and what you REALLY want from it and what you'll be happy with. Mod wisely knowing that you made the right choices and picked the right parts. If you're going with AFR heads, why skimp out on headers?

I've been in the LS1 game for a while now and learned quite a bit over the years. The biggest thing I learned was that cutting corners definetly did NOT pay off in the long run. It took me a few years and pretty much starting all over to finally get it through my thick (and poor) head that from then on if I was going to do it, that I would do it once and do it right the first time. Even if it meant holding out and saving for a little while longer.

I used to have a set of Jet-Hot coated Kook's headers on my pervious '99 TA...honestly, they looked pretty crappy after only 1 1/2 years of having them and the car was NOT a daily driver at the time. The coating had chipped away and peeled down near the collectors and the headers themselves started to rust badly.
I learned quite a damn bit after having that car for over 5 years...

With all of that being said, my current '02 WS6 has stainless American Racing Headers and I wouldn't think of running anything else. They fit a TON better than what I previously had and really cannot be beat.
No burning O2 & Cam position sensor wires on my car!
Give Nick @ ARH a call and I'm sure you'll be happy...from their customer service to their product, they are simply the best.


If you search my username you'll easily find various threads with info, pics and videos of my American Racing Header and true dual set-up
I agree 100% on that, ARH all the way!!! I love mine alot

COBRAKILLERTA, I love your set up by the way man, its bad *** and sounds sooo freaking good



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