Cadillac CTS-V - Those of you with Pacesetter headers please chime in

Hey guys. I was hoping a few of you could speak to the fitment and general quality of Pacesetter headers. I'm considering a set of uncoated ones, then sending them to JetHot or something to that effect for ceramic coating. I wanted to make sure that they installed/fit well before I took the plunge though. This would be a bit of an impulse purchase, but I've gotta do at least a LITTLE research first. :)

Dont know squat about pacesetters and their fitment; but headers is one of the best things I have done.

There are a few people that have threads over on CF about Pacesetters, they seem to be a pain in the ass to connect to the exhaust since everyone has had to go get them welded. I would say OBX if you want to go cheap or get Kooks if $ is no object. Fit and finish is excellent for both.

I would do the motor mounts while you are doing the headers or you will be kicking yourself in the ass. UMI has a pretty good deal going on right now.

DMM, what kinda numbers do you put down?

I have pacesetters they are ok headers fit nice no exhaust leaks. If I was to do it again probably obx just so I don't have to
Coat them or worry about rust. I have b&b exhaust. My friend with corsa has leaks with pacesetters

i have pacesetters on mine install is a easy as hell fit. i have inch x that mates up to mine just had to get a inch flange welded up and they bolted right together no problem.

They install no problem.

Open box straight from Amazon coated $229 - How can you refuse that? Jethot will cost you $300+ and the armor coat that comes on them will last longer than most people will keep their cars. Hell a generation ago nobody used coated anything.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B003X6EGT4/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1324479090&sr=8-1&condition=used


Fit was great - I could see the primary hitting the steering shaft with really worn out motor mounts but with UMI there is a ton of room. No leaks with the pacesetter connectors. They do push the stock exhaust back 1-2 inches. Might take that into consideration if changing/deleting mufflers and redoing tips. Even so mine don't really stick out enough to notice.

My pacesetters fit perfect. You dont have to have flanges welded to them, just buy the slip-on adapters and they will bolt right up to your stock or aftermarket exhaust. No complaints here.

Gabbiani - I saw those "open box" ones a few days ago. WOW, that's a deal. I'm a little hesitant though. They describe some damage as "Item may come repackaged. Minor cosmetic imperfection on top, front or sides of item. Minor cosmetic imperfection on bottom or back of item." Makes me nervous.

Thanks for the replies guys. I knew there'd be mixed opinions, but I just like to hear from people who actually have the product installed. I've decided against the UNcoated ones for sure. There's no point in buying the uncoated, then sending them away for coating. Might as well get them coated right from the manufacturer, right? Anyone know if that coating comes with any type of warranty? If there is a warranty, would header wrap void that?
As for fitment, those slip connectors on Amazon look like a pretty easy and reasonably priced way to mate the headers to my oem exhaust. I'd go that route but I also want cats to fit in there somewhere, which means there's going to have to be some custom fabbing done to make everything fit together anyway. No point in wasting the $70 on those extensions then, right?
Another couple questions I have for you guys (hopefully I still have your attention):
- Is a tune a MUST once headers are installed? I know I wont get the most out of the mod without one, but I don't have a tuner anywhere close to me, and I also can't doll out the money for a proper tune on top of the headers and install cost. So, it's either install the headers and run without tuning for a bit, or wait on everything until I have the dough ($) to do it "properly" and have the car put on a dyno for a tune.

- Do these headers hang much lower than OEM exhaust does? I'm lowered, and I really don't want to have to be worrying about ripping my exhaust off any dip in the road.

FYI, I've already got the mufflers deleted, and I also have Max's latest design of CS motor and trans mounts installed.

Thanks guys!

Wes, what sort of exhaust setup do you have? Some of the aftermarket exhausts come with cats. May be something to consider if you have yet to buy one. I'm lowered as well, and have never had a problem with the headers scraping. If anything its the big ass 3" B&B tubes under the middle of the car when I pull in the garage (my driveway is at an incline). The headers dont hang lower than the car itself. You'll be good without a tune...just save up your money until you can do it right!

Strokin - thanks for the reply. I currently have the OEM exhaust with mufflers deleted. I wanted to keep that set up, and somehow get a couple of "spun"/"bullet" style cats in there somewhere. I need the cats for the sniffer test here in Ontrario, and I also want them to tone down the exhaust volume a bit too.
Also, sorry, but the last bit of your post confused me. Would you advise that I'd be fine without a tune (until I could afford one), or to wait on the headers until I can afford the tune?

Sorry, I meant to say slap those puppies on! I've been running headers for 6-7 months without a tune. HPTuners should be coming in the mail next week.

^^^ As for the open box - It's Amazon, if you don't like them send them back. Mine were like new in a slightly roughed up original box.

^^^ As for the open box - It's Amazon, if you don't like them send them back. Mine were like new in a slightly roughed up original box.

Yep, return them on their dime if you don't like 'em.

Good find on the open box headers, just bought a set, and free PRIME shipping to boot!

Dammit was going to buy today!

Coated Pacesetters - Fit great, Easy to install.

:punch:Dammit was going to buy today!

My bad....

No worries! just let me know what shape they were in when you get them so I can look out for the next pair...


:punch:

My bad....

I'll take some photos when they get in...then hide them before the wife sees them!

lol @ DrSpeeds Avatar & Wife Hiding

you're gonna waste a lot of $$$ for something that's gonna rust anyway. just go stainless.

Yah, I probably would've dove on those amazon open box ones too, if DrSpeed hadn't snatched em up. It's probably for the best that he got em though, so now I've got more time to look into everything I'll want to do and what the bottom dollar will be.

Thanks for the tips and advise guys.

So how are they? Pics?

So how are they? Pics?

Dood, you're in Everett. Just come down and take a look at them yourself!!! :punch:

Standby. I'll get some today after the Holiday Bowl. Alma mater's gonna wail on the Longhorns.

(The box just arrived yesterday, in Pacesetter marked packaging.)

Sounds good! Where are you at? Pics first then maybe I will stop by when I am down south next time...

Box was a bit beat up...looked like the original Pacesetter factory box. The staples were still in place, so it was never opened. The headers did not have a SINGLE dent nor scratch, which was amazing given that it was delivered by UPS...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DaxwTJDPPus/TvwDuBzPs_I/AAAAAAAAHLk/bYJKvQqk5FM/s800/IMG_0184.JPG

The inside of the box:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-heZiTxFXag0/TvwDzQhqMAI/AAAAAAAAHJw/sfrxsnbXtqg/s800/IMG_0188.JPG

What it came with:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6IKc1bUwUsc/TvwENGYO-xI/AAAAAAAAHLY/T84wilCTbb8/s800/IMG_0205.JPG

Here are some macro shots:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-872AMizqjek/TvwD-qDT-NI/AAAAAAAAHKg/B8tqpdTOlTA/s800/IMG_0195.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JwoNqf3sABw/TvwEJ3Ix_JI/AAAAAAAAHLQ/jEpjnARLuwk/s800/IMG_0203.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-46OnxswpjfQ/TvwEDHkCaYI/AAAAAAAAHKo/NXICBgMwES4/s800/IMG_0196.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1erbSgRmXKI/TvwD4-gnWEI/AAAAAAAAHKI/l0atm_3cgjs/s800/IMG_0193.JPG

Here are the rest of the photos:

Pacesetter Photos (https://picasaweb.google.com/dennyhao/Pacesetter?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJaRmrvhy5qfpgE&feat=directlink)

you're gonna waste a lot of $$$ for something that's gonna rust anyway. just go stainless.

Really? How's your 02 Stainless Steel Firebird holding up? Has it rusted away yet? Why is there always a dipshit that always has to rain on someone's parade? It's not stainless, I don't intend on keeping this vehicle for more than a few years, and for $200 dollars, I can replace it 4 times before I have to buy a SS one.

Sounds good! Where are you at? Pics first then maybe I will stop by when I am down south next time...

I'm in Seattle proper, in the Wedgewood neighborhood (near Northgate). PM me and I'll send you my address.

lol @ DrSpeeds Avatar & Wife Hiding

I'll convince her it's a new addition for the science lab...

^^ Can replace it 5x or more. The connector pipes from Kooks are like $450.

Credit where it is due the other brands are slightly better headers. They are not 4-5x better.

^^ Can replace it 5x or more. The connector pipes from Kooks are like $450.

Credit where it is due the other brands are slightly better headers. They are not 4-5x better.

Exactly. Not going to net 5 times the horsepower either.

you're gonna waste a lot of $$$ for something that's gonna rust anyway. just go stainless.

HAHA...threadjack here:

http://ls1tech.com/forums/street-racing-kill-stories/1499465-20-inch-rims.html

and tagline quoted for posterity:


__________________
If you don't think you can, you can't

They look great! I bet they last longer then you think.

Why wouldn't they last? I was looking at these online and I saw you can get an extension for them. What exactly is the extension for?

Why wouldn't they last? I was looking at these online and I saw you can get an extension for them. What exactly is the extension for?


These?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Q9ycSzwEL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/PaceSetter-82-1170-Header-Extension-Cadillac/dp/B003X6LMDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325195992&sr=8-1

They just connect to your factory or aftermarket exhaust.

These?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Q9ycSzwEL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/PaceSetter-82-1170-Header-Extension-Cadillac/dp/B003X6LMDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325195992&sr=8-1

They just connect to your factory or aftermarket exhaust.

Any ok thank you.

My pacesetters fit perfect. You dont have to have flanges welded to them, just buy the slip-on adapters and they will bolt right up to your stock or aftermarket exhaust. No complaints here.

I have coated Pacesetters and mine fit perfect also. Just get the adapters.

Coated Pacesetters from Amazon here...perfect fit, still nice and shiny after a several months. Hard to beat coated long tubes for under $500.

"Really? How's your 02 Stainless Steel Firebird holding up? Has it rusted away yet? Why is there always a dipshit that always has to rain on someone's parade? It's not stainless, I don't intend on keeping this vehicle for more than a few years, and for $200 dollars, I can replace it 4 times before I have to buy a SS one"

yeah i had some stainless steel ebay headers on my 2001 camaro and they've been on for two years and still look great. oh, and I paid $300 for them. fit great. sorry for trying to help you make the better choice. when you decide to resell the car, some nice SS headers will look alot better to the potential buyers than some rusty pacesetters.

"Really? How's your 02 Stainless Steel Firebird holding up? Has it rusted away yet? Why is there always a dipshit that always has to rain on someone's parade? It's not stainless, I don't intend on keeping this vehicle for more than a few years, and for $200 dollars, I can replace it 4 times before I have to buy a SS one"

yeah i had some stainless steel ebay headers on my 2001 camaro and they've been on for two years and still look great. oh, and I paid $300 for them. fit great. sorry for trying to help you make the better choice. when you decide to resell the car, some nice SS headers will look alot better to the potential buyers than some rusty pacesetters.

Lulz....

First off before everyone goes and buys a pair lol, I am as unbiased about these as you can get since I installed mine a week before I wrecked my car a month ago. Felt a gain right after the instal so that was cool. They look nice which is also a positive. They are also wider than the obx's which should make them perform better.

Now the NEGATIVES

There is no space to put cats in so u are fucked for inspection unless you cut your exhaust. Next those conectors are a piece of shit and dont waste your money on them anyway cause they will leak where they bolt up to the exhaust. Now with people welding them good luck considering there is no flex pipe you are stupid! Sorry blatant but this is true. I am going to be taking those connectors off putting some baby highflows behind them and having to do a custom exhaust cause cutting up my corsa is a sin. Guess I'll be listing a corsa soon enough. Sucks the car got wrecked and I have to deal with this shit now rather then next fall as I planned. Either way its a pain in the ass.

First off before everyone goes and buys a pair lol, I am as unbiased about these as you can get since I installed mine a week before I wrecked my car a month ago. Felt a gain right after the instal so that was cool. They look nice which is also a positive. They are also wider than the obx's which should make them perform better.

Now the NEGATIVES

There is no space to put cats in so u are fucked for inspection unless you cut your exhaust. Next those conectors are a piece of shit and dont waste your money on them anyway cause they will leak where they bolt up to the exhaust. Now with people welding them good luck considering there is no flex pipe you are stupid! Sorry blatant but this is true. I am going to be taking those connectors off putting some baby highflows behind them and having to do a custom exhaust cause cutting up my corsa is a sin. Guess I'll be listing a corsa soon enough. Sucks the car got wrecked and I have to deal with this shit now rather then next fall as I planned. Either way its a pain in the ass.

You act like it wrecked itself! You are in denial. Replace that line with, Sucks I can't handle all the power my car produces and I wrecked it. I will be more careful in the future and I will attend the Sears driving school.:sack:

lulz.....

You act like it wrecked itself! You are in denial. Replace that line with, Sucks I can't handle all the power my car produces and I wrecked it. I will be more careful in the future and I will attend the Sears driving school.:sack:

lulz.....

I got ran off the road fag, hence someones insurance paid for my damages. Dont say what you dont know and tend to your hemorrhoids jimbo. Way to be a smartass instead of chiming in about the headers

i got mine from amazon and had a friend locally coat mine, i think i paid 243 to my door, got the coating for FREE, and wrapped them for the hell of it. got the header extensions as well. everything bolted right up, PITA to install, but as far as fitment and price for the quality... cant go wrong with them... i would buy new gm gaskets or at least copper coat your existing gaskets to help seal it up.

i got mine from amazon and had a friend locally coat mine, i think i paid 243 to my door, got the coating for FREE, and wrapped them for the hell of it. got the header extensions as well. everything bolted right up, PITA to install, but as far as fitment and price for the quality... cant go wrong with them... i would buy new gm gaskets or at least copper coat your existing gaskets to help seal it up.

Did u buy a used set?? I just copied and pasted the link,,they do sell used:eek2:


Used

We're sorry. There are currently no Used listings for PaceSetter 72C2272 Long Tube Header with Armor Coat for 5.7L, 6.0L Cadillac CTS-V 2004-07. However, you can:

Buy it New from $401.99
Have one to sell?

Did u buy a used set?? I just copied and pasted the link,,they do sell used:eek2:


Used

We're sorry. There are currently no Used listings for PaceSetter 72C2272 Long Tube Header with Armor Coat for 5.7L, 6.0L Cadillac CTS-V 2004-07. However, you can:

Buy it New from $401.99
Have one to sell?

nope got mine new... again they were just painted black... then they were blasted and ceramic coated here by a friend. never seen them sold used... from amazon

I ended up getting a set of painted black pacesetters for $150 new on a sweet deal I scored and ended up having a friend coat mine for free since I blasted them, and had V-Bands welded to the collecter and then test pipes to the somewhat stock exhaust I have left but so far no leaks and fit pretty well while i've been breaking in my new ls3 and everything. But I couldn't be happier with them. Now just gotta wait for the end of the month to see what she puts down on the dyno:devil:

You guys with obx just wrapping them? I am hesitant due to living in crap hole Seattle rain country.

I got a set of the pacesetter with the amazon extensions and everything bolted up perfect to my stock exhaust and no leaks either. Also noticed a power increase without a tune. Never felt an actual increase from just headers on a car before.