bwana

I've noticed the difference between before & after header HP #'s without much more mods, is minor. So the idea is to pump up the flow.

Say you have a budget torquer motor in mind: PRC 5.3l Heads, LS6 intake & the usual misc. mods (lid, t-stat, remove egr-air, etc) & you have optimized the exhaust with 3" into 4" Magnaflow type merge collector, + good flowing Cats & Muff--

How much overlap @.050 gets you where headers are a must have?

Why ask that? Good ones ain't cheap - about a $1000k & I personally have never had a set of headers in a street car that weren't a PITA. Bolts backing off, poor clearance,etc.

How 'bout it J-Rod, Patrick G, Old Stroker SS?

Thanks

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

Patrick is the only one I have seen in here in a long time. Maybe this is more of a valvetrain question than an external motor question. It would probably depend on what cam you are running most likely. Those heads are gonna flow nicely to compliment. You did mention "torquer", but I don't know if that was in reference to the actual TSP cam or not.

I would assume that you are talking about a stainless set of headers. You know that those XS headers or whatever they are called are stainless and don't cost $1000.00. I believe you are talking particularly about a set of kooks possibly QTP's? If you are looking at a stepped header then obviously you are running a decent sized cam....or planning on it rather.

You say that you havent had a set that weren't total crap. Were you using heddman or something?

bwana

Hooker, Hedman, Appliance...but this was back when we were driving/racing SBC in Chevelles, etc in the 70's & 80's. Maybe they've come a long ways since then? For a $1000 bucks you'd think so. Torquer, meaning a strong flat torque curve at the expense of 7000+ rpm peak HP.

Anyway, trying to decide on a cam. I know Patrick suggests 6* overlap as the point of diminishing returns, so I was wondering if you could get away with a free-flowing exhaust setup while still using stock exh manifolds. Or say maybe you could with 4* but not with 6*, for example. J-Rod on the other hand thinks 10* overlap is just getting started. I'd say headers fo' sure at that point.

Thanks for the response Orangepeel. Got a question for you: Man, I don't get it , what is the Mod Marker sticky about? Is it those cool looking seperator lines you use in your sig? How'd you do that?

5_02ls1

iTrader: (20)

headers have came a long way since then.....my pacesetters are great for the$$4....good fit and qaulity.......check out the vinci cams im runnin one and love it.......they have a cam for almost every need......note that they measure a lil different.......they have a few that would work with manifolds as well......i think you can get patrick g to spec one up for 20 bucks not 100% on that.....