1 5/8" or 1 3/4" headers?
A T4 flange has a rough area of 6 sq in.
8 - 1 5/8 primaries have a total area of 16.583125 sq in.
8 - 1 3/4 primaries have a total area of 19.2325 sq in.
The answer is yes.
The smaller 1-5/8" would probably help the turbo come online faster due to the increase of the exhaust gas' heat and velocity, but I think it may also be more prone to increasing backpressure, as well.
My vote, for what it's worth, is the 1-3/4" primaries.
I think its like having a 1/2 inch valve on a tap, it doesn't matter wither you put a 2" or a 4" hose on it, it will flow pretty much the same since the hose isn't the choke point. Same deal here with the primaries. Maybe if you were talking a larger displacement engine, but both your choices are oversized compared to going through that little flange. I think Joe's math says it all. You could save some fab work and go truck manifolds? Can get a nice set for about $80, and they are proven? They don't look as cool though. You could also probably buy a generic set of shorty LS headers cheaper than you can make them. I'm not sure why that is, but when price the nice laser cut flanges, collectors, some tubing and some mandrel bends, it almost always costs more than buying headers. You burn your time, current, rod, argon, and abrasives for nothing. The exception here would be the really nice ones like the Kooks, but they are nicer than headers I'm capable of making, so that kind of makes sense.
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I think its like having a 1/2 inch valve on a tap, it doesn't matter wither you put a 2" or a 4" hose on it, it will flow pretty much the same since the hose isn't the choke point. Same deal here with the primaries. Maybe if you were talking a larger displacement engine, but both your choices are oversized compared to going through that little flange. I think Joe's math says it all. You could save some fab work and go truck manifolds? Can get a nice set for about $80, and they are proven? They don't look as cool though. You could also probably buy a generic set of shorty LS headers cheaper than you can make them. I'm not sure why that is, but when price the nice laser cut flanges, collectors, some tubing and some mandrel bends, it almost always costs more than buying headers. You burn your time, current, rod, argon, and abrasives for nothing. The exception here would be the really nice ones like the Kooks, but they are nicer than headers I'm capable of making, so that kind of makes sense.
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The smaller 1-5/8" would probably help the turbo come online faster due to the increase of the exhaust gas' heat and velocity, but I think it may also be more prone to increasing backpressure, as well.
My vote, for what it's worth, is the 1-3/4" primaries.





