Generation III External Engine LS1 | LS6 | Bolt-Ons | Intakes | Exhaust | Ignition | Accessories
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

BBK or pacesetter headers

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-23-2011, 06:53 AM
  #21  
Launching!
iTrader: (12)
 
PGUFF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I just thought it was funny he said kooks are worth it in quality and horsepower gains. Horsepower gains would be little if any in comparison to other headers. Then he said, installation is a pain in the ***. Why pay the extra money, then?
Old 07-23-2011, 06:54 AM
  #22  
Launching!
iTrader: (12)
 
PGUFF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

bbk to pacesetters should be similar as well. I'm not sure when the 2.5" y-pipe would become a restriction, if ever
Old 07-23-2011, 03:39 PM
  #23  
12 Second Club
 
FormulaTA327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Richmond,VA
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Does pacesetter make a good ORY because I was planning on getting pacesetter headers with the ceramic coating for $370 from texas speed.
Old 07-23-2011, 06:16 PM
  #24  
TECH Regular
iTrader: (16)
 
Jay-P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wpg, Mb Canada
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by FormulaTA327
Does pacesetter make a good ORY because I was planning on getting pacesetter headers with the ceramic coating for $370 from texas speed.
No it is garbage. Get one made up using a merge you purchase yourself.
Old 07-23-2011, 06:19 PM
  #25  
Restricted User
iTrader: (12)
 
z99ls1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: kansas
Posts: 1,786
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Pacesetters. They are cheaper and mine went in very easily. Just go with the coated ceramic and don't get the painted ones like I did. The others looks so much better
Old 07-23-2011, 08:18 PM
  #26  
Teching In
iTrader: (1)
 
buzb026's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Arlington Heights IL
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

BBK's. Best purchase i have made so far. quality and fitment are great. highly recommend the ceramic BBK's
Old 07-23-2011, 08:46 PM
  #27  
11 Second Club
iTrader: (23)
 
CLARKSLS1SS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Buckeye Nation
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

BBK's fitment is excellent and the flange that bolt's to the head are real thick. I've have had mine for almost 3 years, the chrome is blueish/purpleish but they are not rusted and still look good. I installed them by myself and bought them from jeg's and if you have a racer discount number you'll save some more $. BBK's y-pipe also comes with 4 bungs, so if you delete the rear 2 you still have a bung for your air/fuel 02 sensor and put a plug in other, the ball flange connection between the header and y-pipe nets you no leak what so ever. BBK's with the 3" borla adjustable on the car now sounds really good! Hope this helps!!
Old 07-23-2011, 10:16 PM
  #28  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (7)
 
98z8uup's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Covington ,GA
Posts: 1,111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

This is what my chrome headers look like when I pulled the off my wrecked car. They had been on the car for a little over a year.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...icture-065.jpg
Old 07-23-2011, 10:58 PM
  #29  
Launching!
iTrader: (13)
 
zaaronz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Longview, TX
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I was thinking of the same 2 choices BBK or pacesetter. I went with the BBK and love em! Good price-good power- great fit, they tuck up real nice under the car.
Old 07-24-2011, 09:28 PM
  #30  
12 Second Club
 
FormulaTA327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Richmond,VA
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

is the BBK ORY good far as the weld and fitment, now I cant make my mind up as far as which one to get now, they both sound equally good.
Old 07-24-2011, 10:15 PM
  #31  
Launching!
iTrader: (13)
 
zaaronz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Longview, TX
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by FormulaTA327
is the BBK ORY good far as the weld and fitment, now I cant make my mind up as far as which one to get now, they both sound equally good.
I was thinking the same thing- the difference that made my mind up was that the BBK are thicker being 14 gauge and the pacesetter being 16. Probably dont mean much... the welds all looked perfect to me, and the fitment couldnt get any better. Everyone always said they have a lot of clearance and they were right- they tuck under the car really well.
Old 07-24-2011, 10:30 PM
  #32  
Staging Lane
 
nmbr5ml's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lavista, NE
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I helped a friend put pacesetters on his trans am. We had to unhook the steering shaft, or the drivers side would not go in. We still scratched up the paint on the headers working them into place, but they went in. The headers looked really nice out of the box, they were shiny and black. The y-pipe looked like absolute dogshit but it had a flange that mated to the collectors on the headers, just like the BBKs so it fit fine. This guy never drove his car in snow or rain, but the headers looked like crap after a few months. They retained their structural integrity, but the black paint was mostly gone and they had rust all over them. He had already replaced the y-pipe because it was garbage.

I got the chrome BBKs with the ORY for about 100 less than what he paid for the Pacesetters. After a few months of decent weather and regular driving they're starting to get that rainbow color if you look closely; at a glance they still look new. The installation was the easiest job I have seen or heard of.

I always thought ceramic coatings were more of a heat insulation measure than rust protection. I can attest that coated headers will still get rusty. In any case even the cheaper chrome plate on the BBKs will hold up better than no coating at all, which is what you get on the pacesetters. The black paint smokes right off and the bare metal rusts.

I would only recommend against the BBKs if you:
A. Have or plan to do engine work where the 1 3/4 primaries and 2 3/4 into 3 y-pipe may be a significant limitation
B. Need to have AIR, EGR or cats. (Not possible with the BBK without serious modification)
C. Drive your car in the elements.
Old 07-24-2011, 11:40 PM
  #33  
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
 
tmdz28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: West Covina, So Cal
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

^ great post!!

i have made up my mind and am gonna go with bbks ceramic, solely for the heat insulation purposes.

my tuner told me that pacesetters is the better performance, but i am not willing to sacrifice quality for that, plus i think with bbks i am comfortable of installing the headers myself, which should save some costs.

cant wait for the ls6 intake and bbks installs then, i am off to get a retune!
Old 07-25-2011, 12:14 AM
  #34  
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (5)
 
Cstone812's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 366
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Just installed bbks and their y pipe onto my 02 z28 friday with one other person and it being my first time the only hard part was getting all my old **** off....the headers slid right up with no modification at all and it was a breeze....make sure you either get new mounts or play with the y pipe a little though because I still have some banging and vibrating I have to fix
Old 07-25-2011, 10:43 PM
  #35  
Teching In
 
AMS13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Oxford, CT
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Cstone812
Just installed bbks and their y pipe onto my 02 z28 friday with one other person and it being my first time the only hard part was getting all my old **** off....the headers slid right up with no modification at all and it was a breeze....make sure you either get new mounts or play with the y pipe a little though because I still have some banging and vibrating I have to fix
This...My friends and I installed the BBK's on my car 3 weeks ago, the install went smooth as anything which was a huge plus for me. Def go with the BBK's, they wont disappoint.
Old 07-26-2011, 10:42 PM
  #36  
Staging Lane
iTrader: (1)
 
Syris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lima, OH
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I just finished up installed the BBk chrome, the install side was very easy. I didnt have to pull the coil packs nor the steering shaft to get them in, slid right up and in
Old 07-27-2011, 02:38 AM
  #37  
On The Tree
 
jastone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Uniontown,pa
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

A. Have or plan to do engine work where the 1 3/4 primaries and 2 3/4 into 3 y-pipe may be a significant limitation


Would you consider a D-1sc enough of a power adder to have the bbk headers become a restriction. The car is lowered so I like the fact the bbk headers tuck up better but I don't want to choke the flow too much
Old 07-28-2011, 12:53 PM
  #38  
Teching In
 
99_somls1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Las Cruces/El paso area
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

after reading all the posts im still undecided! does anyone know the horsepower gain difference between these two?
Old 07-28-2011, 01:19 PM
  #39  
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (5)
 
Cstone812's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 366
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Dude the 2 3/4 y pipe will not be that much of a restriction it still comes in at 3 inch at the merge the only thing that might be a lil better is if you get headers with the 1 7/8 primaries those will help out when you get h/c but the bbk y is an awesome budget y pipe it wont restrict it that much and there should be no hp difference between any header you buy unless you are h/c and you are comparing the 1 3/4 to the 1 7/8

Last edited by Cstone812; 07-28-2011 at 01:25 PM.
Old 07-28-2011, 01:41 PM
  #40  
Teching In
 
99_somls1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Las Cruces/El paso area
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I think I finally decided to go with bbk the $150 difference has made me decide plus I trust bbk more than pacesetter when it comes to quality


Quick Reply: BBK or pacesetter headers



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:02 PM.