What is the best header's and y-pipe set up for someone w/o allot of cash?

2002 SS
--------------------------
mods: MTI lid, 160 thermo, cutout, MTI tune
dyno'ed at MTI
rwhp: 341.2
rwtq: 356.6

 

Alot will probably say Pacesetter, but I'm going to go with Jet Hots on this one, coated. I like the positioning of the O2's and they fit well, sound great and add the hp a LT should.

 

I agree with the jet hots, im running them on my car and I love them. The only thing I would trade these for are a set of the QTP's with the merge collectors. The only issue that I had with my jet hots is that the drivers side header rubs on the k-member, but you could solve that in 2 mins with some type of rotarty tool.

 

Has anyone seen the hp gains from pacesetter with the pacesetter y? Jet hot is the same as Hooker right?

thanks

 

I got the pacesetters. I heard the Y was a POS so i just had one built. flows good. Only cost 65 for the Y also. So I actually saved some money. From what I have heard..all LTs are within 5hp of each other if that helps any.

 

I just installed jet hots and they fit pretty well. I did have to grind a little off the block and the K member both on the drivers side, The block might not have been necessary if I had the car up higher, and the K member wasnt necessary, but i wanted a little more than 1/8 inch clearence for when the motor torques on its mounts. No banging or other problems.

Pacesetters or jethots are the best bang for the buck. I went with the jethots simply because I believe the coating to be better than the pacesetters (except for those that get a bad batch of jethot coating that chips and rusts). The $100 difference was worth it to me since I have a daily driver thats used year round (snow / salt) near the ocean.
-T

 

read the exhaust guide and do your research. hooker/jet hot would be the lowest i'd personally go.

 

Hedman has some good stuff too... Mids and full length... Not in the guide but nothing radically different from the others.. Just another choice.. They do have stepped tubes available too.

Gotta love those magnaflow mufflers huh?

 

If you are looking at Jet hots or Hooker, just spend the extra $ and get KOOKS. They are the best. If price is your guidline get pacesetters.

 

The difference between pacesetters and jethots is on the order of ~$100. The difference between jethots and kooks? Well thats $500-$700 more expensive. While I can justify spending an extra hundred bucks on better quality jethots, theres a big difference between between that and spending twice as much on kooks. Im not trying to say that kooks or QTPs arent worth the price. Im just saying that just because someone is willing to buy jethots or hookers over pacesetters, its not necessarily because money is no object.

Just my $.02

 

Oooooooooooooor you could just save yer money and get a nice setup...

 

I've been looking for headers for a while now, and for a minute i thought i really was satifisfied with SLP LT. I called a LS1 specialty shop (East Side Performance out of Wallingford, CT) and they told me after installing sets of these with a tune only added about 4 hp, which really suprised me seeing how expensive they were. The man said that the best turnout they've had with headers was KOOKS.

 

Thats BS. All LT's will add 20-30rwhp. No way adding SLP LT's is only adding 4hp...

Regarding which LT to buy, i JUST bought pacesetter's but if I had a second chance at it, i probably would have gone with Jet-hot LT's. As Tony pointed out the coating is probably better. Also I am pretty sure jet-hot's are coated inside and out whereas pacesetter's I am pretty sure are only coated onthe outside. that right there is worth the extra $100. The only question i would have beyond that is I heard the Jet-Hot y-pipe isn't too great. (Neither is Pacesetters but I bought a TSP Y-pipe).

 

Pace setter,jet hot, hookers are identical, no body could tell one from the other I guarentee you. If you want a $1200.00 system go with Kooks. If you never drive in the rain or anything other than sun buy the pacesetters, with the texas speed y pipe. Then take your remaining $500 and get a cam or intake manifold, something.

 

Well, I live in NY, within a few miles of Guitsboy. yes the car sees rain and yes the car even sees snow, but the pacesetters still ARE coated so they shouldnt disintegrate off my car in a year. I don't care if they look perfectly pretty as long as they are structurally sound. i think even up here they should be good for 5+ years. i used to have a mustang with MAC coated headers. their coating is not known to be that great. I had them on the car for a couple of years, through rain, snow and everything and they were still perfectly fine. yeah if you want something thats gonna last forever go stainless, but i think these will still last a long time even in rain and snow.

 

Edelbrock victors with their ORY. 500 shipped, all things needed for install, new bolts, new gaskets, 02 extensions. and they slide in like a GREASED PIG. 30 mins for install from both headers up bolted in, and new plugs wires on.

 

and they started rusting a week after you put them on. Those headers are for racing or fair-weather only cars that sit in the garage during rain and snow and only come out when the weather is perfectly nice. if that fits your cars description than go for it. otherwise get them coated and add that expense to the "500 shipped"

 

Kooks and QTP are the best headers for yur app., but keep in mind every brand has there ups and there downs..No matter what!!!

 

who are you talking to?

 

Hope that helps...On 2nd note....If u dont have alot of cash (in ur post), go with MAC's Mid-Length Headers. They have great flow and deep throaty sound. They give u clearance and are very affordable($250-$290).