Open headers
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Westminster, MD
Open headers Well I sold my LM and took it off yeasterday along with my ORY. All thats on the car now is the MACs that dump. Well besides being loud as hell I took it for a spin and man its a dog! I figure it must be going ritch as shi* or so I hope, Very little power what so ever. Can open headers for a short time cause any harm? The car is not my DD just a weekend toy so I plan on letting it sit untill I figure out what I want to do exhaust wise, But if I wanna go for a spin I just dont want to screw anything up. TIA -Adam
You should not have the much of a power loss. Make sure that the front o2 sensors are in. Other than that, you can burn up the front o2's due to all the fresh air that they are getting. But people have driven 100+ miles with open headers, without any problems.
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11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,524
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From: The South
I drove open headers for a few weeks a couple years ago while waiting for my duals appointment. It was FUN. 
I suggest anybody who installs headers at least starts the car up to see how it sounds. Oh god do I ever want to run open headers with my cam....just once.....
BTW: Mine too was an absolute dog when open header, it runs very rich. So rich, in fact, it could lead to problems such as washing down the cylinder walls and frying the rings. Many people have run open headers with no problems, but you never know....
I suggest anybody who installs headers at least starts the car up to see how it sounds. Oh god do I ever want to run open headers with my cam....just once..... BTW: Mine too was an absolute dog when open header, it runs very rich. So rich, in fact, it could lead to problems such as washing down the cylinder walls and frying the rings. Many people have run open headers with no problems, but you never know....
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Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
I drove open headers for a few weeks a couple years ago while waiting for my duals appointment. It was FUN. I suggest anybody who installs headers at least starts the car up to see how it sounds. Oh god do I ever want to run open headers with my cam....just once.....
BTW: Mine too was an absolute dog when open header, it runs very rich. So rich, in fact, it could lead to problems such as washing down the cylinder walls and frying the rings. Many people have run open headers with no problems, but you never know....
I suggest anybody who installs headers at least starts the car up to see how it sounds. Oh god do I ever want to run open headers with my cam....just once..... BTW: Mine too was an absolute dog when open header, it runs very rich. So rich, in fact, it could lead to problems such as washing down the cylinder walls and frying the rings. Many people have run open headers with no problems, but you never know....
werrd. i was drivin open headers for about 4 weeks, and it was awesome! i just got my TD's installed the other day and i did notice quite a bit more power on tap and ya the open headers did feel sluggish. jus do it, do it
I did this a couple months ago, and it was LOUD!!! I was driving on the feder, and when I romped on it, I had people on the highway turn their heads and roll down their windows...
I did notice when I was looking at the engine, I opened the throttle body, and there was some light smoke coming out of the Intake manifold. I don't really know if thats bad or not?? But I put the y-pipe on after that and the car runs strong now.
I did notice when I was looking at the engine, I opened the throttle body, and there was some light smoke coming out of the Intake manifold. I don't really know if thats bad or not?? But I put the y-pipe on after that and the car runs strong now. I trailered my car to the track last friday and ran it with open headers. Mine also felt sluggish. I actually ran 3 tenths slower than my best time without headers. There was much more humidity though friday night. I'm assuming I lost some low end torque with running open (or i'm just telling myself that because I was slower), because it just didn't get out of the hole as good as the first time at the track. Also have to factor in that the car is untuned.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, AL
Mine arent exactly open headers but they are really close. i have two cutouts welded in about 6 inches off the merge collectors and they are LOUD. when you drive next to people you can feel the sound pulsating off their cars, its great 
! When i first had them done i noticed a loss of low end torque but i saw an increase up high. In about 2 weeks i get my cam in. I cant wait to hear the 111lsa through those cutouts. It's going to be insane!
! When i first had them done i noticed a loss of low end torque but i saw an increase up high. In about 2 weeks i get my cam in. I cant wait to hear the 111lsa through those cutouts. It's going to be insane! 
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by SUX2BU
I got a bullet at the end of each header and thats it. my car LOVES to breath.
It sounds baddassss. The only problem is there is a lot of reverberating and resonance inside the car at low RPM's & idle. It's so bad it literally vibrates everything console, windows, door panels and my teeth are falling out.
I ordered a pair of 6" Magnaflow round straight-thru mufflers to replace the Dynomax bullets. I'm willing to trade loudness for a more refined tone and eliminate the resonance (and keep my teeth, too).
Apparently the Dynomax bullets have very little material packed in between the outer shell and the inner straight pipe and just can't "eat" the noise, particularly the lower frequencies.
better????? am I gonna go as rich as everyone else, if I have headers AND a ORY, I'm helping the "y" will help me out a bit more than just open headers, I too am going to run a 111 LSA cam should be in by sat. ill post sound clips of it for all. In the meantime is the ORY going to help me not run as rich @ all?
