mac header system
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Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: JAX, FLORIDA
mac header system Anybody have any experience with mac headers? if so, can you tell me about fit, quality, ground clearance? i've researched other headers on the market ie. pacesetters, kooks, hooker etc. but have not heard too much from Mac, headers/cats/ y pipe combo. thank you.
I don't have the catted y-pipe but I'll tell you my experiences.
There are no ground clearance issues. The fit is great, the install really wasn't that bad. Driver's side went in from the bottom, passenger side went in from the top(you have to pop off your valve cover). The quality is just like any other company out there. It's good quality. They fit good.
The reason I went with Mac's is because I had a strong feeling that I was going to lower my car and now after the new rims I have to. I'm not going with a huge drop but I didn't want to be bothered with the chance of scraping if I went with long tubes.
There are no ground clearance issues. The fit is great, the install really wasn't that bad. Driver's side went in from the bottom, passenger side went in from the top(you have to pop off your valve cover). The quality is just like any other company out there. It's good quality. They fit good.
The reason I went with Mac's is because I had a strong feeling that I was going to lower my car and now after the new rims I have to. I'm not going with a huge drop but I didn't want to be bothered with the chance of scraping if I went with long tubes.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 187
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From: Chitown
Do a search and you'll find a lot of good info on macs.
I dont think you'll be disappointed. I sure wasnt. They went on fairly easy and fit well. You may want to research the flowmaster Y mod and ball flange delete mod. They will sound less raspy.
I would recommend getting the off road Y and putting on your own choice of cats. The sponsor that I got mine from recommended Random Tech cats. They told me they had much better results doing this than with the mac catted Y pipe.
Good luck
I dont think you'll be disappointed. I sure wasnt. They went on fairly easy and fit well. You may want to research the flowmaster Y mod and ball flange delete mod. They will sound less raspy.
I would recommend getting the off road Y and putting on your own choice of cats. The sponsor that I got mine from recommended Random Tech cats. They told me they had much better results doing this than with the mac catted Y pipe.
Good luck
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 563
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Hi
I put Mac headers and cat y pipe on my car. It's a nice system and I got lots of new HP/torque. The system fits well.
However, if you do cats you will loose ground clearance. There is not much room on the drivers side for a cat regardless of the brand of headers/Y pipe you get. I hit my cat on speed bumps all the time and my car is stock ride hight. I am now thinking twice about lowering my car. But then I am fussy. Alot of people have cars lowered 1 1/2" with cats and do not complain.
Also, I could not bolt the tunnel brace back on and this is typical for almost any header system, except I think the Kooks.
If you are fussy about fit, I would think about a custom Y pipe. It will cost extra, but if you find a good mandril bender it will fit better then any over the counter system.
JA
I put Mac headers and cat y pipe on my car. It's a nice system and I got lots of new HP/torque. The system fits well.
However, if you do cats you will loose ground clearance. There is not much room on the drivers side for a cat regardless of the brand of headers/Y pipe you get. I hit my cat on speed bumps all the time and my car is stock ride hight. I am now thinking twice about lowering my car. But then I am fussy. Alot of people have cars lowered 1 1/2" with cats and do not complain.
Also, I could not bolt the tunnel brace back on and this is typical for almost any header system, except I think the Kooks.
If you are fussy about fit, I would think about a custom Y pipe. It will cost extra, but if you find a good mandril bender it will fit better then any over the counter system.
JA
I just got mine on this weekend. Fit and finish are outstanding IMO. They tuck up right next to the floor boards, but do not hit like I hear people say about the LT's. I used un-modded Mac's with Mac cats, and I put down more power than any knowledgeable person would have guessed with my mods. 
Great setup from my admitadly short experiance with them.
Great setup from my admitadly short experiance with them. 
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
Joined: May 2004
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From: Tree-Hugging, Bug eating CALI'
I had MACs and the fit was good, and quality seemed pretty nice. Thick flanges, welds were good, and the bends were nice. Ground clearance was good, and adjustment was great, with the ball/socket flanges. The install was a B!@ch though. Had to loosen motor mounts, and swing crossmembers around, and lift a valve cover, and blah blah blah. My QTPs went in WAY easier. With similar mods, I suspect I had about 10-15 more RWHP than my brother, similarly equipped. I think they are good for the price, but without cats', rasp like no ones business. I would' ve kept them if I didn' t have to take them off for a exhaust ticket 
If you want to save money, and get good all-around clearance, MACs should do you just fine
If you want to save money, and get good all-around clearance, MACs should do you just fine
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Teching In
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Music City
I put down 312 to the wheels with MACs, catted y, and a lid through stock SS exhaust in an A4. Not bad in my opinion. Fit is great, I have had them on and off many times from the top by removing the valve covers. Tunnel brace is not a problem if you through a couple washers between the brace and the floor board.
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My MACs went in easy from the top, had great clearance, no fitment probs, no banging and made great power. My advice is to NEVER use the MAC cats, clean up the welds a bit with a dremel, do "the collector mod" at some point and above all...buy a used set from somebody that is going to LTs. If I had stayed bolt-ons, I would have kept my MACs...
Originally Posted by Benjamin Russ
and above all...buy a used set from somebody that is going to LTs.
YUP!
Through 2 seperate sales I obtained the headers and an ORY pipe for a total of $250 shipped.
Not too shabby
