Hi all! First post on this site. My Camaro has been sitting in the garage for basically 2 years. Time to start having some fun with it again.

I am about to pull the trigger on some long tube OBX headers with the 3.5" collectors. Just wondering if anyone has installed these recently with a Y pipe? If so, what y pipe did you use?

I read through the whole 15 pages post on here about the OBX headers. Looked like someone had an LPP Y pipe mocked up pretty close.

Anyone think a Texas Speed LS Y pipe might work with some modification? The price isn't bad on that. Link here

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have not done a lot of checking locally but I cannot think of any local shop that would not just cobble something together.

 

Just my .02 here, but you could grab some pacestetters new from amazon for a good price and get their Y pipe with it, so no big hassle on getting it to fit. I just put my LT'S and ORY in and it fits great. Y pipe was a bit of a pain, but eh not to bad honestly.

 

3.5" collectors will make it alittle more difficult to get a Y. youd be better off fabing up your own. I posted a thread along time ago on my custom Y pipe with a high scaveging merge and it works great. A good set of pacesetters will probably fit alot better then the OBX

 

I got the offroad pacesetters, and they fit great honestly. No extra work to make them fit, just have to make sure you get the Y on far enough or it will rub when you put the trans back up in place. I have to fix mine still.

 

I got the OBX because my motor was out. I probably would of gone with pacesetters since they are gaurenteed a fitment (99% of the time). Since my motor and k member was out I could clearance anything I needed to with an ease.

That being said, I used a lpp y. I had to get 2 reducers for the 3.5-3". That sucked bwcause it lengthens the y which throws off the catback. Kind of a gaggle but with some modifying I got it to work out. If I was to do it again I would of cut off the ends to the y and welded the reducers to the ypipe.

After all that I could of done a custom y but I got it for free so I made it work. Also plan on some new header bolts the stock ones won't clearance some of the pipes.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions about them and I'll try to help.

 

I would make sure the y-pipe you use is stainless steel, but I'm **** like that.

 

This ^ ^ Use a Magnaflow or a Flowmaster Merge and you'll have something better than any "off the shelf" y-pipe.

If it were mine I would use: Two 3.5" to 3" cone shaped reducers into a dual 3" inlet to a single 3.5" outlet Y merge.

From there, I would have a 3.5" three bolt flange welded to the back of the Y so you can run a couple different set-ups. Either a single 3.5" bullet and a turn down....OR another 3.5" to 3" reducer into a normal 3" cat-back.

 

Cool thanks for the input guys! I think I will do a little more research on both brands of headers. From what I was reading it sounded like the stepped OBX headers actually fit quite well. I will research all the flanges and adapters for the 3.5 " collectors. I would kind of like to install two electric cutouts in the Y pipe and keep the 2OTL because I really like the sound. Planning on doing heads and cam in the future. I think if I can gather up all the proper components and a basic design figured out it might not be too bad for a shop to weld it up. If all that ends up looking like a huge pita II'll just do the pacesetters.

 

It looks like the LPP y-pipe fits pretty good. It would need reducers I think but that wouldnt be too difficult. Too bad they aren't available anywhere.

 

I'm installing a set obx headers right now as well. Had to clearance the steering knuckle on the driver side. The #8 primary on the passenger side hits the frame rail. I bought a stainless y-pipe on ebay for around a $100 that I'm going to make work.

 

Thanks for the input. Would definitely like to hear how everything turns out after your are finished. How bad is the interference with the frame rail on the passenger side? How are you planning to fix it?

 

here what i was thinking of ordering and then going to a good shop to custom make the y pipe.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/flo-y350400

 

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I thought I might be able to get a quick answer before making a whole new thread. I'm about to purchase some used Hooker Super Comp Long tubes for my LT1. I'm on a budget and really don't want to spend the $200+ for the Hooker Y-pipe. Are there any other cheap Y-pipes that would work?

 

I just took a hammer and dented the primary in. It didnt take much. Its in a spot where you will never see it.

 

Well just ordered the OBX headers. After doing a lot of reading, it sounded like any brand can have fitment issues. I figured I might as well go stainless and do it once. I found the thread from SoxXpupPeT on the Y pipe he built. Looks like a fun project. Gives me a good excuse to buy a basic welder and learn how to use it.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...ew-y-pipe.html

Anyone have a suggestion on an economical tool to cut the pipe sections with when I start working on my Y pipe. Would it be worth buying a cheap harbor freight chop saw?

 

Considering how cheap the knock off stainless headers are, I'm not sure why anyone would take any other route. I guess they aren't always readily available, but I think I would just wait.

 

I waited for over a year to find the right set, before beginning my build. Glad I did though

 

Just working on planning out my exhaust as I get time. My set of OBX headers came in last week. The really look nice. Can't wait to put them on.

Valkyn - I saw in the big OBX thread that you welded 3.5" V band flanges on to the ends of the headers.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/16066772-post202.html

I am definitely sold on V bands. Just wondering if it would be worth welding 3.5" to 3" reducers on the the headers and then welding 3" V band flanges on to the reducers. I was thinking this might save on some ground clearance by using the 3" flanges instead of the 3.5" flanges. Any opinions?

 

That would work fine but welding the mild steel adapters I used to the stainless headers would require a TIG welder with specific filler rod (i believe). If you're familiar with welding mild to stainless I say go for it. I didn't have access to a TIG when I did this so chose to go the way I did. Plus the collectors sit up so high the ground clearance loss is negligible.

I actually cut up a hooker Y-pipe to fit my OBX headers this weekend, it came out pretty well i think. Here's a few crappy cell phone pics of it.

 

Valkyn - nice work on the Y. The Hooker Y actually looks like a pretty decent design. Are the darker sections near the front of the pipes what you added?

Also what v band flanges did you use? Did you use stainless on the flanges on the headers and mild steel on the Y pipe?