pacesetter headers
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Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Atco N.J. (By the racetrack)
pacesetter headers I am curious about the pacesetter headers and what kind of gains people got out of them. I see that people complain about them rusting but i dont drive the car in the rain and i would get them coated. I am a big believer in the saying you get what you pay for so i would like some feed back
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 406
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From: STL
I can't comment on the gains as I bought my car 4 months ago with them pre-installed but I can tell you that mine aren't anything to look at. They're not coated. And I'm guessing that what I have are pacesetters as I was unable to find branding of any kind on them. I'm assuming that a more prominant manufacturer like a Kooks, SLP, or American Racing would have branding that I would have no trouble finding. If you don't have headers on your car I'm assuming your car is mostly stock and unless you plan on making serious power the pacesetters should get the job done. They sound great and perform over the stock manifolds so no harm done in getting them over Kooks. I have them flowing into my catless mids and Flowmasters and I love the sound. Hope that helps your decision.
And I'm guessing that what I have are pacesetters as I was unable to find branding of any kind on them. I'm assuming that a more prominant manufacturer like a Kooks, SLP, or American Racing would have branding that I would have no trouble finding.
To the OP, you should get 15-20rwhp without tuning. Yeah they're not as long or as big as some other headers, but they are still a huge improvement over stock.
Something to keep in mind is that it isn't necessarily rain that causes them to rust. They run 1,000 degrees so water doesn't sit on them. Combustion condensation, just like an exhaust, can rust them just as easily. If you're going to keep the car a few years Pacesetters are OK. If you're going to keep it longer stainless headers are what you want.
cant really say how much of an increase in rwhp they give, because i never dynoed my 05 m6 till after i installed the pacesetters, BUT on a bone stock motor except for the headers, k&n cai and a boxed diablo tune it went 368rwhp on a dyno that had another 05 m6 (unmodded) go 299rwhp 2 days earlier. the second dyno i put it on was supposed to be really conservative and it when 376 rwhp. ive seen claims of 30 rwhp gains with the pacesetters and i am inclined to beleave it. 
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 406
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From: STL
Decided to go out and check again for some branding the other day when installing my '06 tails and found nothing. I checked both headers near the head...nothing, and I've had it on my lift when changing the oil and found nothing. Any idea what this means? Custom headers?
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Look on ls1gto in the exhaust section.
Maryland speed actually did a test between alot of the brands of headers as well as going over the different designs.
I'm with Svede though, unless they are coated inside and out, they're going to rust from the inside out just because of the result of the combustion process. Think of when you see an old truck bed. It will have rust holes in it even though its coated on the outside.
Spend the extra few hundred and don't worry about having problems, as well as maybe, a few extra ponies. Mine went from 353 to 389 after the LT/exhaust/tune. And my headers, (march will be 2 years) still look almost new. Jethot 2000* coating.
Maryland speed actually did a test between alot of the brands of headers as well as going over the different designs.
I'm with Svede though, unless they are coated inside and out, they're going to rust from the inside out just because of the result of the combustion process. Think of when you see an old truck bed. It will have rust holes in it even though its coated on the outside.
Spend the extra few hundred and don't worry about having problems, as well as maybe, a few extra ponies. Mine went from 353 to 389 after the LT/exhaust/tune. And my headers, (march will be 2 years) still look almost new. Jethot 2000* coating.
12 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 24
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From: Stafford, TX
Kooks or ARH > Pacesetters anyday. Pacesetters are made of mild steel which will rust eventually as previously stated. Only a few hundred more for a top notch quality stainless header which will net a handful more ponies and look much nicer if you keep your car more than a couple of years.
I have them, they are great IMO. Would I trade them for Kooks? Sure if I didn't have to do the labor. They made a huge difference with tuning. The car runs strong, and if I could get my 60' down, I would be very low 12's. Reason I got them, was because there have been a few member's (one who is trapping 135mph in the 1/4) that have had them for a while with no problems. Only time will tell, but so far mine still look great on the outside. I just got the Ceramic coated one's
