Does my dad speak the truth?
Does my dad speak the truth? I want to put in a cam and add headers while rebuilding my motor. Well my dad is saying that if i put headers on i will have issues with:
1. Ground clearance since i plan to lower the car 1.8IN
2. Will have to tighten my bolts once a week cause headers rattle themselvs loose
3. There is no difference in LT's and shorties
4. LT's dont off but more than 10-15 HP and ONLY equal length LT's will produce noticable power
5. The shorties bolt directly up where as LT's need a new catted Y
These are some questions i would like answered because i have never head about these issues except for #'s 1, and 5. If i dont put headers on the car then the car wont be cammed and i will feel that the grand im about to drop on this motor rebuild will be a complete waste of money and time. Since, I figured, why not just do all these mods ahile i have her apart?
Can yall offer any advice to convince my dad and i wont feel so bad about it IF i do it. He isnt saying i'm not aloud to do the mods, he just doesnt think they're wise ideas. I turn 18 in a week and he is a car guy so i dont understand why he is this way.
1. Ground clearance since i plan to lower the car 1.8IN
2. Will have to tighten my bolts once a week cause headers rattle themselvs loose
3. There is no difference in LT's and shorties
4. LT's dont off but more than 10-15 HP and ONLY equal length LT's will produce noticable power
5. The shorties bolt directly up where as LT's need a new catted Y
These are some questions i would like answered because i have never head about these issues except for #'s 1, and 5. If i dont put headers on the car then the car wont be cammed and i will feel that the grand im about to drop on this motor rebuild will be a complete waste of money and time. Since, I figured, why not just do all these mods ahile i have her apart?
Can yall offer any advice to convince my dad and i wont feel so bad about it IF i do it. He isnt saying i'm not aloud to do the mods, he just doesnt think they're wise ideas. I turn 18 in a week and he is a car guy so i dont understand why he is this way.
1: ground clearance varies by brand. some are actually HIGHER than the factory Y. i do not have a lowered car though, so i cant offer my opinion there.
2: nope.
3: depends on the year. the 01-02 exhaust manifolds were redesigned and dyno close to most mid-length headers. on an 01-02, you will only see gains with LT's. only CA people buy shorties because they have emissions ***** there.
4: LT's alter your A/F to a pretty large degree... you really need a tune to take advantage of them to their fullest. i gained 30hp after getting a tune after my LT install.
5: the stock cats/y-pipe would need to have the same flange size as the shorties. if you are spending the money on headers, i'd assume you'd already have an aftermarket cat-back and wouldnt be using the 2.5" stock exhaust anymore, so why restrict it with the stock cats/y-pipe
2: nope.
3: depends on the year. the 01-02 exhaust manifolds were redesigned and dyno close to most mid-length headers. on an 01-02, you will only see gains with LT's. only CA people buy shorties because they have emissions ***** there.
4: LT's alter your A/F to a pretty large degree... you really need a tune to take advantage of them to their fullest. i gained 30hp after getting a tune after my LT install.
5: the stock cats/y-pipe would need to have the same flange size as the shorties. if you are spending the money on headers, i'd assume you'd already have an aftermarket cat-back and wouldnt be using the 2.5" stock exhaust anymore, so why restrict it with the stock cats/y-pipe
Well, you gotta tighten you bolts allot when you gave crappy *** bolts and paper gaskets, my copper gaskets with good bolts have only been installes and checked once, my collectors are a different story.
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I know where your dad is coming from ... I lived in the 70s ... 
I've had headers on numerous cars over the years and they used to be a real PITA. I had a set of Hedmen headers on a 73 Torino 351C and they constantly had exhaust leaks.
2 things he should consider ...
1 - motor balance has come a LONG way. They just don't have the cyclic vibration that motors had 30 years ago. It's why a motor today will go 150K+ without an issue. In the 70s, a 100K motor was worn out.
2 - header tech. The first thing I noticed on my old set of FLPs was the thickness of the header flange. My old Hedmens were maybe 1/8" thick plate which would warp and contort after numerous heat cycles.
I've had headers on numerous cars over the years and they used to be a real PITA. I had a set of Hedmen headers on a 73 Torino 351C and they constantly had exhaust leaks.
2 things he should consider ...
1 - motor balance has come a LONG way. They just don't have the cyclic vibration that motors had 30 years ago. It's why a motor today will go 150K+ without an issue. In the 70s, a 100K motor was worn out.
2 - header tech. The first thing I noticed on my old set of FLPs was the thickness of the header flange. My old Hedmens were maybe 1/8" thick plate which would warp and contort after numerous heat cycles.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Lewisville, Texas
I'm old school just like Mitch and your dad. What your dad doesn't understand yet is that the LS1 isn't old school, like Mitch said alot of the problems we had with hot rods back in the day don't apply to the LS1, technology has come along way sine the 60's and 70's. Keep talking to him on a one to one level and let him see what effect mods actually have on these cars and I bet he comes around, he might not tell you that but you will see him start to change his thoughts about it. Good luck.
Jesus, why does this sound familiar. My dad is the same way. He doesn't understand the technology on these engines and what they are capable of. He says I just need a "cam and gears" to go fast. 
Well, he's almost there, I stressed to him the importance of longtube headers and the effect they have on aftermarket camshafts and what not. He is stuck in the 60's and 70's as far as technology goes and has built/raced several SBC and BBC engines, even a few Ford engines as well.
I am, slowly starting to get him to come around. He did a cam and lifter install on my brothers LT1 T/A about a year ago and was surprised how much just a cam helped that car. Now my brother is getting a mail order tune and wants to do headers next.
Well, he's almost there, I stressed to him the importance of longtube headers and the effect they have on aftermarket camshafts and what not. He is stuck in the 60's and 70's as far as technology goes and has built/raced several SBC and BBC engines, even a few Ford engines as well.I am, slowly starting to get him to come around. He did a cam and lifter install on my brothers LT1 T/A about a year ago and was surprised how much just a cam helped that car. Now my brother is getting a mail order tune and wants to do headers next.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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I have stainless works LT's and ground clearence is just as good as stock, maybe even better. But, that is with a 2 1/2 y-pipe, i don't know if you're turned off by that. My car put down numbers is sig with mods in sig(y-pipe is catted),and those were without a tune.
He's is right on #1
He's dead wrong on 2,3,4
He's at least half right on 5 (you obviously will need a new Y for LTs). Not sure about shorties bolting right up to existing exhaust without some modification. I doubt it.
As someone pointed out, he's working off old school rules, although I don't think shorties EVER made as much power as an LTs.
He's dead wrong on 2,3,4
He's at least half right on 5 (you obviously will need a new Y for LTs). Not sure about shorties bolting right up to existing exhaust without some modification. I doubt it.
As someone pointed out, he's working off old school rules, although I don't think shorties EVER made as much power as an LTs.
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Joined: May 2006
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From: G-Vine, TX
Don't wanna jack your thread but whats better/the difference between the Ypipe and goin true duels and Xpipe? does one offer better sound over the other or more Power over the other? I hear about both just wanna see what you guy's opinion is on the Y and X pipes.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Originally Posted by crsmetal
Don't wanna jack your thread but whats better/the difference between the Ypipe and goin true duels and Xpipe? does one offer better sound over the other or more Power over the other? I hear about both just wanna see what you guy's opinion is on the Y and X pipes.