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Headers or CAI first?

A

AR15 guy

New member
I did have enough money for both but lets just say I do not anymore lol. I am debating on which I want first. I am actually leaning towards the headers because I know it will be easier for me to come up with an extra 250 bucks compared to 500.

Will I notice a nice power increase with coated pace setter headers with no cat or u bend? I know headers made a huge difference on my lt1 z28 but we aren't comparing apples to apples here.
 


AR15 guy said:
I did have enough money for both but lets just say I do not anymore lol. I am debating on which I want first. I am actually leaning towards the headers because I know it will be easier for me to come up with an extra 250 bucks compared to 500.

Will I notice a nice power increase with coated pace setter headers with no cat or u bend? I know headers made a huge difference on my lt1 z28 but we aren't comparing apples to apples here.
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Anything less than WOT you will likely find a loss of lowend torque after adding headers without any other performance mods. You may alos notice a decrease in fuel economy with the loss of lowend tq.
 
You first need to figure out how far you want to mod your car. Maybe you can just get away with PEMs or rear pem and a front plog. I am sure you could mod down to a 3.3" or even lower on just a rear pem and a front plog.
 
Looks like the plog, pem and down pipe would cost more than headers would. I was thinking about doing headers, cai, 3.4 and custom tune before summer is over.
 


I have never priced it all out but you can pick up a used dp and a used plog. If it were me I would skip the rear pem and just keep a stock one. I am not trying to tell you which way to go. Just throwing some options out there. IIRC I picked up my used togs I used to have for under $500 shipped and that included the dp.
 
A stock rear manifold and a powerlog is a good combination. The difference between a rear PEM as stock is so small it's not worth the time or money. CAI is never a bad idea. As far as pulley goes, a 3.5 or 3.6 may be more appropriate. A 3.4 can be a little much on a car with limited mods. A car with a 3.6 and a proper tune (correct AFR and upped timing) will be faster than a 3.4 that has to run reduced timing or a rich AFR to kill KR.:)
 
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AR15 guy said:
Looks like the plog, pem and down pipe would cost more than headers would. I was thinking about doing headers, cai, 3.4 and custom tune before summer is over.
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They cost more than pacesetters, which are complete pieces of sh*t. If you are going to do headers at least go with S&S, they cost more but you pay for what you get. Pacesetters have be welded or there are a few other problem solving solutions on here. But the extra money is well spent IMHO.
 


i have a question. everyone says that you lose some low end torque with the pacesetters. okay, under full throttle im gonna gain some performance tho right?? i have a set that has been waiting to go on and well now im kinda curious about it.
 
I found the ones he was talking about. They looks pretty good. With a down pipe could I run a 3.5? Should I get a 2.5'' or 3''? It will be catless.
 
Headers do not require a DP, it is built into them. If you do a DIY FWI/CAI, 180 tstat, autolite 605's you might be able to do a 3.5; but not unless you or someone you know has a scanner. The stock would be crap for that pulley as wel so you would need a tune/new pcm for the smaller pulley.
 
blowfishRus6 said:
i have a question. everyone says that you lose some low end torque with the pacesetters. okay, under full throttle im gonna gain some performance tho right?? i have a set that has been waiting to go on and well now im kinda curious about it.
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This also really depends on what other mods you have, if you plan to do a pulley drop with the switch, etc. You will have a low end torque drop with installation of any and all headers, doesn't matter what brand. There is just a larger drop between those and say S&S or SLP headers due to larger primaries. If you have the headers already I would say it isn't worth trying to find another set just get them on and make sure they seal properly Wanted to make sure to put that in bold because they have sealing issues, normally rectified by welding.

Edit for spelling
 
04monte said:
Headers do not require a DP, it is built into them. If you do a DIY FWI/CAI, 180 tstat, autolite 605's you might be able to do a 3.5; but not unless you or someone you know has a scanner. The stock would be crap for that pulley as wel so you would need a tune/new pcm for the smaller pulley.
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TOG Headers don't have a DP. That was a separate purchase.
 


04monte said:
This also really depends on what other mods you have, if you plan to do a pulley drop with the switch, etc. You will have a low end torque drop with installation of any and all headers, doesn't matter what brand. There is just a larger drop between those and say S&S or SLP headers due to larger primaries. If you have the headers already I would say it isn't worth trying to find another set just get them on and make sure they seal properly Wanted to make sure to put that in bold because they have sealing issues, normally rectified by welding.

Edit for spelling
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okay i see. but under full throttle its gonna help me out tho right?? i would think so. and yea i heard about there sealing problems, someone on here mentioned some clamps that work pretty well so im gonna check into that. all i have right now is an intake and a tune up, plugs and wires. i was wondering if it would do me more damage to put them on right now??
 
Don't waste your time on PEMs or power logs... Get headers or don't get anything at all. Been there, done that. Do it right the first time period.

As for losing low end w/ headers... don't tell my car that. I got a simple rocker motor w/ TOGs, 3" exh (no cat, no res), 2.25" Y, stock mufflers... and I have yet to see a decrease in low end. And thats comparing MANY MANY exhaust setups on this car.... stock exhaust, 3" DP w/ cat + stock cat-back, 3" DP w/o cat + stock catback, 3" DP w/o cat + stock catback minus the res, PEMs 3" exh (no cat, no res) 2.25" Y and Turbo mufflers etc etc. I've had many exhaust setups on this car. Not to mention having cutouts and still no loosing low end.

My car has more low end now than it ever did, and thats before the gear/stall swap. Even more so now! LOL!

Get Headers or go home, period. Your spending about the same amount of money, why halfass it and have to start over again later when they become a restriction? Headers won't be a restriction ever.

Headers FTW! Happy modding :-)
 
Talk to Pacesetter owners, most of them claim no noticable low end loss. I doubt there would be much either. The biggest issue with the Pacesetter headers is going to be sealing them and thats where a welder will come in handy...
 
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