high performance headers!

[N/A Q45]

I'm just about to get started on making headers for the Q (2"OD=1 7/8ths"ID mild steel) will be between 4-1 30"-26" long tube equal length headers with a 3"OD collector, heat wrapped as well. I am expecting these to give a very significant increase in power as I tell the stock ones hold the car back alot!
Is anyone else interested in a set? I could make more then one set just for my car, will have them done hopefully in a few weeks at the most so if anyone is interested let me know as it will be easier to fabricate them all at once while I still have the fitment car in my shop. Price would be 550 + shipping and any other cost attributed to the shipping such as at the boarder. Will have pictures of them when they are completed to show the build quality.

[Brew Q]

Go for it. From what I've read in other places (mostly VH swaps), the factory headers are junk...but leave it to a long time poster or 2 here to chime in and tell me I'm wrong.

I still say go for it and we need before and after 1/4 times!

[N/A Q45]

Go for it. From what I've read in other places (mostly VH swaps), the factory headers are junk...but leave it to a long time poster or 2 here to chime in and tell me I'm wrong.

I still say go for it and we need before and after 1/4 times!

I'm definitely going for it lol. Shorty, unequal length headers are all junk compared to proper length ones for the application.

Going to the 1/4 mile again this Friday night, I know the car has at least a 13.7 in it if I can get traction and keep it cool. But I expect the headers to get it into the low 13s or even high 12s from all the power it should gain across the whole power band.

[elwesso]

I'd definitely consider a set.. In order to do the 5 speed we had to cut the precat out and put a piece of straight pipe in. In my opinion, on both sides the first and second cylinder look nice, but the 3rd and 4th really start to become restricted. Hopefully whatever you came up with would work for my swap.

I would expect 20-30HP from headers, personally.

[N/A Q45]

I'd definitely consider a set.. In order to do the 5 speed we had to cut the precat out and put a piece of straight pipe in. In my opinion, on both sides the first and second cylinder look nice, but the 3rd and 4th really start to become restricted. Hopefully whatever you came up with would work for my swap.

I would expect 20-30HP from headers, personally.

Yeah I seen some shorty/ unequal length headers before but these are soo different with the variances between cylinders, it's no wonder the engines have such a short hp peak. I expect good hp gains around what you are saying but I expect the tq to be much greater throughout the entire power band. I was going to go 2"ID but that would be harder to fit and I don't want to give up lowend tq yet for a small gain of hp up top.

Wes if you could take a few pictures with some measurements of how close your clearance issues are then I might just be able to make them all so they will work 5sp or auto.



And after I get the headers on the car I'm going to be taking a good long trip to a dyno and see what she does.

[elwesso]

The major issue is clearing the starter on the passenger side, since the starter is now on the transmission versus the engine.



There's not much space between the starter and the exhaust...



Here's the drivers side

[N/A Q45]

The major issue is clearing the starter on the passenger side, since the starter is now on the transmission versus the engine.



There's not much space between the starter and the exhaust...



Here's the drivers side

Dam that is pretty tight but I've built around worse, I just need to see measurements from the frame rail to the starter from both ends of it if the measurements are not equal and length of the starter. I might have to make the headers longer if I cant fit the collector in there. + I have to account for the engine mounts movement, which I don't think is much correct?

[elwesso]

I think from the frame rail I have about 2" (probably 3 fingers, maybe a little more), and around the starter I probably have about 1/2" or less (about 1 finger)

[N/A Q45]

I think from the frame rail I have about 2" (probably 3 fingers, maybe a little more), and around the starter I probably have about 1/2" or less (about 1 finger)

Haha well I don't want to go by fingers wes-

But it sounds like that should be enough room to fit the collector.

Things might be so tight that soild engine mounts will have to be utilized unfortunately for some. Me personally, I'd rather soild mounts. I -know- it will be tight in the engine bay just don't know how tight yet but I will try to keep them a factory setup bolt on and might put a spot to run the egr if that someone requires that. And I'm not 100% set on the price but if it goes up it shouldn't be much, just looking into a cost effective way to get the proper size flanges.
The o2 sensors will be moved into the collector as anyone would hopefully already assume. So if using stock wired o2s there will more then likely have to be a extension made, which would be rather easy.

[Brew Q]

after the headers would a flex pipe be needed?

Very interested to see how they turn out and if they are bolt on would be awesome

[N/A Q45]

after the headers would a flex pipe be needed?

Very interested to see how they turn out and if they are bolt on would be awesome

You could use a flex pipe if you wish but I don't think it is needed. I never use one if I have to.

I'm going to try to make them bolt on and also so that you don't have to drop anything to instal them but that may be hard.

[Zer0_KooL]

These bad boys look awesome but unfortunately they're for S-Chasis, they go for $800 I believe. I'm interested so see how yours turn out as I plan to someday do a 5-spd swap.

[N/A Q45]

These bad boys look awesome but unfortunately they're for S-Chasis, they go for $800 I believe. I'm interested so see how yours turn out as I plan to someday do a 5-spd swap.

I can honestly say those are not as good as you think they are.
#1very sharp immediate turn after port, #2 tri-y, #3 unequal lengths..

But yeah the ones I'm going to be fabricating will be for the best possible flow and power. I'm just having trouble finding the dam flanges if anyone could point me in the direction to aquire them plz? I could just re-use the stock ones and port them out but then I would need headers to make headers..

[Brew Q]

I could just re-use the stock ones and port them out but then I would need headers to make headers..

plus the stock headers are heavy gauge stainless, unless you opt to build them completely out of stainless...

[Turbon8er]

http://www.mazworx.com/product/fabricat ... san/vh45de

Been wanting to do this myself, including a full bolt on exhaust system for the G50. Got the TIG welder finally.. about to get the gas tank... and NOW i'm about to move to CA, in the next month, so i'll have to put my entire fabrication of everything on hold until winter, since my car will stay in NC

[Turbon8er]

I could just re-use the stock ones and port them out but then I would need headers to make headers..

plus the stock headers are heavy gauge stainless, unless you opt to build them completely out of stainless...

you CAN weld mild steel to stainless steel, but it'll still rust unless you have it hi-temp coated. And i dont mean that 1500 degree paint.. that stuff eventually rusts through. Jet Hot or that white thermal coating would be best.

[N/A Q45]

Yeah I like mild steel because of the money savings, use the VHT high temperature paint and do it right then heat wrap it. That will last for a long time, the price savings is well worth it.

[Brew Q]

interesting... learn something new every day

I wonder if with the heat wrap that would also lower under hood temps and slow heat soak

[N/A Q45]

interesting... learn something new every day

I wonder if with the heat wrap that would also lower under hood temps and slow heat soak

Not trying to be a d!ck here.. but that is the whole point of the wrap

[elwesso]

I could just re-use the stock ones and port them out but then I would need headers to make headers..

plus the stock headers are heavy gauge stainless, unless you opt to build them completely out of stainless...

I don't think that's true. They may be aluminized steel, but I don't think they're stainless. There are some heat shields, but I believe they are all steel tubes.

[N/A Q45]

I think they are just a lower grade of stainless, they don't weld very easily compared to other stainless I have welded to and had no problem, it was a pian and took probably 2lbs of flux core wire to weld my exhaust onto the stock headers, if I had a torch it would have been easier but I still think they are stainless, I almost got the passenger side one off, just have to work around the dam oil stick tube!! That is by far the hardest part, unbolting them on the car was easy, now I think I have to undo the motor mounts and lift the engine up a bit to get around that dam dipstick tube-

When I get them off I will do the magnet test and take some pictures.

[Brew Q]

I've read a couple places that they are stainless, ah ha, found it: sijoko mentions they are thick stainless in his turbo build...
http://vh45det.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4

no offense taken N/A Q... I just meant compared to stock headers with heat shields, custom with heat wrap should lower temps.

[N/A Q45]

I've read a couple places that they are stainless, ah ha, found it: sijoko mentions they are thick stainless in his turbo build...
http://vh45det.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4

no offense taken N/A Q... I just meant compared to stock headers with heat shields, custom with heat wrap should lower temps.

Ah, yeah It should do a much better job of keeping things cooler under the hood. The stock heat shields do a pretty good job though.

[N/A Q45]

And can you say restriction?

[N/A Q45]

I can't believe I can get 0-60s in 5sec with how restricted the stock headers are. I got looking at the flang and the factory weld inside of it wasn't smooth, it sticks up and that alone would kill hp big time.

[Brew Q]

Nice, you're getting right at it.

Stockers look like cholesterol coated arteries!

Curious about aftermarket GM manifolds? say the 4.8 or 5.3 truck motor - curious how they compare.

Here's a nice looking set:

[N/A Q45]

Nice, you're getting right at it.

Stockers look like cholesterol coated arteries!

Curious about aftermarket GM manifolds? say the 4.8 or 5.3 truck motor - curious how they compare.

Here's a nice looking set:

I was looking around but I think one would have to do a lot of work to even try to make any other headers work.

As bad as the stock ones look though,, they must work okay for me to get 0-60s in 5.0sec

And I don't think I trust this app but it's probably a ball park hp rage. Either way I'm pretty sure I'm either at 400hp or just over with the stock headers.


Can't wait to see what this thing does with a proper set!

[maxnix]

Of course RSwicki already did this which is why his G50 was the fastest.

[N/A Q45]

Of course RSwicki already did this which is why his G50 was the fastest.

What numbers did he put down for 0-60 and the 1/4?

[Brew Q]

interesting hp calculator here, hp is in RWHP:

http://www.ajdesigner.com/fl_horsepower ... _speed.php

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index ... ic=56135.0

but with a trap of 101 and 4000 lbs, it shows = 322 rwhp. With 15% driveline loss, that's 378.82 at the crank...