I was on everythingG35 looking to order an exhaust for my G when I noticed the headers and realized, I really don't know what they do and if it's something I would want to consider... sorry I know, I am a total noob. Can anyone tell me more about headers, what they are, what they do, what kind of gains you would get from them and if they are something that should be considered for G35's? Thanks all

I'd be happy to explain. On most OEM exhaust systems the exhaust path starts at the manifold. This is bolted to the engine heads. Almost all OEM exhaust manifolds are designed with cost in mind. Each cylinder port is connected to a common pipe (collector) that flows straight out of the engine. The collector is the beginning of the exhaust path to the tailpipe (usually connected to a catalytic converter). The more bends in an exhaust system the more restrictive it is to flow.

This design is bad because the pulsing cylinders at the collector are disruptive to the total airflow. Headers solve this by providing a path for each exhaust port to a collector that is some distance from the engine, instead of directly bolted on. The pulsing is smoothed out from the change in flow design. Equal-length headers further improve flow because the pulses are not disruptive to each other when they all have an equal distance to travel.

A header install is difficult due to the close quarters in that part of the engine bay, the emissions gear, and spark plugs/wires all crowded for space. Sealing headers properly can be a nightmare if not done right.

The gains on a V6 are small, probably around 10-15HP at most. You’d be better off replacing from the catalytic converter-back, with a system that has performance in mind. This is usually done with wider pipes and a better muffler design. The install is much easier!

I’ve done a header install on my LT1 firebird and it was NOT fun. I’m not sure how the VQ35 is, but I’m sure it be equally bad due to the FM platform.

Wow, I totally understand headers some much better now, thank you so much. So in short, I should just stay with the exhaust upgrade. Sounds like alot more hassle than I want to deal with now. I was always intending on doing the exhaust, like either the Stillen Cat-back or the Borla(can't seem to decide on which one is better though.) But I had just saw them and was thinking if it would be worth installing them in conjunction with an exhaust system, I now know it's more than I want to deal with. Thanks

for their price compared to some other mods, that seems relatively cheap for 10-15 horspower gains though

am i wrong?

How much have you been quoted for the headers with ceramic coating, installed? And, is it CARB approved?

I'm not dealing with headers again...I'll just save for the supercharger