Which size headers? 1 5/8, 1 3/4 or 1 7/8??
Hi guys,
Just after some quick advice from those who have experience in this area. Im looking at getting some Xforce headers and cats for my VE SS Sportwagon. They'll bolt up to my HiTech 2.5" exhaust and ill do the install at home. The tune will be done by Dave at Silverwater Automotive, who has tuned some pretty serious cars ive owned before, and ive found his work to be of the highest quality.
Anyway, im pretty sure ill stop here in regards to mods; no cams or forced induction; its just got a VCM OTR. So what size headers should i go? Im leaning towards the 1 5/8 as the car has to be drivable and this diameter is more suited to these mods. What do you experienced guys reckon? Also, will the car be ok to drive an hour and a half from Gosford area to Silverwater after ive done the install, as it'll be untuned?
Ive looked a Pacemaker and the others, but ive decided to stick with Xforce, as they're thick walled stainless, bolt up to the factory position and i can get em for $1200 with hi flow cats. Id rather buy Australian, but cant justify it atm.
Anyway, thanks for any advice,
Shaun.
Right Foot Action
I was in this position at start of year and just bit the bullet and went the big ones, 1 7/8 size
Can't notice and power loss down low and is as easy to drive as ever pulling from low revs
Cammed & Eventualy Blown!
If your not planning any other mods get some ceramic coated 1 3/4 headers, id recommend pacemaker instead of xforce ones as there alot better quality, i went the 1 7/8 i noticed a little bit of loss down low not much but gained more up top, i now have a cam and its pretty awsome all around
Cheers
Who wants chowder?
Don't go any smaller than 1 3/4"
I'd also go pacemaker.
Pacies are the only way to go. 1 & 7/8s if you're going to cam/supercharge/turbocharge in the future. 1 & 3/4s if you plan to keep it bolt on only. 1 & 5/8s if you have no clue wtf is going on and just bought something because it was the cheapest you could find...Originally Posted by WogBoyz
Thankyou sir, your last insult just Snapped me out of purchasing the system I've been looking at with 1 5/8 headers.
Okay, thanks for the replies. 1 3/4 seems like the general consensus then. Any reason not to go the Xforce? I mean, has anyone actually experienced them cracking or had had first hand experience with their crapness?
What about driving before the tune? Will the CEL just come on and thats it?
Thanks,
Shaun.
In all seriousness, if you're now choosing the 1 & 3/4 over the 1 & 5/8s, you're making the right choice. The 6L are a big engine and can handle big primary pipes. Go 1 & 3/4s as a minimum. I noticed in your ride section, you own a omega? Is this the car you're putting extractors on? If so, 1 & 5/8s is plenty for the 3.6L. Dont go any bigger. I was referring to the 6.0L only.
Xforce have shown less power than pacemakers across all primary and secondary pipe sizing. As they are roughly the same price, pacemaker (a dedicated extractor company) make a better product. Xforce will still make more power than stock, and probably be fine in the long run, they're just a lower quality design.
And yes, the CEL will come on, but other than that, you'll have no dramas driving around without a tune.
Ill have another look at Pacemakers. If i can get ceramic coated ones for the same price, ill go with them. They'll be longer than the standard headers with the cats wont they? So theyll require modifying the exhaust to bolt up?
Shaun.
Who wants chowder?
4 in 1 tuned length headers will shift the cats along a bit so depending on your exhaust set up it'll probably need modifying.
Soon to be Harrop charged
4 into 1's move the cats back further and would need modding, but try-y extractors will bolt up in factory position.
I'll be going these Best Mufflers the Muffler and Exhaust Specialists when I buy a set
Soon to be Harrop charged
Ok that link works on my browser but not on here. They are ph5377 type that in on the search on the link
Brad
Nah that's my old ride, got a Calais V 6lt now. Cheers for the guidance mate
Got a Link??
go on the ls1 forums the x force made more power than pacemaker and difilippos and heaps of people have done great times with these they might not be as well made as the others but there cheaper
Got a couple:
Australian LS1 and Holden Forums
Australian LS1 and Holden Forums
If you cbf reading through the whole threads:
Titanium:
XForce = Stainless Steel
Pacemakers = Mild Steel + Coating (Optional)
Not comparing apples with apples.
As I discovered, XForce sent an email (to me) stating that the 1 3/4 and 1 5/8 headers make the same power.
When I switched from 1 5/8 XForce to 1 3/4 Pacemakers Longs I gained 7.5 RWKW and had a much less aggressive tune with the Pacemakers to make more power. That is with MY current set up.
The XForce scores higher on my "blingometer" but the Pacemakers delivered better power with a less aggressive tune.
IMO The XForce are good for Tune, CAI, Full zorst up to 280 ish RWKW on a good honest dyno. They run out of flow once you throw a cam at them, I suspect this is because of the small cats and the rapid merge from the 4 > 1 > cats.
As far as I'm aware (and i'm not an expert on any of these topics), for the minimal difference in cost, the pacemakers seem to make slightly better power. It's most likely due to the small cats that you have to mate up to the Xforce headers. The Pacies allow you to fit bigger ballisitic cats. Not to mention all the trouble xforce have had with their cats sh!tting themselves.
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