Headers/Extractors

[87RB30VL]

Are they really worth it on an NA with stock cat back, or is it mandatory to have a non-stock catback with headers?

Just wondering cos' I'm wanting/going to buy some headers for $250 delivered off ebay & want to know if I will get any power gain (doesn't have to be big, any gain is good gain) or sound as my car sounds more like a loud suction of air than a muscly aussie car lol.

Also, these are the ones I was looking at, and are they exactly the same as eachother, just different coats? Just that one says "big bore primary's" and the other doesn't

Black ones

Big Bore Primary's ones

I'm thinking the Silver ones (2nd link) as they are heat protected, though my mate can get me good rates on getting stuff dipped in whats-it-called, I can't remember lol the really good anti heat stuff that's all shiny and silver

[detox_nath83]

minimal gains on an N/A without other things being upgraded as in head work/cam/etc etc your call really..
generally they r painted with a ceramic coating

[Munz]

definatly go with the Heat proof coated ones

[87RB30VL]

Purchased the one with the coating, cheers guys. My mate's brother has opened up a mech shop and is looking at doing performance work on people's engines to get their name out so I might be able to get some really cheap work done to my head soon to give the extractors a bit more work to do

[VT-565]

Neither of those items are ceramic coated.

They are of similar design and as stated, just those on their own on an N/A application will not yield big results unless there is something drastically wrong with the exhaust manifold you have on your car already.

[87RB30VL]

Tbh I haven't checked the manifold, or even taken the cover off, but it's the stock one from 87' & as far as I know it works alright, dunno' what condition it's in though

[Tree cutter]

You will get a small gain in power by fitting extractors. The main advantage will be that you wont break manifold studs off in the head with extractors. The original exhaust manifold does not match the ports on the head very well because they block off the ports a bit where the manifold studs go.

[87RB30VL]

Is there noticable change in exhaust tone with Extractors? Also, everyone's telling me to spray the crap out of the studs at least overnight before trying to remove them, would innox be acceptable or should I go crazy penetration lube style?

[jatsvl]

everyone is right mate, inox, wd40 and the like will all work, I suggest you replace all the studs but if you are on a budget just have at least three available because you will no doubt break the rear two when removing them, this is the problem you will come across with the stock exhaust manifold. you also need to consider how you will remove the broken ones before you start the job, because it is the rear 2 that are most likely to break , of course they are the hardest ones to get too.
as for your TONE it sounds slightly deeper and TINNIER (if that is a word) however if you have a cat back 2 1/4 inch ( which by the way is the biggest you will want to go on a NA rb30) then the drone will cover the tinny sound.
as has been stated above the only advantage of extractors is; approx 3-5kws of power, no more broken studs and the engine will run alot cooler. and I repeat do not go above 2 1/4 inch exhaust on an NA RB30 because you WILL LOSE POWER.
good luck! and keep us posted.

[87RB30VL]

I'm probably getting the guys at my local exhaust shop to fit it for me, but i'll soak the nuts first, that way if they break any studs it's their fault and they have to sort it! Yeah i'd never go above 2 1/4 anyway unless I had a turbo or heaps more power etc etc

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I'm probably getting the guys at my local exhaust shop to fit it for me, but i'll soak the nuts first, that way if they break any studs it's their fault and they have to sort it! Yeah i'd never go above 2 1/4 anyway unless I had a turbo or heaps more power etc etc

No it's not. VL's are notorious for breaking studs because of the design of the manifold. Sometimes they are even broken before the manifold is touched.

If the exhaust shop knows anything about VL's, they will tell you beforehand about the stud problems and will warn you about the cost. They will also replace every stud.

[walesy]

id just do it myself if i were you mate, i left mine to soak overnight because of previous VLs i owned and had broken studs before, i was lucky this time and didnt break any but still replaced them all with brand new ones, its not all that expensive to buy new ones

[Munz]

I broke 5 studs so I was off to Fat Pipes so Les could retrieve them @ $30 bucks each CRAP

[87RB30VL]

I rung around today to various shops but no one sold studs, only gaskets so I guess i'll just have to buy the studs from the exhaust shop who was going to fit them? The gasket I can get easy. How much are a set of studs?

Hmm I guess if they are notorious for breaking studs & if they warn me, that'll suck if some broke, but another reason I wanted a shop to do it was because I don't have a torque wrench, though Supercheap sell them I think?

[87RB30VL]

They arrived today:

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Use Toyota flange studs and nuts, the thread in the head is 10 x 1.25. When fitting extractors, you don't need the genuine long studs.

[87RB30VL]

Use Toyota flange studs and nuts, the thread in the head is 10 x 1.25. When fitting extractors, you don't need the genuine long studs.

Ah so they will just fit as normal? I was also told it's a pain to line up the stud holes with the extractor holes?

[detox_nath83]

meh... when i was changing my stocker exhaust to extractors from my old vl i soaked all studs on both cars for about 2 days beforehand. extractors unbolted and removed (no broken studs) then stock manifold off new vl and (no broken studs) i was lucky i guess.. but they r notorious to breaking... the rear ones :P then use an easyout... then u break an easy out in there and ur "KAPUT" good ur getting an exhaust shop to do it coz busted studs r a pain if they r flush with the head.

Extractors look alright.. depending on the maker etc they should line up fine. mine did...:P

or u hang off till u get a turbo manifold and boompa.."UPGRADE" new exhaust again 3" but u have already recieved them so goodluck man and enjoy a nicer note

[87RB30VL]

Lol yeah it was only $250 anyway so if I end up turboing this VL I can always keep them without being too bummed (I won $380 at the pokies the other night so the extractors were pretty much free haha) but yeah i'd rather have them break studs and pull them out rather than me break them and have no idea/tools to get them out lol.

The brand of mine, well, the eBay shop, was Max Performance Headers or something like that, never heard of them lol I was hoping for Pacemakers but they cost too much, i'd rather save my money and go turbo than buy pacemakers haha

[87RB30VL]

Fitted:

[detox_nath83]

nice man and what u think?? like the note

[jatsvl]

they look great,
and that has to be one of the best CAS plug covers I have ever seen! I can't believe DetoxNath did't notice that?
also, I hope they are spring washers.

[87RB30VL]

Cheers guys, yeah I like the rougher tone towards the rear end, though at the moment I dunno what's up, but when I accelerate, I hear a tone that's like the cat has seperated from the header flange :/ I'll have to see if anything's come loose, cos' it wasn't like that when it was first done lol it sounds like, really deep, as if something is vibrating/slightly rattling under the car

[detox_nath83]

haha good on ya Justo.... yeah man mine is black Tape lol:P

[87RB30VL]

Lol tape ftw, adds 10HP :P

Seems the noise the exhaust was making is gone now :/ probably blew the insides of my cat out the arse end lol