will headers make more exhaust noise?? i know they make more HP, about how much on average?? will longer headers be louder?? i seen the bassani headers, the extreme curvy shape they have, would that be better?? give me ideas, and info u know about headers... thnx

 

I have shorties and i cant tell any difference in noise mainly just a different tone makes the truck seem a little more aggressive , not sure about hp gains or tq but both were gains. great a wot. Also they are pacesetter headers(4.6).

 

What kind of truck/ engine do you own? I have a set of Gibson shorties on my truck (5.4L), it is definately louder, not so much at idle, but noticeably at WOT. I didn't really notice too much torque, but the upper rpm power seemed a little higher, but that is due to the short-length primaries i think.

Where are you in the Bay Area? I live in Monterey, if you're close you can come by and hear it if you like.

 

Yes, the headers are a little bit louder, and you can feel them when you start the truck cold...you feel the exhaust pulsing, it's rather nice The exhaust pulsing is smoothed out, however it is louder overall but not much. It's not really the loudness, it's the exhaust note and sound of flow that is noticable. The place where the truck is louder, is standing in front of it...you hear the engine/exhaust more since the sound has nowhere to go except forward basically (granted this is at idle or stoplight or something).

HP gains are not very high and never have been especially with shorties on a N/A engine...the gain is torque and HP in the upper rpms and responsiveness. I'm still not fully done with my install so I can't tell you how they are on my new truck, but on my old 4.0L V6 Ranger, the truck performed DAY AND NIGHT different than before on the highway -- it just straight gets on it and goes. Average header gains are around 15-20HP and same torque, +/- 5.

Personally, some of the curviness can't be overcome in the header scenarios, but some seem to be too curvy in my opinion. The less bends and turns in exhaust routing usually the better...but depending on the application vehicle, there's not much you can do sometimes if you want headers, the only way for the headers to fit is a snakes nest of exhaust tubes.

 

Well put DevilSun that was a great overview. It is cool feeling it pulsate!

 

I guess when it's cold it pulsates, but I think it did that before anyway. My exhaust is dumped so it echos anyway. As for normal idle it isn't much louder IMO. My setup is very different from your 4L V6 ranger though. With the SC it doesn't sound deep even with the 40series flowmaster. My camaro is much much louser and deeper, my truck never sets of car alarms like my protege and my camaro. I duped the exhaust hoping it would give me that deeper rumble, but no dice. As far as my cars go it is the quietest of the three.

As far as the "curviness" it has nothing to do with fitting the headers in the desired application, it is called "equal length primaries." In theory the only way to get a properly tuned header is by making all runners of equal length, this stabilizes velocity and theoretically creates higher horsepower gains. Some cars have the clearance to fit equal length headers in the engine bay without wrapping the pipes around each other.

Below is a picture (the best I have right now) of my passenger side header installed (gibson shorty), and a picture of the header on my protege (not equal length), and one pic of the header from a sales page.

 

I have these...



Absolute PAIN to install, but OH SO nice... I agree, normal idle I don't hear much difference in mine, other than the exhaust pulsing is smoother and just has a TAD bit nicer note but when you get on it, it flows. None the less even with how much of a PAIN it was, I love it.

I hear ya about the sound...nothing I have now can compare to the loudness and alarm shattering sound my Roush Mustang I used to have had with it's side exhaust and "short" mufflers. I loved setting off car alarms with that. Not to mention scaring people...

 

I have a 02 with 4.6 and stock mufflers, and cats. straight pipe off of those, ran angled out the back, it sets alarms off all the time

 

Heck ya, i'd love to hear that bad-boy

My friend has a 03 Mach1 with factory manifolds and a Magnaflow "evol" catback exhaust, man that thing just screams... pretty crazy sound, not deep just LOUD!!!

Djbass, if all you want is sound take 02sport's setup as an example and take it one step further... Just cut the mufflers off, and leave the cats... that'll give you plenty of noise

 

Sorry I meant to write stock manifolds, I have no mufflers

 

devilsun you still havent finished installing them things??????????? lofreekinl man.

 

Haha, exx...don't get me started Nah, seriously I'm finishing them up this week...and it'll definitely be finished, and I'll have a nice writeup/post on here about all the fun I had installing them.

 

thanx for all your opinions... ill keep em in mind... if you guys got more ideas keep em comming...

 

lol yeah man definately do, probably save alotta folks from gettin in over their heads. Really be a good right up as headers are probably one of the more serious installs you can do and one that Im sure many do it yerselfers often wonder if its one they should tackle themselves. Im sure your previous posts already have enlightened many. Things are never as easy as they seem.