Header questions

[Z Ya Later]

So, I'm looking at picking up a set of headers for the Z (finally lol). I was gonna pick up a set of SLP's (set for the 93 was only $400 ...till they discontinued them ), but now I'm looking at either Pacesetter mids or Hooker tuned shorties/mids. So, my first question is...which would be better? The Pacesetters are cheaper, but the Hookers are tuned. Whichever I go with will probably not be the last set of headers I run.

My second question regards the hardware. Both kits come with gaskets, bolts, etc. It would be easier on my budget to just use the supplied hardware, but I was thinking about using ARP studs (outboard 1, 2, 7, 8)/bolts(all other holes) and Percy's dead-soft aluminum header gaskets (collector gaskets too if I get the Pacesetters). Does this sound like overkill or is the extra piece-of-mind worth the near $150 extra (depending on setup)?

Before the question is posed, I'm thinking of running studs on the outer 4 holes to make it easier to swap gaskets should the need arise. I would use all studs, but that might be more of a pain than its worth I would think for any maintenance. Any comments on this?

Thanks in advance everyone.

[Z Ya Later]

Nobody care to opine, hmmm?

[fastTa]

We already discussed the hardware and gaskets, but I think you won't find all that much difference in power increase between the Hookers and Pacesetters.

The Hookers may claim to have tuned length primary lengths, but most header manufacturers design their headers to make peak power at a certain RPM range which requires "tuning" the different primary lengths.

I like the merge collectors better on the Pacesetters.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

I don't think studs would make it easier to swap gaskets, and if you get good gaskets you shouldn't need to swap them. With bolts, you just back them out a little bit and take the middle ones off, then swap the gasket out and hang it on the end bolts or whichever ones the gaskets have hooks & not holes. The studs do a great job of holding the headers tight without messing up the threads on the heads, and they help with getting the headers on because you don't have any bolts to start, but they also stick out kind of far and you don't have much room to move the headers around, so it might be hard to get the header flanges over the studs.

I have ARP studs, and I had to grind off the nubs to get enough clearance for my headers to fit over the ends. Your's may be different. Also, I used head studs which stick up kind of far on the bottom row, and cause issues with getting the header gaskets on & off with the header studs in place (I use the Earls Pressuremaster aluminum framed gaskets with graphite inserts and they'r kind of bulky). A little bit of a hassle to work on, if necessary, but at the same time it has been maintenance free.

[Z Ya Later]

Thanks for the brain food so far guys. I'm leaning toward the Pacesetters as well. I've heard nothing but good things about them and they're about $200 cheaper.

Kevin, which headers are you running (pardon my ignorance )? The main things that was making me think of using 2 studs on each end were the ease of alignment and I can drop new gaskets in from above should I need to, as some (if not most) header gaskets are slotted on the ends for easier installation. Am I correct in this understanding? Or would it be a better idea to just use all bolts and do it the old-fashioned way?

Also, just to be clear, here's what I was thinking of doing. I wanted to use a stud on either end of the head (2 in total) for alignment and gasket-swap purposes. I would use a bolt for each of the other holes (4 in total) to hold the header to the head. So, if you're looking at the exhaust ports of the driver's side head, it would look like...

S #1 B B #3 #5 B B #7 S

Where S is a stud, B is a bolt and the # is the exhaust port (excuse the crude illustration lol). Make sense or just a waste of money?

Thanks for the help so far guys

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

Thanks for the brain food so far guys. I'm leaning toward the Pacesetters as well. I've heard nothing but good things about them and they're about $200 cheaper.

Kevin, which headers are you running (pardon my ignorance )? The main things that was making me think of using 2 studs on each end were the ease of alignment and I can drop new gaskets in from above should I need to, as some (if not most) header gaskets are slotted on the ends for easier installation. Am I correct in this understanding? Or would it be a better idea to just use all bolts and do it the old-fashioned way?

Also, just to be clear, here's what I was thinking of doing. I wanted to use a stud on either end of the head (2 in total) for alignment and gasket-swap purposes. I would use a bolt for each of the other holes (4 in total) to hold the header to the head. So, if you're looking at the exhaust ports of the driver's side head, it would look like...

S #1 B B #3 #5 B B #7 S

Where S is a stud, B is a bolt and the # is the exhaust port (excuse the crude illustration lol). Make sense or just a waste of money?

Thanks for the help so far guys

I have SLPs. And your idea will work just fine, but can't you also do that with bolts? Just back out the two on the end a couple turns and remove the others (unless they're too short to begin with)? That's what i used to do back in the olden days of cardboard gaskets. Also, be mindful of what I said about getting good gaskets & you won't having to be changing them anyway.

[Z Ya Later]

I have SLPs. And your idea will work just fine, but can't you also do that with bolts? Just back out the two on the end a couple turns and remove the others (unless they're too short to begin with)? That's what i used to do back in the olden days of cardboard gaskets. Also, be mindful of what I said about getting good gaskets & you won't having to be changing them anyway.

I'm still lookin' at getting Percy's dead-soft gaskets, so those should seal up well. I'm looking at ARP hardware, so if I used just bolts, it would be the 1" bolts that they offer. If you had it to do over again, would you still do the studs? Do you think it might be a little overboard in my case?