2nd best header? and a couple of unrelated questions

[Red97v6Bird]

1.)Alright i understand that kooks are accepted as being the best headers but man a grand for headers . . .
So not to sound cheap but what are the second best LT headers for and LT1 (emissions is not a concern)

2.) ^^speaking of emissions (sorry newb question). . What the heck is the AIR system and what does it do?

3.) the water pump on my car is toasted (it just started weaping and no i'm not driving it anymore) i've got just under 70k showing on the clock would it be worth the time/money to replace the Opti while i have the water pump off? or should i just wait until it goes?

As always thanks for the help guys

[ConElite]

I was not aware that the V6 models had an Opti like the LT1's? Oh just noticed u Have a WS6 too. Yeah If i was you I would change it out. Better now than later plus chances are its going to get wet when you change the water pump. All it takes is a little water and hello misfires and hesitations. lol

As for the headers, I would recommend pacesetters or something a little less $$$ and send them to Jet-Hot and have the coated. That will make them outlast your engine!

The Air pump from my understanding is a Pump system that from my understanding get the hot exhuast air and reindroduces it into the engine to help it warm up better. From my understanding is that the quicker the car gets hot, the quicker the Cats begin to filter the exhuast thus less pollution.

[Injuneer]

The AIR system doesn't introduce exhaust gasses to the engine. That is the EGR system. AIR on the 4th Gens runs for about 3 minutes at startup. It pumps filtered air into the exhaust manifolds. Since the engine is running rich for cold start, the extra air in the exhaust burns the excess fuel in the exhaust, and that generates extra heat to help the cats heat up faster. After the first 3 minutes, the AIR pump shuts off, and doesn't run again until the next time you start the engine. The pump is driven by an electric motor.

In the 3rd Gens, the AIR pump was belt driven, and ran all the time. On cold start up, it put air into the exhaust manifolds, just like the 4th Gens. But once the engine warmed up, the air flow was diverted to a connection on the catalytic converter. The air flowed into the 2nd (oxidizing) bed in the converter, and helped convert unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) to water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

EGR on the other hand, only operates when engine operating conditions would producethe pollutant "oxides of nitrogen" (NOx). As combustion chamber temperatures increase, NOx starts to form. By putting exhuast gas back into the cylinders, air/fuel mixture is displaced, reducing the heat produced during combustion. That reduces the combustion temperature, and helps minimize the NOx. EGR only operates at part throttle, and under 3,500 RPM, so it doesn't hurt WOT performance. Typically, you need EGR flow when lugging the engine at low RPM in the wrong gear. In that case, the EGR helps reduce the potential for detonation (knock).

[Joe 1320]

Don't forget that if you replace the manifolds with mid or long tube headers, be sure you are getting a new Y pipe as well. Shorties are the only thing that will work with the factory Y. And get Ceramic coating, it's the best investment you could make for your headers.

As far as the opti, that's a tough call. With 70K on the clock and the water pump being out, I would have a tendency to replace it and keep the original as a backup spare. You might need to have a known working opti in case yours fails at any point in the future.

Be sure to replace all the oil seals in the front cover any time you pull things out.

[1slo_camaro]

im running pacesetter mid-tube pipes. i absolutely love those things.

[Red97v6Bird]

So just to sum it up (and make sure i've got it right)

1.)Should i go with hookers, pacesetter, another option i'm not aware of . . or is it 6 one way half a dozen the other?

2.)If i'm getting rid of the cats i might as well get rid of the AIR system, really doesn't serve a purpose . .

3.)So the consesus is i should just replace the opti . . how dificult of a job am i getting in to, i'm pretty amature at this auto mechanic stuff. . .

[Injuneer]

If you don't have cats, you don't need AIR.

The question is, do you have to meet any emissions requirements? You will not pass a dyno or visual without cats. You will not pass a visual without AIR. If they only connect to the PCM to check for codes and the systems being "ready", you will need the PCM reprogrammed to eliminate codes and not set the "system not ready" flags, if you delete the cats and AIR.

[Red97v6Bird]

First of all thanks for all the replies

I have no emissions worries. So thats not an issue.

about the mids, if emissions isn't an issue aren't LT's better than mids?

from what i've read on other boards and what not it sounds like pacesetters are considered better than hookers super comps, sound right ?

[Injuneer]

What's "better" depends on the specific application. Long tube headers enhance low RPM torque. That makes them good for modified street cars, where you're most likely to be running in the "stoplight drags". For a totally stock setup, the larger primary tube diameter of the typical long tube (1.75") may cause an offset to the "tuning" gains of the longer primaries. Too large a primary diameter reduces the exhaust velocity in the primary, and reduces the gains from "scavenging".

I had a set of JBA 1-5/8" "shorties" on my engine whern it was still basically stock, and they provide great low end torque, but once the RPM went over 4,500 they really seemed to choke the engine.

But what is "better" for an engine that is used primarily for racing is a different story. In that case, you have to look at the specific RPM range of the engine while its racing. I saw (actually watched, as opposed to reading about it in a magazine) a dyno comparing the AS&M mids to a set of Hooker super comps, on a blown 383 LT1 making about 850HP. Over the range of RPM that engine used in a 1/4-mile, the AS&M'S produced about 50HP more than the Hookers. But, he changed the heads and cam, and changed the engine's RPM range (now in the 950HP range), and the Hookers then produced more HP than the AS&M's. He sold me the AS&M's for $175 and I've been running them ever since on my 800HP nitrous setup.

I did buy a set of Hookers, had the O2 bungs and an EGT bung welded on them, but so far have not installed them or dyno tested them.

When you do settle on a set of headers, make sure you get them cera-metallic (e.g. Jet Hot) coated. That coating offers a number of significant advantages over uncoated (even stainless steel) headers:

-reduces underhood temps, minimizing wire burning and heater box melting

-holds the heat inside the tube, increasing scavenging, for a small HP gain

-reduces corrosion and stress cracking at the welds.

-looks a lot better than rust

I have had the best luck with the coating from Airborn, and the HPC coating that came from the factory with the AS&M's. My second hand headers are now about 10 years old, and only starting to show the first signs of rust around the welds and weld spatter.

I think the PaceSetters are popular because they are cheap. I don't know that anyone has identified any significant performance difference between teh PaceSetters and the Hookers. Check out the Jet Hot website. They offer a variety of header brands, inculding their own copies of them, with the coating installed. I'm "iffy" on the Jet Hot quality control based on some corrosion problems that seemed to be more of an issue about 2 years ago. Jet Hot does stand by their guarantee, just a PITA to pull the headers off and send them back for recoating.

[Red97v6Bird]

Thanks for the reply Fred, and all the info

I definately plan on getting my headers coated.

My engine is basicaly going to be stock (maybe a couple years down the road cammed and ported) But my car is a summer daily driver and I like to play at stoplights now and then . . .

From everthing you've said it sounds like LTs are what I should go with. What headers would you recommend? I'm willing to pay more for quality, just trying to stay in the hundreds and not spend a grand on headers alone?

Again thanks for all the help everyone