header questions??

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 10:33 AM

ok now i have a bone stock 99z28 auto..i wana get some headers..only headers and ill take it to a shop to get my cutom dual exhaust..i dont want cats because i work at a test only smog station and on my way of getin my lisence..neways bac to headers..now what is the difference btw emission headers and no emission and how will it work with no o2 and no cats and o2 without cats..from my view both will make the car run rich and both arent good because the computer will alays be confused because its not meant to run that way wich will lead to problems down the road..now i might be compleatly wrong so leave some feedbac please...

**Zboner** · 09-03-2005, 10:37 AM

you can have that tuned out, find someone that works on f bodies and have them tune all that shit out and get rid of the smog equipment also, get STAINLESS STEEL headers, KOOKS, can be found for about $800 its worth it man, they never ever rust never any problems with them at all. its the right way to go man

**keliente** · 09-03-2005, 11:27 AM

If you want to pay $800 for headers then that's your business, but it doesn't mean it's the best brand out there. They are all basically the same thing...you can get pacesetters/hookers/flowtechs for half the price. I have pacesetters and they fit awesome and the coating has a lifetime warranty...you can also have them coated by a local shop if you'd like. The only way I would spend $800 on a set of headers would be if the car was only a show car and nothing else...since half of the headers won't be seen from the top anyway why worry about what it looks like, as long as it's not totally shitty? Your $$ though.

As far as emissions headers/non emissions...Emissions headers will have tubes welded on them for you to connect your EGR & AIR systems to, non-emissions don't. If you don't care about having cats then you probably don't care about other emissions equipment either so you can just delete it. I ripped all my stuff out a few months ago just to have more room in the engine bay. I took care of any computer problems with tunercats software. I don't ever have SES lights, and if you were to hook my car up to an inspection machine, it would show the rear 02s/EGR/AIR as 'ready'. It's important not to just delete the codes or pull the MIL bulbs because you can still fail inspectiop like that if the codes aren't moved correctly.

After headers it's a good idea to get tuned anyway to help you get the maximum gain for your car.

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 11:56 AM

dats some good info..yea i wouldnt wana spend no 800$ on no headers either..but a shop can move the codes for me hopefully because im not sure if dats possible because if i hook it up 2 the obd2 it will give me all the trouble codes..now if i disconect everything how is it possible for the computer to read it as functional when it is not even there..neways even if dat is duable and i do get it tuned up..u think there would be a chance of me passin..i tested a few 5.0 on the dyno with no cats and some passed the test with no problem but sum had nochance..but these cars are not obd2 only 96 an up so there is some differenc

**Zboner** · 09-03-2005, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Irman393

dats some good info..yea i wouldnt wana spend no 800$ on no headers either..but a shop can move the codes for me hopefully because im not sure if dats possible because if i hook it up 2 the obd2 it will give me all the trouble codes..now if i disconect everything how is it possible for the computer to read it as functional when it is not even there..neways even if dat is duable and i do get it tuned up..u think there would be a chance of me passin..i tested a few 5.0 on the dyno with no cats and some passed the test with no problem but sum had nochance..but these cars are not obd2 only 96 an up so there is some differenc

the computer on LS1's learns pretty quick when you change things on it, you may or may not pass man. thats a good question

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 12:03 PM

yea because if da computer is not ready for any reason it will fail the test..dats what i hate about 96 an up cars..i cant jus pass it the computer decides

another question..how does a car finetune its self without a o2 sensor???

**Zboner** · 09-03-2005, 12:09 PM

well if you decide to get headers w/o the O2's then take it to a speed shop, and get the entire car tuned. tell them to take all the emmissions crap off and to delete it from the PCM. that should take car of it i beleive. and it will run like normal and you should have no problems.

silverws6 · 09-03-2005, 01:46 PM

i removed the rear o2s when i instlled headers on my 02WS6. I then sent my PCM into Jesse @ wait4meperformace.com for a tune. and he took care of everything. its was a very reasonable price too, $75. it only took four days to ship it out and recive it back at my house. car runs perfect, he also did a performace tune. best of all, when i do future mods, all i do is send it back to him and he'll take care of it for free!!!

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 01:55 PM

thats a sweet deal..but can u pass smog??and do u hav cats??

**Mr. Luos** · 09-03-2005, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by keliente

They are all basically the same thing...

I have to disagree.

The Kooks/QTP stainless headers are worth every penny. Of course, it is best to buy while they are on sale. They are worth more power as well. Not a bunch more, but a couple ponies. Heat is a factor as well.

Pacesetters are great headers for the average bolt-on, cam'd cars.
When it comes to spending money on my project, I didn't want to keep 1 3/4" headers on mine. I wanted 1 7/8" headers, and Kooks seemed the best choice. Everyone talks them up, and when I received them, I can see why. Great looking headers, top notch work. And they make better power than most others.
Not saying Pacesetters are crap. They got their crap together for the LS1 cars. Good cheap headers.

**keliente** · 09-03-2005, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Irman393

yea because if da computer is not ready for any reason it will fail the test..dats what i hate about 96 an up cars..i cant jus pass it the computer decides

another question..how does a car finetune its self without a o2 sensor???

Like I said before when I reflashed my car to get rid of the codes, I set the car so that it would not report errors on selected systems, and would show ready for the things I deleted - it would pass with flying colors. I am a state inspector as well. Any tuner can take care of the codes for you so they will not show and you will pass emissions.

Your car still uses 02s with headers - the upstreams. Yes you will need extensions, or need to make them. The upstream o2 is the important one from which the car discerns air/fuel...the downstream o2 is more of a gauge for the computer to see how efficient the catalytic converter is working.

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 04:45 PM

thanks for clearin that up for me..now i know to go with lt headers with o2 fitings and o2 extentions

**Zboner** · 09-03-2005, 04:52 PM

im not running any emmisions when i finally get my headers! im saving for stainless, i will probly just run open headers for a while untill i decide on a system

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 05:06 PM

runing open headers jus like that wont hurt the engine???? backfire an things like that backpresure??

**Mr. Luos** · 09-03-2005, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Irman393

thanks for clearin that up for me..now i know to go with lt headers with o2 fitings and o2 extentions

So a catted y-pipe then if I understand this right??

All headers will have O2 bungs for the front O2's.
The y-pipe is what will have the bungs for a car needing to pass emissions, cats as well.
An ORY (Off Road Y-pipe) will not have O2 bungs or cats.

**Irman393** · 09-03-2005, 05:22 PM

no im goin with no cats dual set up..sumtin like the one from texas-speed.com but ima have a shop make it for me for cheap..im gona jus hook the upstream o2 which is important an all emission shit is goin..i jus wonder if i should take it off or a shop for me an how much it will run me money wise to take all that off

silverws6 · 09-04-2005, 05:58 AM

i probably cant pass smog, beacuse i dont have cats. i really dont have to worry about passing emissons right not, but if i did i would just buy a set and install them just for that purpose.

**keliente** · 09-04-2005, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Irman393

no im goin with no cats dual set up..sumtin like the one from texas-speed.com but ima have a shop make it for me for cheap..im gona jus hook the upstream o2 which is important an all emission shit is goin..i jus wonder if i should take it off or a shop for me an how much it will run me money wise to take all that off

There's no reason you can't do this complete install by yourself, including removing the emissions components. The EGR comes off with two 10mm bolts, the air pump itself is held on by 3 (13mm I think) bolts and you can get to it by pulling down the panel in front of your left tire, or getting it from the top. From there you just take out all the rubber tubing that leads to those pipes going into the exhaust manifolds, and take out the little air box thing at the rear of the drivers side valve cover.

**Irman393** · 09-04-2005, 10:54 AM

well silverws6 is u lived in cali, bay area i could try to help you out because i work at a test only somg station..im not saying i can pass you with no cats but i wuold try to work sumtin out..

keilente that does sound very easy but when i do that i would deffinetly have to go get it professionaly tuned and i do kno a shop down here that does deal with a lot of ls1..hopefully they do computer programin..thanx for the info..i feel like i owe u a few beers

**keliente** · 09-04-2005, 10:59 AM

You can also do a mail order tune, you don't necessarily have to go to a shop to have it done. Mail order tuning is a lot more convienient in most cases.