what to do?

[eatsrice]

hi I really want headers and a cam so I'm gonna do my headers first.....if I get a cam what is best to use long tubes or shorties? I'm worried that if you guys say long tubes and I get them and realize I don't have money for a cam then my car will be slower than it is now due to lack of back pressure....can you use shorties and get a pretty loppy cam? I want like an ms4 cam... I have an 01 formula with some bolt ons.... 4.11 gears and a few others THANKS

[c5z28]

Back pressure is not as big a problem as people are seeming to build it up to. If you do the headers and exhaust you're looking at least a 30 rwhp increase-less backpressure the better, that only matters in turbos. Headers if you install them yourself can be had for under $300, and a cam for around that price, however a bigger cam your going to need springs and pushrods, and the cam price is going to be around 400-500 realisitically if you do the swap yourself. If the cam was smaller I would say do the cam first, but the ms4 is pretty big and will be choked with small manifolds so headers first. Never shorties unless you like the look and want to stay carb legal, longtubes all the way.

[99formulals1]

I dont believe you can run a ms4 without a spring upgrade, and long tubes are better, i know people with headers and a stock cam and they are not slower than stock. but if your heads are set up for an ms4 or even a 3 id say def. long tubes, i read that shortys dont really give much over stock manifords somewheres. just my .02

[eatsrice]

thanks....and yeah I will need to get springs and pushrods.....will longtubes bolt up to my stock exhaust?

[c5z28]

no it won't you will need a different y-pipe if you want to mount it to your current catback.