longtube headers w/o tune= promblems? help please!!

**hmorris7000** · 11-20-2007, 10:07 AM

I wanted to know if i put lt's on my car without a tune will it tear up something? thanks

**nhraformula** · 11-20-2007, 10:31 AM

no, you wont tear anything up. you a/f ratio will be off some and will set off the ses lite

**yellowv** · 11-20-2007, 02:55 PM

I've been running mine for about 15,000 miles with no tune and the SES light on. Runs real good.

**cdz28** · 11-23-2007, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by yellowv

I've been running mine for about 15,000 miles with no tune and the SES light on. Runs real good.

Same here. About the same amount of miles too.

**RedRocketZ28** · 11-23-2007, 01:56 PM

Mine still is untuned. Runs well. Can't wait to get it tuned though, I am tired of seeing the SES light.

**ApexVIII** · 11-23-2007, 02:26 PM

mine is not tuned yet, lol it seems like there are more people untuned then tuned lol...jk

**hutch1999** · 11-23-2007, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by ApexVIII

mine is not tuned yet, lol it seems like there are more people untuned then tuned lol...jk

Im untuned but im also runnin super rich.

**bigbucks39** · 11-24-2007, 02:17 AM

I Dont have a tune i have the electric cutouts from QTP and its running rich. i even got a loud ass backfire out of it one time when i started it after i first put it on. nothing serious has happend though.

**sunsetorangess** · 11-24-2007, 09:50 PM

No you wont tear anything up, LIke said above it may run a bit rich. I also drove for a few months without a tune but to get the most gains out of your instail a tune will be the way to go, and to get rid of that pesky Ses light.
J

**LETHALxLS1** · 11-24-2007, 10:01 PM

Decided to get headers and Y pipe for mine too. My cats are going bad so what better time to ditch them altogether.

**sunsetorangess** · 11-24-2007, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by LETHALxLS1

Decided to get headers and Y pipe for mine too. My cats are going bad so what better time to ditch them altogether.

Take it back to the dealer and have the cats replace befor ya pull them off.
I think it was 80k/8year or ten years.hmm so many numbers
J

**Tyler_LS1** · 11-24-2007, 10:19 PM

Ive had my Headers and ORY on for about 400-500 miles and my SES light just went off, by itself.

Im getting it tuned soon though so thats going to help a lot.

**basballny2** · 11-24-2007, 10:25 PM

your not fully getting everything out of your LT's without a tune......

**Rare99Firehawk** · 11-25-2007, 06:36 AM

I have lts & ory no cats on my hawk, car ran good but was way to rich. I had a friend lean it out some & added about 8 degrees of timing. Now the car runs like a bat out of hell, I'm very pleased, lost a little mileage but I can live with that.

**LETHALxLS1** · 11-25-2007, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by sunsetorangess

Take it back to the dealer and have the cats replace befor ya pull them off.
I think it was 80k/8year or ten years.hmm so many numbers
J

I will NEVER take my car to a dealer again EVER! Fk the cats not worth my aggrivation.

** No offense to you though and I appreciate the suggestion.

**JL8Jeff** · 11-25-2007, 02:41 PM

Dealer won't replace the cats on the recall unless you're throwing an O2 code so don't bother trying. The factory tune on these cars is rich so putting headers on and ORY actually leans it out more but will still seem a little rich. My car is running lean with my lid, ported TB, airbox mod and longtube headers. I still think you guys think it's rich but it's really just the dirty exhaust with no cats that make it seem rich. But each car is different. If you do longtube headers you should definitely have a lid, modified airbox, ported TB and do the EGR tube mode or ditch it. That will create a well balanced overall increase in airflow into the engine and out of the engine. The stock tune will be pretty close with that combo. But a custom tune will help any engine pick up 15-20 hp, not just headers alone. So it's worth the cost to get a tune.

**GottaHaveLS1** · 11-26-2007, 11:28 AM

I got headers this summer and had them installed and it was definitely slower and running pretty crappy. I brought the car down to New Haven to get it street tuned and the guy couldn't finish it cuz my car wasn't getting a enough fuel (hopefully just the fuel filter that I have since replaced). Now i'm waiting til next summer to get the tune done.

**Firebirdjones** · 11-26-2007, 12:45 PM

I recently installed long tube headers and off road Y-pipe on mine. I tune it myself (before the header install) but haven't really found the need to do any further tuning after the header install.

I deleted the rear 02's and that was it.

Before the header install I had the long term fuel trims at -1 or -2 just about everywhere. After the header install I had 0 LTFT's and a few spots with +1,,,,,,so the car went a little leaner and was adding a pinch of fuel to compensate,,,so I just left it alone for the time being.

Went to the track and picked up 1 tenth and 1 mph after the headers.
Personally I don't think my tune is off far enough to warrant going through 3 tanks of gas to dial it back in. And if I did redial in the LTFT's I don't think there would be enough performance difference to make me happy anyway.

The biggest difference I noticed is a 2 mpg change for the better in gas mileage. Every car is different though. Goodluck with the install and enjoy.

**basballny2** · 11-26-2007, 02:56 PM

bottom line.....u get headers....get a tune

**Firebirdjones** · 11-26-2007, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by basballny2

bottom line.....u get headers....get a tune

Thats why I said every car is a little different. Actually I did have to delete the rear 02's but that was because of the off road Y-pipe,,,not necessarily always the case, as cats could have been used. But as far as a tune,,,mine doesn't really need it. I don't mean to say that none of them do,,,,just that mine is close enough to not bother. According to the scanner mine barely went leaner,,,only a couple of points on the LTFT's,,,not enought to worry about right now,,,expecially considering how bad the factory tune on mine was anyway,,,,,lol.

But mine is an odd case, as I mentioned I tuned on the car before the headers were installed. Actually my factory tune when the car was stock completely sucked,,,,,with LTFT's in the +10 range and beyond. After a while on a long drive on the scanner the driver side would just lock out and turn red,,,and do nothing,,,,,it was horrible on the scanner, but you wouldn't know it the way the car ran.

After a header install though it's typical on most cars, even old stuff that is non computer,,,,that the engine will go towards the lean side, and generally you won't see any performance gains until the fuel curve is fattened up slightly to make the motor happy.

But to answer your concern,,,,it shouldn't hurt anything so long as your factory tune is decent anyway. It would be a little lean while cruising,,,but as mentioned, these cars have a pretty fat PE mode. You will eventually want to get a tune to take full advantage of them though.