LT question

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 09-11-2007, 02:30 PM

Any comments on the SW (Stainless Works) headers? How are they compared to Kooks and QTP's? I'm trying to decide between the three.

**yellowv** · 09-11-2007, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Just a word of caution on the Pacesetter headers.

I have a set for my 02 SS and found they needed some work before install.

The welds where the tubes connect to the flange/gasket area are inside the tubes, and were rather thick. So thick in fact that they were all actually in the airflow stream. I had to get out the grinder and do some mild porting on mine and clean this up a bit,,,,

And if you go with the matching pacesetter off road Y-pipe it will need some work as well.
Mine needed extensive work. Where the joint is made for both pipes to merge together. The opening was more than 1/2 covered by the passenger side pipe. Pacesetter did not take alot of time to make sure this junction was a nice fit. There was not enough of a hole cut into the passenger side pipe and it would have killed the flow from the driver side.

I had to cut open the joint and remove the excess material, clean up the slag and reweld back together. This took considerable time and is something to consider if you are trying to save a few bucks with pacesetters.
I am a picky bastard though.

You get what you pay for, although pacesetters are cheap and "okay" quality, they needed some work to reach my level of standards.

Just something to keep in mind. Larry.

With all that work you probably gained 1hp.

**INMY01TA** · 09-11-2007, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Castle

I almost ordered QTP's & realized they would still need to be sent out for coating.... Who wants to do that when Jet Hot's product is easily just as good, same performance & comes 1300+ Sterling coated for less money. I had no limit on what I wanted to spend on my headers & felt the decision was rather easy to make.

THose Jet Hotts will be rusty as hell inside of three years. QTPs will still be shiny polished stainless steel. In fact, makes no sense to buy Jet Hots period when Pacesetters are a few hundred cheaper. If you want the best, American Racing makes the best header/Y pipe combo out there.

**Castle** · 09-11-2007, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by INMY01TA

THose Jet Hotts will be rusty as hell inside of three years. QTPs will still be shiny polished stainless steel. In fact, makes no sense to buy Jet Hots period when Pacesetters are a few hundred cheaper. If you want the best, American Racing makes the best header/Y pipe combo out there.

You might want to do some more reading up on Jet Hot. They guarantee no rust, discoloring, etc., but I guess Jet Hot doesn't know what they are talking about.

Also, stainless gets gee I don't know TWICE as hot as uncoated headers. Lolz, no thanks.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-11-2007, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by yellowv

With all that work you probably gained 1hp.

Doesn't matter, car will never make a dyno for a side by side comparison anyway. What does matter to me is now this setup is the way it should have been in the first place. What good is a 3 inch Y-pipe setup when the opening in the pipe junction is only about 1 1/2 inches.

Bound to make some sort of difference.
Anyway my point was quality verses price. I am willing to bet there are some nice header/Y-pipe setups out there that wouldn't require some finish work like mine did,,,,but surely cost a little more.

**INMY01TA** · 09-11-2007, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Castle

You might want to do some more reading up on Jet Hot. They guarantee no rust, discoloring, etc., but I guess Jet Hot doesn't know what they are talking about.

Also, stainless gets gee I don't know TWICE as hot as uncoated headers. Lolz, no thanks.

Dude my good friend has Jet Hotts and they're rusty as hell after 3 years. My old macs were Jet Hott coated and they were rusting too. They'll recoat em for you but how many people actually pull their headers, send em back and wanna do with out their car for that time. I have stainless long tubes now, no noticable difference in under the hood temps. Stainless retains heat better than mild steel to begin with.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-11-2007, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Castle

You might want to do some more reading up on Jet Hot. They guarantee no rust, discoloring, etc., but I guess Jet Hot doesn't know what they are talking about.

Also, stainless gets gee I don't know TWICE as hot as uncoated headers. Lolz, no thanks.

Inmy01ta is correct,,,,Jet Hot coatings will rust, it's unavoidable. It's what I have used on my chevelle for years. I have to take them off every 2-3 years to have them recoated because they start pitting, and I pay everytime. They don't guarantee anything like that,,,and if they do,,,they sure are not backing it up.

What I remember them telling me is that they will not guarantee used headers. But after coating my used ones twice with them and getting about 3 years out of them each time,,,I bought a new larger set for the new engine combo,,,(had to anyway) but hoped the new headers would last longer,,,,,NOT! After about 3 years they also started pitting. So I am back to the recoating scinerio. Thats why I don't really recommend them. Stainless would be the way to go for long term, but who cares about how hot they get,,,,we don't touch them until they cool anyway,,,,lol. Oh well.

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 09-11-2007, 06:20 PM

I have jet hot coated ones on my truck and they started peeling and rusting during the first winter.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-11-2007, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by INMY01TA

Dude my good friend has Jet Hotts and they're rusty as hell after 3 years. My old macs were Jet Hott coated and they were rusting too. They'll recoat em for you but how many people actually pull their headers, send em back and wanna do with out their car for that time. I have stainless long tubes now, no noticable difference in under the hood temps. Stainless retains heat better than mild steel to begin with.

Ummmm,,,,I pull mine every 2-3 years and have them recoated,,,but it's a car that is put away during the winter so no biggy.

**Castle** · 09-11-2007, 06:24 PM

Interesting, then it looks like their sales people will say anything to make a sale. I was told they would be problem/rust/flake free by the salesperson...

The Chevy dealership told me I was crazy to want stainless steel headers due to temperature, thus why I passed on QTP's.

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 09-11-2007, 06:34 PM

You can't believe anything a dealer tells you except how much they are going to make you pay!

**Castle** · 09-11-2007, 06:34 PM

Don't know if it makes a huge difference but I am in California, so no cold winters for the headers to go through here.

**INMY01TA** · 09-11-2007, 06:37 PM

From what I hear it's impossible to pass Cali emissions with long tubes. You got a hook up I hope?

**Castle** · 09-11-2007, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by INMY01TA

From what I hear it's impossible to pass Cali emissions with long tubes. You got a hook up I hope?

Yes, got it covered.

**Johns00Z28** · 09-13-2007, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by splitfinger09

SLP: SLP's are the long tube that usually sparks some debate. A lot of newbies are drawn into them because of the HP claims made by SLP. But as already stated all LT's dyno within the same range so SLP's claims are moot. From a quality stand point they are a great header; stainless steel and are ceramic coated. Their major drawback is installation and lack of ground clearance. If you plan to lower your car then pass on the SLP's or learn to change your driving style or else you'll endure a lot of scrapping. Another drawback is the price as they are $700+. If you’re going to spend $700+ on headers, be sure to give the Kooks/QTP headers VERY serious consideration.

Well, I just looked up the slp's and they seem pretty decent and like you said they're both stainless steel and ceramic coated. Was wondering what kind of drawbacks you were referring to in terms of installation? I saw they sold an installation kit w/ gaskets and o2 extentions.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-13-2007, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Johns00Z28

Well, I just looked up the slp's and they seem pretty decent and like you said they're both stainless steel and ceramic coated. Was wondering what kind of drawbacks you were referring to in terms of installation? I saw they sold an installation kit w/ gaskets and o2 extentions.

Well keeping in mind (because people seem to overlook this fact) that SLP headers are tuned length,,,meaning all of the primary pipes are the same length. To do this of course the rear most primary pipes have to snake around a bit to make more distance before connecting to the collector. It also helps to have the collectors lower in the chassis so more distance on the primary pipes can be made.

This is what cause your ground clearance issues on lowered cars. It's not that the headers are of poor quality,,,it's just the nature of this type of header. It also influences the price, tuned headers are simply not as cheap as unequal length headers.

With this in mind, you can see why installation may be a little tougher than a standard header, with longer pipes that twist and turn sometimes they get in the way and make things difficult. Still a great header. It just gives lowered cars fits with ground clearance,,,,lol go figure

Tuned length headers have been proven many years ago they are worth a few ponies, all competive classes in NHRA use them, as well as Nascar etc....
On a street car with 4-500 hp the difference is probably neglagable.

In any case, SLP is one of the few that even offer a tuned length header for the 4th gens. After checking around I only found that Hooker was the other that may offer a tuned length header. But most are simply unequal length tubes, hence a little cheaper price as well, depending on materials and coating options of course.

**INMY01TA** · 09-13-2007, 02:58 PM

They say the SLPs are stainless but I've seen some rusty ass SLP long tubes in my day. I'd look elsewhere.

**mbrownin** · 09-13-2007, 05:07 PM

SLP's may be stainless, but it's 409 stainless, which is cheaper (and more prone to rusting) than the stainless most others use.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-13-2007, 05:50 PM

Ya I don't know for sure if SLP's are stainless or not. But you are right, depending on what type of stainless used makes a difference. Not sure what type stainless some of the other manufactures use on their headers, but it can definately reflect on the price tag. Something to consider when shopping.