Pacesetter Longtubes? Y/N

**b.lee** · 10-17-2007, 03:13 PM

Pacesetter Longtubes? Y/N

They seem cheap, $285 from summit for the painted ones.

QTP / Kooks are expensive. Is it worth the extra $$?

I read a couple people where very happy with their pacesetter longtube fit and finish... thinking about getting a set myself for the Z.

**b.lee** · 10-17-2007, 03:26 PM

8 views and 1 vote...
and the 1 vote was mine... wtf

**Kamauxx** · 10-17-2007, 03:34 PM

I have Pacesetters. Have no problem with them. Not really willing to pay an extra 500 bucks for stainless steel to be shoved in and under the car.

**Jays00ss** · 10-17-2007, 03:46 PM

Pacesetters are some of the easiest installed, best fittment, and best ground clearance headers you can buy. When you do buy them, get the ceramics. I got mine on ebay (Pacesetter ceramic) with the off road y pipe delivered for $520. Save your money from the high dollar kooks and buy a cam.

**basballny2** · 10-17-2007, 05:33 PM

go with kooks or QTP stainless steal will NEVER rust....it will save you in the long run

**Firebirdjones** · 10-17-2007, 06:02 PM

I just bought and installed pacesetters with their off road Y-pipe.
I had some slight issues with mine, but it's because I am anal.

The headers themselves have the flange for the head gasket area welded from the inside, and their was so much weld in there it was actually in the airflow pathway. I had to port on mine to clean this area up a bit.
I also had to clean the area up where they welded the bungs to the header collectors, as there was quite a bit of slag hanging out where they didn't care to clean the hole after cutting it.

The other issue that was a major one for me,,,was the Y-pipe, where the junction was made, the hole cut in the main pipe for the passenger side to connect was only about 2/3's open where they didn't care to cut this properly. I had to cut mine open, remove some material and reweld back together. In my opinion the manufacture could have taken the small amount of extra time to make sure this mated properly.

I then had to swell the Y-pipe a little for a better slip fit.

After all this was done the install went easy, plenty of clearance around the inner fender wells and all other areas under the car,,,,maybe a little too close to the floor pans for my taste,,,which causes the Y-pipe to be very close to the floor as well,,,,and when the engine rocks you can possibly get a slight banging noise,,,,(I did) and an engine torque strap took care of most of it.

Most of these things wouldn't bother most, but I am picky. Other than this,,,,they seem to be working great,,,,You get what you pay for, so I didn't expect them to be up to my standards for the money spent, but I would probably use them again.

**Kamauxx** · 10-17-2007, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

The other issue that was a major one for me,,,was the Y-pipe, where the junction was made, the hole cut in the main pipe for the passenger side to connect was only about 2/3's open where they didn't care to cut this properly. I had to cut mine open, remove some material and reweld back together. In my opinion the manufacture could have taken the small amount of extra time to make sure this mated properly.

I actually sent my Y-pipe back to TSP after receiving one in pretty much the same condition. Went with TSP True Duals instead.

**0rion** · 10-17-2007, 06:15 PM

I'll give my 2 cents on the subject and was my reasoning behind going with pacesetters. My car might see 2k a year on a good year. It's never in the rain and hibernates all winter. For the price of stainless headers I can buy 2 sets of pacesetters. I'll get a ton of years out of 2sets of pacesetters and who knows what'll happen between now and then.

**nhraformula** · 10-17-2007, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by basballny2

go with kooks or QTP stainless steal will NEVER rust....it will save you in the long run

its not like non stainless will rust threw.
on my 1981 Z/28 i had non coated headers on that car for atleast 5 years.
those headers lasted threw the fucked up seasons here with alot of rock salt used in the winter time here.

**Firebirdjones** · 10-17-2007, 06:35 PM

Ya I know what ya mean Orion,,,my cars hybernate too, so rust is really a non issue for me.
My father used to get 10 years out of a set of headers on his daily driver, through all the salt and snow etc....so I figure I am covered.

**Firebirdjones** · 10-17-2007, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Kamauxx

I actually sent my Y-pipe back to TSP after receiving one in pretty much the same condition. Went with TSP True Duals instead.

Ya, fixing it wasn't too big a deal, You can't even tell it's been apart after I was done with it,,,but didn't have a choice,,,,as a true dual system was not an option for me on this car.

**ss~zoso~ss** · 10-17-2007, 06:47 PM

i got pacesetters early this summer put em on myself and they went in as easy as headers can go in, and i do agree they arent the best of quality, i had to tap out one of the O2 bungs on the collector, but they sound, flow, and look great.

deff get ceramic coated ones, i love the ORY aswell

**basballny2** · 10-17-2007, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by nhraformula

its not like non stainless will rust threw.
on my 1981 Z/28 i had non coated headers on that car for atleast 5 years.
those headers lasted threw the fucked up seasons here with alot of rock salt used in the winter time here.

if its used as a daily driver, chances are they will start to rust is all im saying

**Firebirdjones** · 10-18-2007, 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by basballny2

if its used as a daily driver, chances are they will start to rust is all im saying

They will all rust eventually, even the coatings are not full proof. I have had coated headers on my chevelle for the last 15 years, I have to jethot coat them every 3-4 years due to pitting. This is a car that is driven in fair weather only and stored in a climate controlled garage.

Re-coating them gets kinda expensive at $200 a pop every time. So I have lost my taste for coated headers.

**basballny2** · 10-18-2007, 03:57 AM

thats why im recomending stainless steel

**b.lee** · 10-18-2007, 04:28 AM

ahhh, I'm not in it too much for the looks.
this car is stored all winter.
I'm basically a best hp gain for the buck kinda guy.

**nhraformula** · 10-18-2007, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by basballny2

if its used as a daily driver, chances are they will start to rust is all im saying

yeah, they will.

**nhraformula** · 10-18-2007, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by b.lee

ahhh, I'm not in it too much for the looks.
this car is stored all winter.
I'm basically a best hp gain for the buck kinda guy.

my car is a fair weather car thats stored in the winter.
ive had pacesetters since feb of 02 and i do have some specs of rust but thats it.

**Corey1987** · 10-18-2007, 06:08 AM

ive got pacesetter LTs, uncoated and i dont have any problems with them, installation was straight forward, no need to do any rigging or anything.

**99HuggerOrangeZ** · 10-18-2007, 06:26 AM

Can't vote just yet because I am going back to Exotic Performance Plus to see if they can stop the banging tomorrow.

I will say that they fit very well, there is no clearance issue with the headers and the ORY tucks up against the floor almost too much (that would explain the banging). Right now I have the heater hose mod in there and the banging is gone but I still get vibration at certain RPM's. If I can get rid of the banging and vibration these are excellent headers for the money.

I also don't drive in the winter so rust shouldn't be too much of an issue with me.