I want to install headers. Any suggestions?
I don't want to void my warranty. Is it possible to install headers that will not void it? Is it worth the money?

 

what will headers do besides add more deep growl? i ask because ive always been a math geek, and i wouldnt know a header from a footer... i know nothing of mechanics, besides i can check the oil... i have the feeling from reading these forums that this may change soon....

anyway, i sold toyotas for years, and it voided warranty if you put headers on one of them... although i dont think anyone would ever want headers on a 'yota....

 

Depending on a lot of factors, they can increase powerwith freer flow. They also add quite the lovely exhaust tone. I am not sure on the warranty on Corvette's regarding this, but I wouldn't be surprised if adding those does something to the warranty. I also believe that in some states, emissions can be an issue with installing headers.

 

I don't think that they will void your waranty, but if the dealership has a problem try other dealerships or put the factory pieces back on . I don't think most of them will even notice. Furthermore, headers are supposed to be one of the best mods for the c6 most advertise 35rwph. BB makes a set of tubular "longtube" headers that bolt conpletely to the rest of the exhaust system and are worht about 22rwhp. I'm witing to get some time to install a set of LG motorsport pro headers

 

Headers add considerable power. To understand why you have to realize that the exhaust exiting into each of the individualheaders is a pulse of very high pressure - it starts the moment the exhaust valve opens -- it isnot a constant pressureuntil well downstream when all eight pulse smooth out and mingle in the collectors.
1) On a LS V8 1/3/4 inch lheader pipes provide about 8-9% higher net flow - not much increase, but flow is not really the issue: in fact, installing 1 7/8 inch pipes on a stock engine (about 24% better than stock) hurts low end performance on a stock engine. And no, 8 - 9% improvement in gas flow does not translate to 8 -9 % more power. Probably about 2% is all.
2) They provide a constant flow resistance, as the exhaust gas pulse exits the exhaust port it sees a smooth transition into the header pipe and a constant radius (and hence resistance to its travel) as it moves down the pipe -- this is part of the biggest gain. On stock headers the pulse exits and almost immediately hitsthe manifoldwall opposite the port and a restriction as it turns into the manifold casting's flow path: when it hits that wall, part of it reflects back toward the exhaust port where it pushes the exhaust gas backwards (or tries to, really just slows it). Eliminating this adds about 4% more power.
3) Tube length, the gas pulse travels, "unrestricted" down the pipe to the collector (where the four pipes on each side merge -- collector design and taper is critical) there, it merges with the other pipes:
a) now think of these pulses, if the pipes are designed right and equal length, then the pulses arrive at different times, one blasting into the collector just as the previous cylinder's one has exiting -- no interference and for reasons of gas resonance dynamics beyond the scope of this explanation, actually helping one another move onward slightly. This adds about 2% more power.
b) but the collector, way downstream at the end of the indidivual pipe,does represent a change in resistance, which causes a slight positive and then a moment later a slight inverse pressure wave to both bounce back up the collector pipe toward the exhaust port, a split second behind one another. For any given pipe length, at some RPM, these pressure waves will arrive at just the right time to help the next exhaust pulse exit the port a bit easier (they create a vaccuum as the exhaust valve opens, what is called "scavenging."). This only happens at a certain RPM range depending on pipe length -- the longer the pipes the lower the RPM range where it occurs. With long tube headers, it's in the 3000 to 5500 range -- this provides extra torque in that range - another 2-3% power there. With short tubes it occurs at such a higher RPM(6000 up) that it does not help a stock engine any to speak of.
Thus, headers provide about 9% more power than stock. I consider long tube headers the single best modification you can make on a engine because they provide more power simply by making the stock engine more efficient - more power, more fuel economy, and less stress on the engine (but more on the drivetrain -- think about it).

An obvious question is, with all this, why don't manufacturer's put headers on their cars.
1) the main reason is assembly time. Look at the stock manifolds, they cling close to the engine. They can be (and are) installed before the engine is placed in the car -- then the engine is just dropped in and bolted down.
Headers stick out from the engine (they have to in order to get a good path for the gas) and as such you can't do this "mount them before and just drop the engine in." assembly trick. Headers have to be installed after the engine is in the car, or before and then with it carefully guided in by hand: in either case it takes more time to install the headers than the whole stock engine.
This is why you see stock headers only on tuner or exotic production cars (the cheapest car I know with real headers on them from the factory is a Porsche Carrera.
2) In addition, the catalytic converters have to go behind the collector, which means on long tube headers it must locate farther downstream than stock, at apoint where the gas has cooled and the catlyst works less effectiveness - hence the reason CA does not allow long tubes.

As to voiding your warranty, at most it will void anything on the engine internals and drivtrain, but dealers and GM often honor other parts of the warranty. You might ask the dealer if they will install a set for you and still honor the warranty. Or, keep the original maniufolds and so forth and if you have an expensive problem, re-install them and then go to the dealer (yes, this is not ehtical, you have to decide yourself about that).

 

just out 10 hp from headers [latest issue of gm mag]

 

If they add only 10 HP then they have to be the worst set of headers ever made. A set of Lingenfelter long tubes on my stock C5 ZO6 added 25+ by test, and 35 ft lbs torque at 3500 RPM

 

gm hightech mag.may 2007 page68