I'm looking to see how much interest there is on aftermarket headers for the Z33. First of all what's the minimum amount of HP increase it has to make for it to be a worthwhile purchase, i'm assuming around 10rwhp. Also around what price are you guys willing to pay for a quality SS, equal length header? I'm thinking around $80-90 per rwhp is a decent price. Hence, a header that makes a dyno proven 20rwhp would cost around $1600-$1800. I've seen the Japanese brand headers retail for well over $2 grand for SS, but they're not even equal length and thus will ultimately not make the maximum amount of power.

Which would more people be interested in, a cheaper alternative of short equal length primaries, that doesn't realize all the gains possible from the motor, but is a lot more cost effective? Or a full-out pressure wave-tuned header with long primaries that merge far downstream and would require replacing the stock cats w/ a large single cat after the y-pipe? This design will extract every last drop of hp available and will provide a broad torque curve that'll pull buttery smooth to redline. But this option would be very cost intensive due to the amount of SS piping, the replacement cat, and labor and R&D involved for snaking the primaries around the engine bay. TIA.

 

In the research you have already done... which I'm sure you have before you made this proposal...

Can you fit 25-27" piping BEFORE the cats? Per equal length tubing ON each side?

More so... what are your plans for the cats... since you're going to pull them? The ECU will most likely throw a code if you move new cats any farther downstream...

 

I try to buy the best thing available depending on value. but even so, Im not sure Ill be doing headers(tho the stock headers are AWEFUL) just cause I plan on a turbo setup, which should require its own headers... or so I would expect.

 

no can't fit long tube headers before the stock cats, hence the inclusion of the aftermarket cat. any ecu problems will be taken care of or the headers will not be sold.

 

hmmmm, I figured long tubes would fit... Interesting...

How are you going to crack the ECU, when no one has been able to crack the Z32TT code from `96... and they've been working on it since then?

 

Actually JWT sells the ECU for the 96 300zx TT now and has for the last 6 months or more. You can also trick the ECU with O2 Sim that allows you to remove the O2 sensor completely after the cat and tricks the ECU into thinking it is still there.

 

From my understanding... no they haven't...

It's actually a `95 down ECU and they are converting the OBDII to OBDI...

I'm all game for O2 simulators... unfortunately there haven't been any made for the VQ yet... but DAMN they are popular in the Chevy world.

 

No way I'd ever spend a couple of grand to get 20hp myself. If I was going to do that, I'd just go ahead and go FI kit.

I don't know what I would spend, but I know it is considerably less than that.

 

Damn, wish they would have done something with the 96 ECU about 3 years earlier!

 

I personally am planning to stay N/A for my mods, but I also need every thing to be street legal.

I'm assuming that if you move the cat's further downstream they will take significantly longer to heat up and therefore startup emmissions will rise. Does this have any effect on making these CARB legal?

I'm guessing that for me, the less expensive but less powerful version that would use the stock cat location would suit my needs. I would probably be willing to pay $800 for 10-15hp, but I don't know if I would bother installing headers for anything less than 10hp. That just seems like significant effort without much gain (but I guess most mods end up like that).

-D'oh!

 

Headers are not going to be cheap. I can only imagine the time it takes in R&D, fitment, more R&D, more fitment, cussing, beer drinking, more cussing, some more R&D, lots more beer, etc . . .

Just think of the poor guy who has to be with out his Z for this whole process. He deserves lots of money.

Wait it sounds like I know (or have seen) the labor pains that goes into a project like this.

By the way, Congrats Doug, YOU DA MAN!!!!!

 

no matter what headers you put on it won't be carb legal. even if it passes emmisions, it'll fail visual. that being said, if you find a technician that can't tell the difference between stock and aftermarket headers, the aftermarket cat will work just as well as the stockers.

 

Quick clue brother... 90% of us don't live in such a fu*ked out state...

You guys in Cali have screwwwwwwed up with WHATVER you guys have done, and pissed off everyone. Hense the reason the police have gotten SO TIGHT on even VISUALLY inspecting. For the rest for the 49 states... as long as it passes emissions we're fine.

Even then... not that big a deal to get it CARB legal... send the piece in for visuals... Have it tested on the car. Pay the dues...

BLAMO carb #... get to stamp it... all legal... and WOW.... EVEN YOU IN CALILAND can run it!

As for aftermarket cats, working JUST as well... how in the world are aftermarkets going better than a stock? Have you looked UNDER the car? We have a precat o2 sensor... a mid-cat sensor... and then it has to pass emissions...

Modding these has been LOTS of fun... just certain particulars to follow... Brother, rock on for wanting to mod... we all want more power. Just don't get to excited as you hit bumps in road, as they are VERY discouraging.

 

you need to look into the carb certification process before you go running your mouth. it's not that simple, the fees alone are gonna make certification for most aftermarket parts impossible. it costs $70k minimum to get a certificate. do you know anything about how stringent the testing procedures are? most stock cars won't even pass their requirments. now they want long term data, which means they keep your car for as long as they want and they test it randomly over and over again. to get all the paperwork through to just apply for certification, takes months if not years. please, next think before you post, unless you want to make yourself look like an even bigger idiot than you already do now.

 

While I do not understand the CARB Cert. process but, I am certain of 2 things.:

1) calling a potential customer an idiot, no matter what they say, never works for sales and

2) $2000+ for headers will probably not sell to alot of people.

 

Keep running that mouth... unfortunately you don't realize I have very close contacts at DC Sports ... US Based company that develops headers, etc...

LOL... they didn't have to give anywheres NEAR the figure you're claiming... Seriously dude, where are you getting this CRAZY info?

 

Didn't mean to start anything here.

I am new to mods, so any well explained details are apprecieated.

As an engineer, I agree that CA (and the feds as well) have really screwed up with their air cleanliness policy. I think it is a good example of what happens when politicians try to understand science. The visual inspection really bugs me, since it has absolutely no bearing on how well the car passes smog. If it passes, it passes, and it shouldn't matter what has been done. I guess they are concerend about people running bypass exhasts that can be easily routed past the cats or something. Anyhow, don't get me started on the idocy of the various govenmental agencies. They somehow manage to make my company look effecient!

Well, we'll see what mods are in store for me. Maybe I'll just stick with the handling and stopping aspects for now.

-D'oh!