Removed Stillen Headers - Before/After Dyno
#1
Removed Stillen Headers - Before/After Dyno
I just took off my Stillen 304 Stainless Steel headers. While I committed the grievous error of failing to do a before/after dyno of the headers for their installation, I did for the removal and return to stock manifolds. You see, somewhere in the last year, it appears that I've lost 15-20whp. I have no idea where or how, but it happened. Convinced that the only variable that I didn't account for rested in the headers, I had them removed. Essentially, I wanted some proof that they lost power so I could push Stillen to give me a refund (I've only had them since January). Much to my chagrin, the removal of the headers and subsequent dyno proved my theory dead-wrong.
Returning to stock showed that the headers (w/ tune) gave me almost +11whp @ 6500rpm over the stock manifold. The dyno chart below speaks for itself.
My Dyno Chart:
Blue = w/headers
Red = stock manifold
In summation, they were obviously not the cause of any power loss I've experienced, and the gremlin lives on. However, I'm a fair guy, so I decided to post these results as proof positive of Stillen headers (at least with other bolt on mods and a tune) provide a real performance gain - even on the VQ35DE.
I present to you two things to learn from my mistakes:
1.) Always, ALWAYS conduct before/after dyno's on expensive performance modifications. You never know when you might need them.
2.) Stillen headers certainly CAN yield notable power gains on non-HR 350Z's.
Hopefully some good can come of my expensive mistake.
In case anyone is interested, the headers are now for sale in the classifieds.
EDIT: Classifieds thread is down until I can get pictures of the headers themselves posted...
Returning to stock showed that the headers (w/ tune) gave me almost +11whp @ 6500rpm over the stock manifold. The dyno chart below speaks for itself.
My Dyno Chart:
Blue = w/headers
Red = stock manifold
In summation, they were obviously not the cause of any power loss I've experienced, and the gremlin lives on. However, I'm a fair guy, so I decided to post these results as proof positive of Stillen headers (at least with other bolt on mods and a tune) provide a real performance gain - even on the VQ35DE.
I present to you two things to learn from my mistakes:
1.) Always, ALWAYS conduct before/after dyno's on expensive performance modifications. You never know when you might need them.
2.) Stillen headers certainly CAN yield notable power gains on non-HR 350Z's.
Hopefully some good can come of my expensive mistake.
In case anyone is interested, the headers are now for sale in the classifieds.
EDIT: Classifieds thread is down until I can get pictures of the headers themselves posted...
Last edited by onagao; 09-09-2011 at 09:11 AM.
#3
To be perfectly honest, not very much. It might be because I don't drive at those RPMs nearly as much as everywhere else in the powerband and because the weather here in Tulsa is constantly changing between hot and cold. Not entirely sure.
Last edited by onagao; 04-09-2010 at 05:38 PM.
#6
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#9
#12
I just took off my Stillen 304 Stainless Steel headers. While I committed the grievous error of failing to do a before/after dyno of the headers for their installation, I did for the removal and return to stock manifolds. You see, somewhere in the last year, it appears that I've lost 15-20whp. I have no idea where or how, but it happened. Convinced that the only variable that I didn't account for rested in the headers, I had them removed. Essentially, I wanted some proof that they lost power so I could push Stillen to give me a refund (I've only had them since January). Much to my chagrin, the removal of the headers and subsequent dyno proved my theory dead-wrong.
Returning to stock showed that the headers (w/ tune) gave me almost +11whp @ 6500rpm over the stock manifold. The dyno chart below speaks for itself.
My Dyno Chart:
Blue = w/headers
Red = stock manifold
In summation, they were obviously not the cause of any power loss I've experienced, and the gremlin lives on. However, I'm a fair guy, so I decided to post these results as proof positive of Stillen headers (at least with other bolt on mods and a tune) provide a real performance gain - even on the VQ35DE.
I present to you two things to learn from my mistakes:
1.) Always, ALWAYS conduct before/after dyno's on expensive performance modifications. You never know when you might need them.
2.) Stillen headers certainly CAN yield notable power gains on non-HR 350Z's.
Hopefully some good can come of my expensive mistake.
In case anyone is interested, the headers are now for sale in the classifieds.
EDIT: Classifieds thread is down until I can get pictures of the headers themselves posted...
Returning to stock showed that the headers (w/ tune) gave me almost +11whp @ 6500rpm over the stock manifold. The dyno chart below speaks for itself.
My Dyno Chart:
Blue = w/headers
Red = stock manifold
In summation, they were obviously not the cause of any power loss I've experienced, and the gremlin lives on. However, I'm a fair guy, so I decided to post these results as proof positive of Stillen headers (at least with other bolt on mods and a tune) provide a real performance gain - even on the VQ35DE.
I present to you two things to learn from my mistakes:
1.) Always, ALWAYS conduct before/after dyno's on expensive performance modifications. You never know when you might need them.
2.) Stillen headers certainly CAN yield notable power gains on non-HR 350Z's.
Hopefully some good can come of my expensive mistake.
In case anyone is interested, the headers are now for sale in the classifieds.
EDIT: Classifieds thread is down until I can get pictures of the headers themselves posted...
#13
When you say Non-HR 350z, do you have legitimate info or proof that they don't work as well on HR350z? Reason I ask is because I've been looking forward to this header but I'm not sure if its really worth the hassel and money. Please share your comment on this. Thanks!
#15
The dyno tune for the headers came after an eTune, so the gains were actually fairly small. I do think I could see a small gain after a tune for my stock manifolds, as the car is running a tad rich right now.
#18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x3Cb7WsgbA
As far as how it affected the other, I really don't have a reliable way to tell. If I were to say one way, it would be pure speculation. Sorry .
#19
It's curious with the ART pipes. All the tests were said to be skewed w/headers?
Your Dyno's without the headers look pretty similar to a normal set-up of similarly modded cars(without ART pipes). Granted, im not sure about you being re-tuned post removal?
Is this a different dyno(location) from previous tests?
Your Dyno's without the headers look pretty similar to a normal set-up of similarly modded cars(without ART pipes). Granted, im not sure about you being re-tuned post removal?
Is this a different dyno(location) from previous tests?
Last edited by rich2342; 04-10-2010 at 04:23 AM.