Hey i got some regular short tube performance headers in my garage that i was going to put on my 2003 350z but now i hear that they long tube headers give a much bigger and better gain over just the regular performance headers. Do you know how true is that? I have a buyer for my short tube headers and for my berk tech test pipes. If i sell both ill have enough to buy the OBX Long Tube headers with that $. Should i do that? Please let me know what you think, especially those who tried the Long tube headers on there Z's.

 

Just get test pipes of high flow cats and call it a day. Do a search on the forum about headers because their gains aren't worth the trouble. You're fine with OEM but thats my

 

the power you get from the longtubes will most likely just come from the cat delete. Sell the headers, and keep your berk test pipes. Much easier install vs longtubes/headers.

 

I did the headers plus catalytic converters and headers plus test pipes. Should have did it right the first time. Long headers. Much more simple set-up.

 

So you guys think i should just stick with the regular short tube headers? or go ahead and get the Long Tube ones?

 

I have long tube headers, total cost, including headers for install was around the 500 mark. After a tune and dyno gains are obvious and low end power is very noticeable.

Those who talk about not getting them installed and your car tuned afterwards (because you need to tune it) have never driven a Z with them installed - the gains are obvious.

 

shorty headers, long tube headers - and and of itself these terms mean very little. They don't guarantee you power, or lack of power. The gains a header can give you will all be in the design of the header and the resultant tuning you do for them

just because someone gets a long tube header does not mean they will get more gains than someone who doesn't

 

Well; the TD exhaust that i have has some rasp in it cuz i just have straight non resonated Berk test pipes, i wanted to get the resp out and deeper the tone, would Long tube headers make my exhaust more louder and raspy? or should i just order some OBX resonated Test Pipes to get the resp out ad deepen the tone?

 

i've ran

bassani exhaust + stock cats
bassani exhaust + Resonated Test Pipes
bassani exhaust + Longtube Headers


If you dont mind the install, go for it. It probably (key word PROBABLY) gives you better performance. Just remember, if you ever decide to part out or go quieter, you'll have to remove the whole header to swap.

 

rasp is a natural byproduct on these cars once factory cats are removed. You an do resonated ones, non resonated ones, it won't matter - it will still be there. The resonators in those test pipes are tiny and nearly ineffective (I've used both on my own car). Long tube headers will make it louder, and likely raspier. You can try an X pipe, or adding resonators to quiet the noise down

 

Headers won't necessarily fix the rasp. What you should do is understand that piping and sizing has all to do with rasp. Maybe one of the resonators on your TD should be swapped for a longer resonator.

 

Ok im installing the headers on my 2003 Z and i got the old ones off but i cant put the new ones on cuz i can push them into the opening to even connect them. Whats up with that?

 

What's up is the reason that a lot of people will say headers aren't worth the trouble they are to install on a Z. You may have to rock the entire motor to one side to get the new headers in....and yes, that means disconnecting a lot of stuff, including coolant lines.

 

I had to pull my motor...its the easiest way of doing it.

Also helped that I did my clutch + flywheel same time

 

What was your before number, and after?

Do you know how much you gained from the tune alone?

I still believe headers on most NA bolt-on setups even tuned is a fawking waste of money.

In my many years NA and thru the all the mods, I never once saw a car run faster or trap higher than mine-back in the day of course. I see better numbers coming from bolt on tuned DE's now though.

I still stand behind my experience and what Ive seen. Waste IMO

 

the the headers + clutch/flywheel + install = $450 (I like my mechanic)

Tune was about the same price, but I never did numbers before since I did not have time or a chance. Final numbers were 270-ish on 93. Which is not bad, but the car feels a lot faster after the fact. I drove it around for a bit after getting the headers installed and it sucked...probably less power than before the install but after the tune it was like a rocket ship.

 

My experience with my car in NA form is that the SG long tube headers prove to be a very worth while investment. However my car is a little bit more NA powered than most non FIed VQ35. I have a review of the SG LTH vs the Tomei V2 + ART TP thread in the intake/exhaust forum. I also have a thread comparing the Tomei V2 + TP against Stillen like headers + TP. I'm sure that after you find my SG LTH review you will be inclined to get them but they are not guaranteed to give you the same gain given that I have higher dispacement and built block. SG themselves including another member did a dyno of purely bolting up the LTH and saw very little power gains. HTH.

 

Ohh another thing I would like to add, that I wanted to get all the bolt ons out of the way. I never got the Z for a straight line HP monster. I drifted my s13, SOH with less HP than a standard civic, so at what my Z puts out now I have no issues with power.

 

With no before numbers its hard to argue you feel they are a worthwhile investment. Some or most of that "gain" could have been the tune.

What was your TQ?

What kind of dyno?

 

I have numbers before the headers, flywheel and exhaust, just with an intake and catback, I think it was right around 242 or something like that. After LTH, clutch, full exhaust, some other stuff its around 270ish

edit, it was done at R/T Tuning...I should have a vid somewhere...