question....Y-pipe or long tube headers

2012 tacoma baja edition. would a y-pipe or long tube headers from URD, which would yield better HP and Torque. i want to keep at least two of my Catalytic Converters...anyone have any pointers?

 

yea i see that...but i want to be able to pass smog tests still and if i keep two out of the four of my Cat's, ill still pass smog (says URD). so i was wondering what would benefit me more?

 

???

 

Nv does MINIMAL visual...everyone one of my smogs ive had on prior vehicles they just plugged a thing in and that was it

 

Short tubes FTW

 

Heres my opinion. Get the y-pipe. Opening up the exhaust system starting at the headers is backwards. Ideally, start with a cat-back exhaust system, then more towards the block. Going in the reverse order will only cause the additional airflow to bottleneck as it reaches the next restrictive portion of the whole system.

 

Y like is definitely the more restrictive of the two. At least on the '05-11 models. Multiple reductions in sizes as well as kinks. Not sure on the '12+. Take a pic of it if you don't mind, and post it up. That will make it easier to tell.

 

The further from the exhaust valve, the greater the volume and the corresponding velocity drop. So, restriction matters less at the tailpipe than the header.

That's why a muffler or cat back don't make the same gains as headers unless they are usually restrictive.

 

Factory Y pipe is quite restrictive. With impeding flow points. I have to do some digging but i should be able to find a pic. Showing a side by side difference between the 4x4 Y, and the URD 4x4 Y.

 

Exactly but you're not going to get the full potential of the headers if the rest of the exhaust can't flow the extra air. Thats pretty well understood.

 

Correct. The exhaust will only flow as good as is worst restriction allows. Just like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

 

OP, given your post, which is asking one OR the other, headers are the one. Proven gains at mid to high rpm levels, might cost some low though (dyno shows loss, but any actual upgraders that report a loss are minimal). The y-pipe, while good, does not have any documetned gains by themselves that I have seen. Good part of an upgrade plan if that's where you want to go, but by itself.....

BTW Chris, my opinion on order is different as I would upgrade parts one-by-one based on the biggest improvement for the $$$ I have. Given that, I would do headers, Y, catback (or just upgrade the muffler if I am staying NA and not racing). I understand what you are saying, but I would pop on the biggest improvement first and go from there.

 

Short tube header and x-pipe.

 

ok so i decided to go with the Y-Pipe. Because the o2 sensors only monitor the front Cats near the headers. So the Cats connected to the Y-pipe basically arent doing much haha...so with a CAI, URD Y-Pipe, and TRD exhuast should i yield some good performance???

 

Once again, short tube headers FTMFW

It's power in an RPM range you'll actually use daily. Plus, all cats stay in place so no issues with emissions or CEL's.

 

haha dang you have me second guessing myself now....what if i do short tube headers with y-pipe? ill retain the front cats still, correct?

 

Yes, you'll keep the front cats but I don't know what coupling the Y-pipe with short tubes gains you. Short tubes gives you gains in the low to middle RPM range. I'm not sure what happens when you put a less restrictive Y-pipe behind the shortys does for you.

 

but if i were to just do shortys itll be a noticeable gain?

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/performance-tuning/224447-doug-thorley-short-tube-header-dyno.html

Talk to someone like Torspd and do some searching on XRU. The guys over there have done a lot more to their truck's performance-wise than you'll see on here. That link I posted has short tube and long tube dyno charts side by side.

 

thanks. that changes my decision...im going with shortys...now one more question, will i need to get the URD maf calibrator? or will just welding the shortys in be fine?